10 Tips to Make Your Kids Yoga Classes Memorable

To me, those few seconds before a kids’ yoga class starts are like watching a magic trick about to happen. I am sitting there quietly waiting for that little signal to start, something that will tell me: “now it is time for yoga”. I keep my mind open, I keep my heart open and then, suddenly, it is all there, ready to start and unfold with all the curiosity and creativity that the children in the room encapsulate in them.

The show is about to begin!

As a kids’ yoga teacher, I used to find myself looking for class plan ideas or spending hours and days planning classes and writing lessons plans. I have a gazillion notebooks filled with class plans and notes stored at home.

However, over the years, I have noticed that whenever I taught a class based on a class plan, this little A5 piece of paper which was hidden under my mat brought some kind of stress to me and the room. I had became attached to this little precious A5 size paper and my attention was focused on the class plan rather than on the energies, flow and synergies of the class and the children.

It took some time (and a lot of courage) but today I don’t use any written class plans in my kids’ yoga classes.

So what do I do and how do I prepare and approach my kids’ yoga classes today?

Before every session, I will think of an idea, a word, a theme, a song, or a pose. I will use these as anchors for the session, meaning that I will know how I start and where I want to go during the class, but I will keep my options open and will not have a whole class plan, or a map.

Most teachers who work with children will agree with me that the children have so many ideas to share with us and with the group. They are direct in their feedback and let you know immediately if your class is working for them or if it is really boring. I therefore love to keep space for them to say and to suggest whatever is in their vast and creative minds. I believe that as you share yoga with children more and more, your confidence increases and your tool box becomes fuller and more diverse and then all you need to practise is how quickly you can draw whatever you need out of your past experience and out of that tool box of yours.

So, I invite you to wear your magician hat and I would like to offer you 10 gems which can make your kids’ yoga classes more memorable both for the kids and for yourself:

Trust Yourself– The most important thing I can offer you is Trust. Trust yourself that whatever you know for this class is enough. You are enough! Everything you need to know for this class is already printed inside you. You will feel much more confident and content when you trust yourself. There is a reason why you are teaching this class, and the faster you notice that, the more deliciously enjoyable the class will be for you and for the children who share the space with you.

Trust The Kids– I will be forever grateful for that sweet little girl with the big brown eyes who lay flat on her tummy, cupped her face with her palms, flicked her feet against her bottom and said to me “BORING! THIS IS SOOO BORING!”. Inevitably, three more dedicated friends of hers joined in the chorus. She saved my class completely.

In a flick of a second, I changed activities and everyone joined in.

Children know what they need. If we just listen to them with our hearts and our eyes, all will be very clear.

Children love to take part in making decisions- I love to give them a chance to say what they would like to do and weave their ideas into the rhythm of the class.

Stop, Look And Listen – Before I start any kids’ yoga class and before all the children arrive, I like to be present in the room, mentally and physically. I sit quietly and observe, almost as if I am waiting for a new thing to happen, with anticipation and curiosity. I am always amazed to see how much information you can get from these few precious moments.

I look at them, I read their body language, their pace. I listen to what they say to each other, or don’t say. These, the in-between moments, will dictate what the class will look like. The kids present to me what the class should contain. Some children will stretch out and do an open-heart pose, some will run around and share the amount of energy they have and need to be released, some will lie on their tummies. My whole class plan is now ready.

Be Ready For Changes. Yoga Is Fun – No matter what class plan you had in your mind, be ready to change it at any minute according to the kids’ energy level, their mood and their needs. Remind yourself all the time that yoga with children should be fun and enjoyable for the children as well as for us. What exactly does it mean? Read the next point.

Have A Magician Suitcase – Keep your tool box rich with ideas, yoga poses, questions, songs, yoga games, breathing activities, props, stories, and anything else which you will be able to draw out from your hat during your class at any moment. I often find that sounds draw attention and shift energy very quickly. I will always carry with me my cymbals and my singing voice. When you sing or chant, you exhale and that is a brilliant way to gather thoughts and centre ourselves.

Stay Creative – kids are natural explorers, seekers, full of curiosity and their creativity is so refreshing. They love to try new things and dig into whatever you have to offer them. There are so many ways to stand in a tree pose. I, for example, like to let them be the tree they feel like being . I will try to offer them my translation for a tree pose, but not before I acknowledged their tree by following their suggestions of a tree pose.

If at any point you don’t know what to do next, ask the children. They will be so grateful for the opportunity to show you their ability to share yoga, and to contribute to the class.

Let The Children Feel And Know That They Are Part Of The Class – If you ever had in mind that we are there to show the children what to do, well…from my perspective, it is completely the opposite. We are there to be the facilitator. We hold the space. We navigate the energies, almost as conducting an orchestra. Invite the children to show you what they need. Create space for them to show you what is on their mind. Choose from time to time poses that the children do occasionally during the class. Acknowledge that you have noticed what they do, mention it to them, and always remember to thank the child whose pose you chose for their idea and contribution. Weave these opportunities in your class. It will make miracles.

Create Opportunities For Conversation During The Class – Children love to share their ideas. I love to offer them that opportunity. I love to ask them questions, even if they don’t have the answers during the class. The questions will resonate well after the class ended. The seeds are planted and if they decide to let you into their own kingdom and share their answers and thoughts with you, you will be so thankful for all that information. It is such a huge privilege to get a glimpse into their extraordinary minds.

Sharing Feelings And Emotions – How many times you have left a yoga class with a storm of emotions, sometimes waves of gratitude, sometimes oceans of joyfulness? Children experience these emotions too after a yoga class..

In my classes, I invite the children to talk about the feelings they have during the class. Yoga is a brilliant way to talk about what and how we feel. I invite them to share with everyone how it makes them feel to do a certain pose or a certain exercise. Partner work and team work can create a wonderful opportunity for discussions. It can expose many emotions which might be hidden, such as frustration, lack of self worth, anger, disappointment as well as joy, accomplishment and courage. I always keep that space safe. I know that in some situations, I might be the only adult they will feel comfortable enough to share with what is in their heart.

Children Are Here To Teach Us – If a strong negative emotion arises during the class, thank the children in your class. They gave you a wonderful opportunity to work on yourself. How amazing is that? Whatever happened, it wasn’t personal, nor aimed at you. It could have been a reflection of something that you need to work on or even something which originated well before the class started.

Be an observer not only of the children, but also of yourself.

And don’t forget – Enjoy the Magic!