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How to Make Mindful Moments with Kids & Families

How to Make Mindful Moments with Kids & Families

I was honored to be a guest on the Mindful Moments for Families & Schools Podcast! We continued to crack the code on how to easily incorporate mindfulness and yoga into your children’s everyday routine. 

Get Ready to Discover:

  • Recommendations on how to get started with a yoga & mindfulness practice yourself
  • How to get started teaching yoga to children
  • Create mini mindful moments with Kids
  • How the Go Go Yoga for Kids books & resources came to fruition
  • The creation of The Kids Yoga Challenge App
  • How to easily connect with children
  • Favorite Kids Yoga teaching moments
  • How to build a passion into a business

Tune in for a lighthearted and spirited discussion that left me smiling way after we had parted.

 

go go yoga for kids
go go yoga for kids

 

Mindful Moments for Families and Schools Podcast

Host: Kelly Winkler

In today’s episode I chat with Sara Weis. Best-selling author Sara J. Weis is a creative and passionate teacher who has inspired children for over twenty years. In Go Go Yoga for Kids, Sara has combined her experience as a school teacher and a certified kid and adult yoga instructor to introduce children to yoga in engaging and child-friendly ways.

Sara is the author of Go Go Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide to Yoga with Kids, Yoga Lessons for Children and Yoga Games & Activities for Children. She is also the creator of the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards, The Kids Yoga Challenge App and the online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training, which has trained thousands from all over the world on how to energetically and effectively teach yoga and mindfulness to children.

Sara holds a master’s degree in education as well as bachelor’s degrees in early childhood and elementary education. She is a teacher for West Des Moines Schools and leads kids yoga classes for a nationally-known health and fitness club. Her Go Go Go Yoga for Kids Teacher Training and books are found in over 200 health clubs, gyms and schools across the US.

Listen to the full episode to hear all Sara’s wisdom about yoga for kids. 

kids yoga challenge pose cards

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.

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards Include:

  • 40 progressive yoga poses including partner poses
  • Empowering pose mantras for beginners and meditation
  • Poses rated from 1-5 stars based on difficulty
  • 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 mental and physical benefit
  • Takes only minutes each day to gain lifelong skills and health benefits
Got 5 Minutes? 10 Easy Mindfulness Activities for Kids

Got 5 Minutes? 10 Easy Mindfulness Activities for Kids

Looking for simple mindfulness activities for kids that actually work?

The good news is that mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting quietly for long periods of time. In fact, some of the best mindfulness activities for children take less than five minutes and can be done anywhere.

Whether you’re a parent trying to create calmer mornings, a teacher looking for a quick brain break, or a camp counselor managing a group of energetic kids, these simple activities can help children improve focus, regulate emotions, and reduce stress.

Why Mindfulness Matters for Kids

Children today are growing up in a fast-paced world filled with constant stimulation. Mindfulness helps children slow down, pay attention to the present moment, and develop important self-regulation skills.

Research shows that mindfulness can help children:

• Improve focus and concentration

• Manage big emotions

• Reduce anxiety and stress

• Increase self-awareness

• Build resilience

The best part? It only takes a few minutes a day.

1. Five Finger Breathing

Spread one hand wide.

Using the pointer finger of the opposite hand, slowly trace up and down each finger.

Breathe in as you trace up.

Breathe out as you trace down.

This activity is perfect for calming anxious or frustrated children.

mindfulness for kids

2. Rainbow Walk

Go outside and challenge children to find something red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

This simple activity encourages observation skills and helps children stay present.

3. Listening Challenge

Set a timer for one minute.

Ask children to close their eyes and count how many sounds they hear.

Birds.

Cars.

Wind.

Voices.

When the timer ends, compare observations.

kids yoga teacher training
How to Play The Listening Game

4. Belly Buddy Breathing

Lie down and place a small stuffed animal on the belly.

Watch the stuffed animal rise and fall with each breath.

Children love this activity because they can actually see their breathing.

5. Mindful Stretch Break

Reach high like a tree.

Fold forward like a waterfall.

Stretch wide like a starfish.

Move slowly and notice how the body feels.

6. Gratitude Toss

Toss a ball back and forth.

Each time someone catches the ball, they share one thing they are grateful for.

Simple. Fun. Powerful.

7. Freeze and Feel

Turn on music and dance.

When the music stops, freeze.

Ask:

How does your body feel?

How is your breathing?

What emotion are you feeling right now?

yoga poses for kids
Yoga Freeze Dance

8. Five Senses Check-In

Name:

• 5 things you see

• 4 things you hear

• 3 things you feel

• 2 things you smell

• 1 thing you taste

This classic grounding activity works for children and adults alike.

9. Kindness Challenge

Challenge children to perform one act of kindness today.

Helping a sibling.

Holding a door.

Writing a note.

Kindness and mindfulness go hand in hand.

10. One Minute of Stillness

Can your child sit quietly for one minute?

No screens.

No talking.

Just breathing and noticing.

Sometimes the simplest activities are the most powerful.

Bringing Mindfulness Into Everyday Life

Mindfulness doesn’t require special equipment, expensive programs, or hours of practice. Small moments practiced consistently can make a big difference.

