Now you are ready for Part 7 of the Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Training:
The Kids Yoga Challenge!
Congratulations! Now you are well over halfway through with your yoga class. Your students have moved, breathed, learned a lot and had fun! Now it’s time for Part 7 of your Kids Yoga Class with The Yoga Challenge!
The Kids Yoga Challenge: Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Part 6
With the Yoga Challenge portion of your kids yoga class, your students will have the opportunity to work on a challenge by themselves or together with the group. Select one of the options below and spend 7-9 minutes having fun with the Yoga Challenge.
The Yoga Challenge Options:
1. Balance Poses:
Select a single balance yoga pose for the children to work on. This could be Airplane Pose, Dancer Pose, Tree Pose or may others. We like to use The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards to help provide a visual. When placed on the floor, they also provide a wonderful focal point.
Kids love to work on balance in yoga class because it is fun and challenging. They often don’t realize that they are acquiring a skill that improves each time they practice. This is good news because studies have shown that our balance decreases as we age beginning at age 7. With practice, we can maintain this balance.
2. Inversions:
I understand that Inversions can sound scary to try…especially with kids. The great news is that Inversions do not need to be difficult to do and the benefits are enormous. Find out how to practice our favorite Kids Yoga Inversions here.
3. Partner Yoga Poses:
Kids love partner yoga poses! Partner yoga poses help teach children the importance of teamwork and working together plus they are fun to do and build trust and community with one another. Check out our all-time favorite Kids Yoga Partner Poses here.
4. Group Yoga Challenge:
This type of yoga challenges are some of my favorites. Do not overthink this, it can be anything from standing in a circle and passing a hula hoop without letting go of hands. It can also be a Group Tree Pose or a Down Dog Tunnel. The point is to get the children working together to achieve a goal while having fun!
Down Dog Tunnels are always a hit for The Yoga Challenge.
The Yoga Challenge is an important part of your kids yoga class for differentiation and meeting the varying needs of your students. Everything can be modified.
This challenge allows the children the opportunity to work on more difficult poses by themselves or within the group. This builds trust and community.
Hello and welcome to our Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Training. Get your free workbook and get all caught up below
We are covering the most important parts of your Kids Yoga Class in our Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101. Each part is important in its own way and not to be missed.
Part 4 of your Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Active Movement
There is a reason that Active Movement is near the beginning of a kids yoga class. The children are so excited to be there from The Welcome then after theirBreathing Exercisesand Sun Salutations, they are good and ready to move their bodies around the room and use their large muscle groups.
Why Active Movement is Important
Active Movement provides the chance to put all of their well-intentioned energy to good use and let the kids have some fun while moving their bodies and making them strong.
The main benefits of Active Movement are to get students’ hearts pumping, build strength, and get their wiggles out (especially in the younger ages)! They will then be good and ready for the Themed Yoga Poses that will follow.
Yoga is more than breath, it is also about strengthening your whole body as well as your mind!
Active Movement
Examples:
Freeze Dance
Follow the Leader
Animal Walks
Jumping Jacks
High Knees
Skipping
Galloping
Do Not Overthink
Just move your body in good and healthy ways! That’s it! Turn on some music and for sure join in the fun! The kids love it! After a few moments, turn the music off, settle the children back into a circle. Have the children place a hand on their heart and feel it pumping energetically.
Make Your Heart Happy
I like to explain to the children how they made their hearts so happy. I tell them that sometimes their hearts get very bored when they are sitting for such a long time in front of the TV or video games. I ask them to put their hand on their heart and feel how happy they made their hearts now! Look around the room after you do this. Light bulbs are going off! The children have definitely made a connection with how to make their hearts happy!
Hello and welcome! I am so happy you are joining us for The Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Training for sun salutations for kids. Find your printable workbook here.
1. We covered the importance of why you NEED to have a lesson plan when you teach yoga to children. Watch the training video here.
Now, grab your Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Guide and jump right in!
Part 3: Sun Salutations for Kids & Connect With Breath
After you and your students have focused on their Breathing Exercises, you can begin Part 3 of your Kids Yoga class with Sun Salutations.
