Enjoy this relaxing guided audio meditation for children. This meditation is created as a calming New Year's Eve activity which will help children look back on the past year and visualize their wishes and affirmations for the year ahead.
This year, Hannukah begins at sundown on December 22nd.
Look below for some fun Hannukah-inspired yoga activities for kids and families! These games and songs can be used as part of a family Hannukah celebration or as a way to introduce children to other cultures and holiday traditions.
What you need:
Dreidel
Yoga Cards
Hebrew Letter cards (can be hand written)
Instructions for game play:
1. Lay out 4 yoga cards - these cards correspond to the 4 letters on the dreidel ( נ (nun), ג (gimel), ה (hei), ש (shin)
2. Spin the dreidel - whatever letter the dreidel lands on is the yoga pose that all players do. After a few rounds, switch out the cards with new poses.
We’ve added yoga poses to this traditional Hannukah song! The words in BOLD below correspond with the yoga poses.
Hannukah, oh Hannukah come light the MENORAH
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the hora
Gather round the TABLE, We’ll give you a treat
DREIDELS to play with
And LATKES to eat and while we are playing
The CANDLES are burning low
one for each night they shed a sweet light to remind us of days long ago (x2)
Five little latkes sitting on a plate
The first one says "oh my it's getting late!"
The second one says "there are donuts over there!"
The third one says "but we don't care"
(twist)
The fourth one says "oh yum oh yum"
(bring hands to belly)
The fifth one says "Isn't Hannukah fun!"
Andrea Creel, MSW, LMSW, E-RYT 200, YACEP
Andrea is the founder of Shining Kids Yoga, which began as an after-school program at her son's elementary school in 2014. She has been teaching yoga to all ages since 2005. Andrea completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. In addition, she received specialized training in children’s yoga from the Radiant Child Yoga program, training in postnatal yoga from Baby OM, and training in therapeutic yoga from The Samarya Center.
Andrea is also the creator and facilitator of the Shining Kids Yoga Kids Yoga Teacher Training, a 17-hour certification program in kids yoga.
When not teaching or practicing yoga, Andrea enjoys playing board games with her son, Quinn, singing karaoke, and trying out new vegetarian recipes!
Give the gift of yoga this holiday season with these special gift card deals when you purchase a gift card between 11/30/19-12/31/19! Gift cards can be used for purchasing class registrations and workshops with Shining Kids Yoga
$50 gift card; get coupon for $5 off your next purchase
$100 gift card; get coupon for $10 off your next purchase
$130 gift card; get coupon for $15 off your next purchase
$250 gift card; get coupon for $40 off your next purchase
NOTE: gift cards are non-refundable; discount coupon cannot be combined with Small Business Saturday Special. Gift cards are not redeemable for merchandise or private sessions. There is no expiration date for gift card balances or coupon redemption.
Take 20% off all winter classes, workshops, and merchandise using promo code SMALLBIZ at checkout! Important: you MUST use the promo code to receive the discount!
EXCLUSIONS: discount does not apply to class registrations at Beall ES, Diamond ES, Greenwood ES, and Takoma Park ES
This discount may be used for unlimited merchandise purchases and up to 4 class/workshop registrations. HOWEVER, each class registration must be purchased in a separate transaction. Small Business Saturday Discount cannot be combined with sibling discount.
This special offer is available from 11/30/19-12/3/19 ONLY
Give the gift of yoga this holiday season with these special gift card deals when you purchase a gift card between 11/30/19-12/31/19! Gift cards can be used for purchasing class registrations and workshops with Shining Kids Yoga
$50 gift card; get coupon for $5 off your next purchase
$100 gift card; get coupon for $10 off your next purchase
$130 gift card; get coupon for $15 off your next purchase
$250 gift card; get coupon for $40 off your next purchase
NOTE: gift cards are non-refundable; discount coupon cannot be combined with Small Business Saturday Special. Gift cards are not redeemable for merchandise or private sessions. There is no expiration date for gift card balances or coupon redemption.