The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is helping children develop tools they can use throughout their lives to navigate stress, build confidence, and find calm in a busy world.

That’s a skill worth practicing.

Want more fun ways to teach yoga and mindfulness to children? Explore our Kids Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Training and discover engaging games, activities, and lessons that kids love.

Kids Yoga Teacher Training Black Friday Sale

Kids Yoga Teacher Training Black Friday Sale

Do Not Miss Our Biggest Sale of the Year!

ALL OF OUR ONLINE KIDS YOGA  TEACHER TRAININGS ARE 30% OFF

black friday sale

Online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training

 USE CODE BLACKFRIDAYNOW AT CHECKOUT

 

kids yoga teacher introduction training

Kids Yoga Teacher Introduction Training

Use code BLACKFRIDAYNOW at checkout to save 30%

NOThis means you get your Kids Yoga & Mindfulness training, personal certification, lesson plans, lifetime access to the training PLUS personalized support at our lowest price. This is such an amazing opportunity for our comprehensive and complete kids yoga trainings. All online and completed at your pace with my support every step of the way!

Your Choice of 2 Complete Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings

Use code BLACKFRIDAYNOW to Save 30% off your Enrollment

 

If you have ever even thought about teaching yoga to children, then this is definitely the perfect opportunity!

Yes, it is true! Now I know you are thinking…what an incredible deal and I really do want to begin making a difference with kids, but this is a busy time for me right now.

I totally get that! The best news is that you can begin this training anytime you want right from the comfort of your couch or bed (my preference!).

🏁 I guarantee that within a week of just starting our Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training, you will be making a positive difference in the lives of the children you love and care about!

⭐ Bonus: When you enroll you also receive access to our all-new Live Kids Yoga Class Examples from beginning to end!

I remember when I first started teaching yoga to children. All I wanted to see was actual teaching and kids yoga in action! Now you can view an early childhood class, a school-age class, and an engaging tween & teen yoga class.

Enjoy this opportunity, It won’t last long, grab this opportunity and start making a difference in the lives of the children you care about!

Remember to use BLACKFRIDAYNOW at checkout to save 30% off your enrollment.

The Ultimate Kids Yoga Teacher Introduction Course

The Ultimate Kids Yoga Teacher Introduction Course

The Kids Yoga Teacher Introduction Course will teach everything that you need to know before teaching yoga to children!

Learn Exactly What You Need to Begin Teaching Yoga to Children Right Away

  • Live Kids Yoga Class Examples from Beginning to End
  • Step-by-Step Lesson Plans
  • Yoga Pose Visuals
  • The Most Important Parts of Your Kids Yoga Class

Included Full Length Kids Yoga Classes:

  • Preschool/Early Childhood 
  • School Ages 5-12
  • Teen & Tween
  • All Ages Family Yoga

Plus….Lesson Plan Extensions

Discover the importance of having a “bag of tricks” or additional ideas to add into your class in case something isn’t working, you need to modify, differentiate or you have additional time to fill.

Each Live Kids Yoga Class includes a lesson recap that includes:

  • Yoga poses and games to differentiate for varying levels and skills
  • Additional read aloud books  to include in your class
  • What you can do differently to accommodate different age groups and abilities.

Downloadable Lesson Plans & Yoga Pose Visuals

  • Complete step-by-step kids yoga lesson plans
  • Printable yoga pose visuals to use in class for practice and games
  • Fun, engaging and diverse Kids Yoga Themes such as Blast into Space, Building Confidence, Animal Yoga & More.

Each live kids yoga class includes:

  • A complete 35-45 minute long class
  • Downloadable lesson plans that you can follow along with and then use for your classes
  • Yoga pose visuals that match perfectly with the lesson plan and are also needed for using with kids for games and practice.
  • Plus A video recap with lesson extensions including why I did what I did, what you could change to differentiate for varying levels and needs,  how you could make the lesson longer or shorter depending on your class needs plus ways to differentiate.
  • Not only that, but I will teach you the Fail Proof Easy way to plan your kids yoga lessons. These are lessons that kids will remember and will have them excited for yoga.

This is exactly what I wanted when I began teaching yoga to kids. No more spending your time and energy trying to piece things together. Discover what really works in teaching yoga to kids!

The Great Parent Slowdown: How to Be More Present from Yoga for Unity & Wellbeing

The Great Parent Slowdown: How to Be More Present from Yoga for Unity & Wellbeing

“How do you bring out the best from within you, to excel in this journey of parenthood? Are you plagued with questions like:- Am I a good parent? Why is it difficult to raise kids? Will my child turn out right? Learn how to be more present with this webinar!

This webinar also commemorates the United Nations Global Parents Day! Featuring Mary Wheatley and Sara Weis. Mary is a Conscious Parent Coach from Hawaii who is going to talk about the great parent slowdown during today’s pandemic times and she comes with her bag of tricks to help us all out in our individual personal journeys. Sara is a bestselling author and kids yoga instructor who is going to happily share with us a few dynamic yoga poses for us to connect with our kids.

You May Also Enjoy:

7 Family Yoga Ideas To Help Parents And Children Practice Together

How to Use Mantras and Moving Meditation with Kids

Family Fun with Yoga Poses & Simple Mindfulness Exercises