The Sun Salutation portion of a yoga class and is wonderful for warming up the whole body. It is also exciting because your kids yoga students are now ready to connect their breath with this movement.
Keep it Familiar
I like to keep
the Sun Salutations relatively similar for each class. Familiarity builds
confidence. Similar to adults, kids like to feel as if they are in control and
can really pay attention to their breath and movement during the Sun
Salutations if they are comfortable and familiar with the flow.
Sunrise to Sunset
I like to use the analogy of sunrise to sunset with I introduce Sun Salutations to kids. They breathe in and raise their hands above their heads for the sunrise and the dive forward on the exhale over their toes for the Sunset.
At the end of our Sun Salutations, we talk about how we feel stronger, lighter and more focused. This simple exercise is a wonderful way to get their bodies warm and ready for the next Active Movement portion of the class.
Sun Salutations with Kids During our Barnes and Noble Prince & Princess Event
After the first part of your Kids Yoga Class which is The Welcome, the next portion involves helping your students slow down and become aware of their breath and how their bodies feel. This is not as easy as it sounds!
Breathing Exercises
When I first started practicing yoga, I used to believe yoga was only about the movement and holding poses. I quickly learned that your breath is actually more important than the poses. If you can hold the pose, but aren’t taking the long deep breaths, then you are actually not doing yoga. It is the breathing that makes it yoga. On the other hand, you could lie in Child’s Pose and breathing for an entire yoga class and that would be yoga.
Breathing with purpose during yoga lets you hold the pose longer and feel stronger while holding it. In addition to this, breathing deeply and consciously helps to strengthen the nervous system, calm anxiety as well as settle into the class and be in the moment.
Kids, however, do not care about any of the above! Therefore it can be difficult to teach children to become aware of their breath. Kids are busy and wiggly, so it is important that you bring these breathing exercises to their level and interest.
Make breathwork fun and engaging with kids by using a variety of props.
Do not worry, we have you covered! There are several ways to practice mindful breathing in a yoga class, but the main goal is to make the children aware while slowing down their bodies and their breath. This is done through child-friendly breathing exercises.
Spending just a few moments ( it doesn’t need to take long!) slowing down, being mindful, and teaching children to pay attention to their breath will become easier and easier with practice.
Our bestselling Kids Yoga books below include dozens of ideas to make breathwork NOT boring for Kids!
Are you ready to learn how to plan quality and engaging kids yoga classes? Developing a structured and well-thought-out lesson plan is indeed essential for creating a positive experience for children while teaching them yoga!
Welcome to our How to Easy Plan the Best Kids Yoga Class Free Training
In this Kids Yoga Training, you will Learn…
Importance of Having a Lesson Plan: Children thrive on structure and routine. Having a lesson plan in place before teaching a kids’ yoga class helps you be intentional, organized, and prepared. It allows you to take advantage of the limited time you have with the children and ensures that you cover the necessary components.
Flexibility Within Structure: While it’s important to have a lesson plan, it’s also important to remain flexible and adaptable. Unexpected events may arise during the class, and having a plan in place helps you handle them more effectively while still staying present in the moment.
Attention Span and Variety: Children have shorter attention spans compared to adults. To keep the class engaging and effective, incorporate a variety of props and activities. This helps maintain their interest and allows you to make the most of the time you have.
Go Go Yoga for Kids Lesson Plan Format:The Go Go Yoga for Kids Lesson Plan format is a proven formula for teaching yoga to children. It encompasses various components that contribute to a successful and memorable kids’ yoga class. While the format is designed for a 45-60 minute class, you can tailor it to your needs while understanding the purpose of each component.
Flow and Purpose: The lesson plan format guides you through each stage of the class, from warm-up to cool-down. Each part of the lesson plan serves a specific purpose in creating a satisfying and memorable experience for the children. The goal is to create a class that children will enjoy and want to participate in again.
Remember, teaching kids’ yoga requires creativity, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for working with children. As you continue to develop your lesson plans and gain experience, you’ll find ways to adapt and refine your approach to meet the unique needs of your students.