Enjoy this relaxing guided audio meditation for children which will help them to cultivate gratitude. Use this meditation before bedtime for a peaceful night's sleep or anytime to help your child feel more calm, peaceful, relaxed, and grateful for all the people and things in their lives.
Narration by Andrea Creel, Shining Kids Yoga http://www.shiningkidsyoga.com
Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "River Flute"Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Image by: Pro Church Media on Unsplash
Spa Day Workshop
Ages 8-13
Saturday, November 2, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: 6208 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852
taught by Shining Kids Yoga Owner & Educational Director, Andrea Creel
In this special class, participants will learn how to make body care products that help them feel pampered, relaxed, and refreshed.
Projects include: exfoliating sugar scrubs, aromatherapy bath salts, and lavender relaxation spray.
Participants will get to try out their creations in class, and take some home to enjoy. Everyone will receive written instructions on how to make more of each item at home, too!
We will be working with essential oils and other skin care products in this workshop. If your child has sensitive skin or skin allergies, please carefully consider their participation in this class.
A materials fee is included in the registration cost. Please note that this is NOT a yoga class, and no yoga poses will be practiced in this class.
Cost: $35 (includes all class materials)
Sibling Discount: 10% discount for each additional participant.
Enjoy this relaxing guided audio meditation for children exploring the beauty of autumn. Use this meditation before bedtime for a peaceful night's sleep or anytime to help your child feel more calm, peaceful, and relaxed. Narration by Andrea Creel, Shining Kids Yoga http://www.shiningkidsyoga.com Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "River Flute" Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Today, in Crafty & Calm Kids Relaxation Series (ages 9-13) we made these beautiful gratitude journals and meditation bracelets! Next week, we will be creating peace rocks and positivity cards.
There's still space for your child to join us on 10/12 and 10/19!
Register: www.shiningkidsyoga.com/workshops
Crafty & Calm is a new class series that we will be offering on Saturdays this fall for children ages 8-13.
This series is a fun way of introducing children and tweens to relaxation tools and techniques while inspiring their creativity and creating fun objects to enjoy and use at home. Each class, we will create a different calming craft, and practice guided meditation & breathing exercises that will leave your child feeling peaceful and refreshed. Participants will learn how to use these tools and techniques to feel more calm at home, school, and on-the-go.
Craft projects include:
gratitude journals, meditation bracelets, peace rocks, positivity cards, and stress balls.
Visit www.shiningkidsyoga.com/workshops for more information or to register!
Registration for Fall 2019 classes is now open! Please visit www.shiningkidsyoga.com/registration to view class schedules and to register for classes.
Wednesday, July 31st 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Early Intervention Associates
6208 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD
taught by Shining Kids Yoga Owner & Educational Director, Andrea Creel
Celebrate Harry Potter's Birthday with a special yoga class especially for Harry Potter fans!
Calling all witches, wizards, and muggles, too - join us for this magical yoga class exploring the world of Harry Potter! We’ll use some yoga magic to travel on the Hogwart’s Express, get sorted into houses, practice some of Harry’s favorite yoga poses (and create some of our own!), tame dragons, learn a magic mind-calming spell, create our own pensieves (meditation mind-jars), and relax with a special relaxation potion. Costumes optional.
This special class is for ages 6-11. No previous yoga experience is needed. Class is limited to 7 students, so register early to save your child's space in this magical yoga experience!
Shining Kids Yoga will be offering summer yoga classes for ages 3-13
Each yoga class includes yoga poses, breathing, and relaxation exercises which cultivate a calm mind, increase strength and flexibility, improve gross and fine motor skills, improve concentration, and give children the tools to manage stress in their daily lives.
Summer Session Dates:
Sundays, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11
9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Preschool Yoga (ages 3-5)
10:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Yoga for Kids (Grades K-4)
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Yoga for Tweens & Teens (Grades 5-8)
Cost: $90
Location: 6208 Montrose Road (across from the JCC), Rockville, MD 20852
To register, visit: www.shiningkidsyoga.com/registration
Questions: info@shiningkidsyoga.com
Shining Kids Yoga will be offering family (parent & child) yoga classes this summer on the following dates:
Sunday, June 23rd 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Saturday, July 20th 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Saturday, August 17th 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
This workshop will include playful partner poses, games, stories, and a special relaxation time that will leave your whole family feeling peaceful and happy. Parents and kids alike will cultivate a sense of calm and connection through this unique yoga experience.
