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How to Use Mantras and Moving Meditation with Kids

How to Use Mantras and Moving Meditation with Kids

We live in a fast-paced world and so do our children. How can we, as adults and teachers, help children connect with themselves and others and also  enjoy the moments that we are in?

What we think about ourselves can often impact how we develop.

  • If we feel we are inadequate, then we’ll behave like that.
  • If we believe we are special and loved, we will most likely behave as if we are special and loved.

This is one reason why affirmations and mantras can be an important tool to help children develop positive foundations on which to grow.  A positive self-belief system built in childhood will hopefully stay with a person throughout their life.

What are Mantras?

The word ‘mantra’ comes from Sanskrit, and is generally used to mean a special word or phrase that’s used in meditation. Some parents and teachers may be concerned that mantras conflict with their religious beliefs, but mantras don’t need to have a religious aspect or overtone.

You can think of mantras as a few positive words spoken to ourselves each day. This can make such a difference to our whole mind and heart.

Mantras are similar to affirmations, and over time they can help change the way we feel. Mantras are repeated over and over to ourselves out loud or silently. It’s a wonderful technique for kids to use to set themselves up for doing their best and feeling good about themselves and their efforts.

Providing different tools for children to practice mindfulness with mantras, breathing exercises, and yoga poses is one of my passions. 

As I developed the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards, I wanted to be sure to include all the important tools.

Each card shows a yoga pose and corresponding mantra. Each of the yoga poses involves a variety of muscles working and may make a person feel differently.  The accompanying affirmation for each pose is short and memorable.

kids yoga challenge pose cards
The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

How to Use Mantras in Kids Yoga Classes

Try a few yoga poses with children. As they are holding each pose, ask them what muscles they feel working and also how does it make them feel.  

This practice involves mindfulness since it is not only what they feel working in their body, but how the pose makes them feel, i.e. strong, brave, or peaceful. For example, Warrior 1 Pose may make them feel strong, but Child’s Pose may make them feel safe.

mantras for children
Our popular online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training includes lesson plans and additional instructions on how to effectively use mantras with kids.



Then you can teach them a simple phrase, which they can remember in a stressful moment or a time of unease. Effective mantras for kids could be: “I am thankful,” “I am loved,” “I am safe,” or “Let it go,” which is also a great one for adults.

Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards
Each of The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards includes a Mantra with each yoga pose.
Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards
Kids love to Partner Yoga Poses! These partner poses are included in our Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

Conclusion: A Winning Combination

It is no secret that many children learn best when they are moving. As a school teacher and children’s yoga instructor, I understand that when movement and affirmations are tied together, it can be a powerful way to help children learn.  

Combining mantras with yoga poses has several benefits:

  • It helps children focus and concentrate;  
  • It helps them learn to respect their bodies and one another;  
  • It helps them quiet their minds and connect with each other; and
  • Most importantly, mantras help them create inner confidence as children, which can help shape a person’s whole life.

Are you ready to learn more about teaching yoga to children? Our popular online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training includes everything you need to know to successfully learn how to teach yoga to children online and in person. Perfect for home, school and studio.

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St. Patrick’s Day Kids Yoga Fun for All Ages

St. Patrick’s Day Kids Yoga Fun for All Ages

 St. Patrick’s Day Yoga Lesson Plan

Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these lucky and fun poses for St. Patrick’s Day yoga, games, breathing exercises and more.

These yoga poses and games are perfect for home, school, and studio. Get the full lesson plan in our bestselling book Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children.

Breathing deeply with purpose during yoga lets you hold the pose longer. However breathing excercises for kids need to look a little differentGo Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children

Begin with Rainbow Breath:

1.Place your index fingers together.

2. On the inhale reach your arms to one side of your body.

3. On the exhale, raise your arms overhead and lower to the other side.

St. Patrick’s Day Themed Yoga Poses:

Pot of Gold: Full Boat Pose

Leprechaun: Chair Pose or Warrior 2 Pose

4 Leaf Clover: Star Pose

Horseshoe: Horse Pose

Rainbow: Wheel Pose, Bridge Pose, Reverse Plank

Visuals for all of these yoga poses can be found in the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

More St. Paddy’s Kids Yoga Ideas:

Balance Practice: Use plastic gold coins to work on balancing them on your hand, head, knee, etc. The children will have lots of ideas on where they can balance their gold coins. You can also use these gold coins for balance relays which the kids think are lots of fun.

gold coin

Find the complete Lucky Leprechaun Kids Yoga Lesson Plan in our bestselling Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children book.

Get your free Kids St. Patrick’s Day yoga Mandala here.

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Yoga Poses for Children: Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 With Yoga Themes

Yoga Poses for Children: Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 With Yoga Themes

Hello and welcome! I am so happy that you are joining us for our Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Training. You are in the right place!

Get All Caught Up Below:

Why you need a Kids Yoga Lesson Plan before you even think about teaching yoga to children.

Part 1: The Welcome: How to engage your students right from the start.

Part 2: Breathing Exercises: Made Relevant and FUN for Children

Part 3: Sun Salutations Made Simple: Connect Movement with Breath

Part 4: The Importance of Active Movement: Get hearts pumping, build strength, and get wiggles out.

Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101: Yoga Themes for Poses (Part 5)

Congratulations! You have made it to the main part of your yoga class where you can introduce and teach poses to your students. Kids enjoy learning new yoga poses and often get excited about adding new ones to their repertoire.

boat pose
Boat Pose at the Park: Yoga is a Great Exercise for All Ages

How to Teach Yoga Poses to Kids

When teaching yoga poses to kids, I have found it helpful to group the yoga poses together by a theme. It is also helpful to only introduce 4-6 yoga poses per class. This really gives children the opportunity to practice the yoga poses and remember them outside of class. 

I have found that concentrating on fewer poses in class allows the children to truly focus, pay more attention to correct form and achieve success. They will feel themselves getting stronger, longer and more flexible as they become more comfortable with the poses. Your theme-related yoga poses are also a great way to differentiate and accommodate for the varying needs of your class.

How to Introduce the Yoga Poses

When introducing the yoga poses, it is important to be excited about the poses and build anticipation. This is a great technique and you will have the kids in the palm of your hand and so excited to learn what the next pose will be.

  1. Gather the children in a circle
  2. Have some sort of seasonal bag or prop (colorful gift bag, basket, stocking cap, sand pail) that you have placed the 4-5 pose card visuals. I use The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.
  3. Call on a child to come and “draw out” the next pose.
  4. Everyone practices the pose. Discuss what parts of your body you feel working and getting stronger.
  5. Call on another child to draw out the next pose and practice.
  6. Continue in this format until all of the poses have been drawn.
  7. I like to give the students a “test.” Since I am a teacher they find this highly interesting and engaging. I call out a pose that we have learned and the students must get into it as quickly as they can. For younger ages, it is fine to show the Kids Yoga Pose Card to help them find success.
yoga pose app
The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards include 40 yoga pose cards. Partner yoga poses, yoga games, and mantras for mindfulness are included.

How to Teach Yoga Poses to School-Aged, Tweens, and Teens

After learning and practicing the yoga poses with older students, we will flow the poses together. Our yoga mats are already placed in a circle and I then place the yoga pose cards (that we just learned) in the center in the center in the circle and also order that we will flow. The children really enjoy this and they feel very grown-up.

They are definitely not too grown-up, however, when the Yoga Flow ends and it is time to practice the poses with a Yoga Game! Kids never ever want to pass up a yoga game!

Stay tuned for our favorite Kids Yoga Games in our Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 coming up next!

yoga games and activities for children
Kids Yoga Games & Activities for Children

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The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards: Exciting News!

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards: Exciting News!

We have listened to you! The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards are now available on Amazon.com and Amazon UK! This is very exciting news and could have never done it without your support!

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards will challenge you and children with balance, flexibility, mindfulness, and more. This card deck includes 40 poses including partner poses, confidence building pose mantras, and fun games to play together using these cards.

I use the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards in every kids yoga class that I teach

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards include: 

  • 40 progressive yoga poses including partner poses
  • Each pose includes an empowering mantra for mindfulness and meditation
  • All poses are rated from 1-5 stars based on difficulty (this makes it fun for the kids to learn and practice all poses)
  • Easy to follow poses to create many original yoga flows
  • Fun sturdy drawstring burlap bag for storage

PLUS Each card deck INCLUDES 15 Bonus Yoga Games to play using the yoga cards 

Find out More Here: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

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The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards: Exciting News!

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards Go International

Go Go Yoga for Kids is thrilled to announce the launching of the Kids 

kids yoga challenge pose cardsYoga Challenge Pose Cards internationally! Now you have the option to purchase directly from our store, Amazon.com or Amazon.uk.

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards will challenge you and your kids with balance, flexibility, mindfulness, and more. This yoga cards for kids deck includes 40 poses including partner poses, confidence building pose mantras, and fun games to play together using these cards.

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards Include:warrrior 1

  • 40 progressive yoga cards for kids including partner poses
  • Empowering pose mantras for beginners and meditation
  • Poses rated from 1-5 stars based on levels
  •  Easy to follow poses to create many original yoga flows
  • 15 Bonus Games to play using these pose cards
  • Tested and proven yoga poses to bring most Double Boatmental and physical benefit
  • Takes only minutes each day to gain lifelong skills and health benefits
  • Comes in a fun drawstring burlap bag

Read what others are saying about the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

The Go Go Yoga for Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards are an excellent product for parents, teachers, and kids yoga instructors alike! The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the cards can be used in so many different ways. My kids just love practicing the poses, and we can’t wait to try the suggested games. These cards are a great companion to Sara’s book but can also be used on their own. Highly recommend!!cards with bag

–Erin Leach

These cards are awesome! Simple, kid-friendly pictures and an inspiring statement to go with each card. I used these in my Kindergarten classroom and was able to quickly and easily teach a handful of poses. There is a card with suggested ways to use the cards and suggestions for games to play with them, too. Will purchase more sets of these to use as gifts and give to fellow educators and parents.

–Kate Virgil

Find out more about the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.