My hope is that once you complete all our How to Easily Plan the Best Kids Yoga Class Training, you will feel like Courtney S. one of our recent graduates!
“I just finished your Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 youtube videos! I enjoyed it very much! While I watched your videos I made my first lesson plan to use! I also completed not too long ago your online kids yoga teacher course also, so its game on! lol. I personally enjoyed learning the different ways of active movement, and the idea of getting the kids hearts pumping right before actually getting into yoga poses, and savasana will ALWAYS be a favorite for me to learn, teach, and do also lol! It is such a good way to soak up the benefits of the poses. I cant wait to connect with the kids in the way you say in your videos while performing and coming out of savasana, I obviously know what it feels like, and I’ve taught my own children, but to connect with kids that aren’t yours is truly magical and in this day and age, they need all the positive role models they can get. I’M SO EXCITED! Thank you so much for the videos!” Courtney S. Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training Graduate
After years of research, lesson planning, and teaching thousands of children yoga, I have completely cracked the code on teaching yoga to kids.
Please understand, I am not trying to be overly confident or show off. Believe me it took a long time to get to this place. Lots and lots of time. In the beginning, I would spend hours and hours planning my kids yoga classes before I felt ready to teach it.
For those of you who love going to adult yoga classes, you may be wondering how hard can it be to plan a kids class. It seems like it should be easy enough. Teach the kids some poses, flow them together for a bit and end up in Savasana. That’s all you need, right?
Wrong. Well not, entirely wrong! Kids yoga and adult yoga are similar in the fact that both include learning and practicing poses, and both end with relaxation. That is where the similarities end, though.
While planning my kids yoga classes, the teacher in me definitely comes through. I absolutely understand the importance of planning and sequencing kids yoga classes so they are appropriately paced, memorable, and kid-friendly. My classroom experience, knowledge of kids, and leading countless kids yoga classes have allowed me to figure out all of the necessary parts of a memorable kids yoga class.
Today I want to share those secrets and lessons learned with you so you will be able confidently to give children the lifelong benefits and fun of yoga.
You may be surprised at some of my findings, but these are success secrets that have worked for me time and time again.
1. Kids Yoga is Different Than Adult Yoga
Children are not mini adults that will follow your every movement in a structured 60-minute vinyasa flow class. They are busy, energetic, and have infinite imaginations and ideas all of their own.
2. Have a Plan, but Be Flexible
Kids yoga classes can be unpredictable, so be ready for anything.Teaching yoga to kids is learning how to live in the moment and demonstrating how to be mindful with yourself and others. That said, there does need to be a plan in place and I am here to help guide you through exactly what to do.
Be prepared, but flexible: This may sound counter-intuitive, but having a lesson plan in place with a theme, related poses, a complementary game, and read-aloud book will send the message that yoga is not a free for all, but something that is important and progressive.
At the same time do not be tied to your lesson plan in a rigid binding way. Kids are not robots. They have energy and varying needs and abilities. Knowing what you want to accomplish with the kids, but being flexible allows for a greater experience for all.
3. Let Go of the Alignment
Yes, it’s true. Your job is to introduce children to yoga in kid-friendly ways. Are they going to care of their left knee is at a perfect 90-degree angle in Warrior 1? No. Demonstrate proper form and ensure their safety, but keep in mind, if children are moving, trying, and having fun; they are learning.
Yoga, after all, is a life long journey. Nobody ever “perfects” yoga. That is why yoga is called a practice. A life long practice.
4. Keep it Moving
End the game on a high note meaning everyone still wants to play. Playing a yoga game over and over again is the surefire way to suddenly have kids that “don’t want to play anymore” or start wandering around and acting up. The recommended Go Go Yoga for Kids amount of time to play a game is 7-10 minutes. Leave them wanting more. I promise the game will be even better received the next class when you announce you are playing it.
5. Join the Fun
If the kids are meowing and mooing from Cat to Cow Pose, be sure you are right there with them. As they practice balancing beanbags on their heads, you better have a bean bag on your head as well. Dancing and skipping around the room? Yep. When kids see you having fun with yoga they will want to have fun with it as well.