This workshop is limited to 4 families! Register early to ensure your family's space in this special yoga practice.
$25/parent & child pair
$15/ additional parent or child - use "sibling discount" for additional registrant to receive the $15 rate
Register soon to ensure your family's space in this special yoga practice. Click the links above to register.
For additional information, please email info@shiningkidsyoga.com
Relaxing guided audio meditation for teens and adults. Use this meditation before bedtime for a peaceful night's sleep or anytime you want to release stress and find peace & relaxation.
Narration by Andrea Creel, founder of Shining Kids Yoga http://www.shiningkidsyoga.com
Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "River Flute" Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Image from Pexels
Meditation bracelets, also known as malas are a wonderful tool for helping children learn to meditate. The purpose of the bracelet is to use the beads on the bracelet as a counting mechanism during a meditation practice known as mantra. A mantra is a word or phrase that you can repeat to help protect your mind from negative thoughts. Mantra meditation helps you to focus, concentrate, and feel more calm.
A traditional mala has 108 beads. For a meditation bracelet with children, I recommend 27 beads, which is a multiple of 108. On the bracelet is a “special” bead, known in sanskrit as the Guru bead. Including the Guru bead, the bracelet will have a total of 28 beads.
To make your own meditation bracelet, you will need:
Instructions:
cut the elastic string to approximately 12 inches. Tie a knot in one end; make sure the knot is large enough that the beads will not fall off.
Pick out 27 beads and string them onto the elastic in any order you’d like.
Tie the two ends of the elastic together and knot 2-3 times. Then put one “special” bead on the end of the elastic (the part that’s already been knotted).
Knot the two parts of the elastic together again, fixing the “special bead” to the bracelet.
Cut off excess elastic off the ends. Voila - your meditation bracelet is ready to use!
Mantra Meditation
Once you have created your meditation bracelet, you can use it to practice mantra meditation. To use the meditation bracelet for meditation practice, start by holding the bracelet in your dominant hand. Lay it over your middle finger, point your index finger out, and use your thumb to push the beads. Always start with the bead next to the Guru bead. Do not touch the Guru bead, it is a placemarker to let you know when you have gotten all the way around the bracelet. When you make it back to the bead on the other side of the Guru bead, start pushing the beads backwards with your thumb to circle back to the original bead. Each time you push a bead with your thumb, you will repeat a mantra either out loud or silently.
Here are some examples of child-friendly mantras:
Om Shanti (peace)
Peace
May I be happy
You may pick any word or positive phrase to repeat during meditation. Whatever you pick, repeat it for 27, 54, 96, or 108 times. Your meditation bracelet will help you keep track of the repetitions so you don’t have to count in your head.
The practice of moving the beads with your fingers helps build fine motor skills in children and adults and strengthens the brain/body connection. Mantra meditation has been shown to improve memory, concentration, and reduces stress.
Mantra meditation is a great way of helping children learn how to calm and focus their minds. It can be done at home in the morning or before bed, or any other time a child would like to feel more calm and peaceful. During the day, they can wear the bracelet on their wrist to help remind themselves of the positive, calming energy inside them.
Andrea Creel, MSW, LMSW, E-RYT 200, YACEP
Andrea is the founder of Shining Kids Yoga, which began as an after-school program at her son's elementary school in 2014. She has been teaching yoga to all ages since 2005. Andrea completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training & prenatal yoga training at Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. In addition, she received specialized training in children’s yoga from the Radiant Child Yoga program, training in postnatal yoga from Baby OM, and training in therapeutic yoga from The Samarya Center.
Andrea is also a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) through the State of Maryland, having received her MSW degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore.
She has taught yoga for children at yoga studios throughout the DC area, including Tranquil Space, Budding Yogis, Rock Creek Yoga and Warrior One Yoga. She also teaches classes for adults at Yoga Bliss Studios and is part of the teacher training faculty at Extend Yoga.
