fbpx
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.

You May Also Enjoy:

5 Secrets to Teaching Yoga to Kids

Teach Yoga & Mindfulness with This One Quick Tip

Mindfulness & Mantras Lesson Plan for Children

How to teach Mindfulness and Mantras to Children

How to teach Mindfulness and Mantras to Children

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. While attending the National Kids Yoga Conference, I got the pleasure of meeting Erin Hurley, an elementary school guidance counselor from Virginia. Erin was also named “School Counselor of the Year” for her school district.yoga coloring pages

She is the kind of guidance counselor that any of you would love to have your children work with and learn from. Erin has a kind and creative spirit and truly cares about children. Plus she definitely understands the importance of introducing yoga and mindfulness to children so they will have these skills for life.

Erin shared with me how she uses the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards when she works with students in her elementary classrooms. She has loved using these pose cards with her students as they are visual, age-appropriate, and include simple yet memorable mantras.

Each yoga pose card has a corresponding empowering mantras for success such as “I am strong” or “I am fair and equal.” This ensures that the students are not only receiving the health benefits of each pose, but also the mental and mindfulness benefits as well.yoga tools

Erin shared with me one incredible activity and lesson plan that she did with her students that I wanted to pass along. This lesson could be done anytime throughout the school year, but would tie in nicely with the beginning of the school year, Thanksgiving or a kindness theme.

Mantras and Mindfulness Kids Yoga Lesson Plan

This lesson would work well with children tree pose benefitsages 5-11.

First, brainstorm with the students about positive qualities that they see in themselves. For example being kind, honest, hardworking, caring, strong, etc. Write these qualities on the board.

Next, the students took the “hand template” and wrote qualities that described themselves. They did this by writing around the hand template. mantras for kids

Finally, the students were able to put the yoga poses and mantras for success together to practice and perform. This absolutely made the lesson even more memorable as it ties together so many different types of student learning such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning. happy poses

You May Also Like:

Teach Mindfulness to Children With This Quick Tip

Getting Ready for Turkey With Go Go Yoga for Kids

Want more kids yoga lesson plans?