Andrea is the creator and facilitator of the Shining Kids Yoga Kids Yoga Teacher Training, a 17-hour certification program in kids yoga.
When not teaching or practicing yoga, Andrea enjoys playing board games with her son, Quinn, singing karaoke, and trying out new vegetarian recipes!
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from the links in this article.
It’s no secret that children of all ages love bubbles. They’re fun to look at, fun to blow, and make any activity infinitely more enjoyable. As a kids yoga instructor, I use bubbles in many of my yoga classes. For the youngest age groups (0-3) bubbles are a staple of almost every class. For the older kids (Pre-K and Elementary) bubbles are a fun treat to spice up a yoga sequence or game. Below are a few ways to incorporate bubbles in a yoga class or when practicing yoga at home with your child.
Babies - if you are teaching a baby & me yoga class, bring out the bubbles during savasana so the babies have something visually entertaining to watch while parents/caregivers can close their eyes and relax. You can also sing a calming song while blowing bubbles. Listen below for one of my favorites:
Toddlers/Pre-K - Before relaxation time, have children lie down as you blow bubbles over them - looking at the bubbles helps them focus and relax.
Preschool/Pre-K- pick a yoga pose, for example, tree pose. Have them hold the pose while you blow bubbles to them; after a few rounds, call out a new pose.
Pre-K and Up - Get child-friendly bubble containers and have the children each take turns blowing bubbles to practice deep breathing
Elementary - play “bubble pose freeze tag” by having each child “freeze” in a pose. When a bubble lands on them, they can unfreeze and pick a new pose. They are then frozen again in the new pose until another bubble lands on them
Wishing you many of hours filled with yoga, bubbles, giggles & fun!
~ Andrea
Andrea Creel, MSW, LMSW, E-RYT 200, YACEP
Andrea is the founder of Shining Kids Yoga, which began as an after-school program at her son's elementary school in 2014. She has been teaching yoga to all ages since 2005. Andrea completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training & prenatal yoga training at Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. In addition, she received specialized training in children’s yoga from the Radiant Child Yoga program, training in postnatal yoga from Baby OM, and training in therapeutic yoga from The Samarya Center.
Andrea is also a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) through the State of Maryland, having received her MSW degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore.
She has taught yoga for children at yoga studios throughout the DC area, including Tranquil Space, Budding Yogis, Rock Creek Yoga and Warrior One Yoga. She also teaches classes for adults at Yoga Bliss Studios and is part of the teacher training faculty at Extend Yoga.
When not teaching or practicing yoga, Andrea enjoys playing board games with her son, Quinn, singing karaoke, and trying out new vegetarian recipes!
For those who are not already familiar, The Macarena is a popular song and dance from the 1990s. It’s popularity has continued for the past few decades, and remains a wedding and bar/bat mitzvah staple, ensuring that many elementary school-age children know the dance moves. For those who don’t already know how to do it, you can watch a how-to video at the bottom of this post.
Since kids love to do the Macarena, a fun way to adapt it for yoga class is to do the “Yoga Macarena!” Simply turn on the song, and for each chorus, call out a different yoga pose to hold while doing the Macarena arm movements. In Yoga Macarena, we don’t jump/turn to a different side, we just stay facing the same way because holding a pose while performing the arm movements is hard enough!
Here are some poses you can hold while doing the Macarena:
Tree
Chair
Eagle Legs
Airplane
Triangle
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Stork
Boat
Butterfly
Peacock (seated wide-legged forward fold)
low lunge
high lunge
River
Seated Twist
Starfish
Are there other yoga poses you like to do with the Macarena? Comment below!
Don’t know how to do the Macarena? Check out this YouTube video:
Are you interested in expanding your skill set and career opportunities? Consider becoming a children's yoga teacher!
Shining Kids Yoga will be offering a weekend teacher training March 15-17 at Opus Yoga in Gaithersburg, MD. You DO NOT need to be a yoga teacher already to attend, just a familiarity with yoga and an interest in sharing the benefits of yoga with children! This training is perfect for parents, educators, counselors, health professionals, and anyone who works with children and wants to share this special practice with children!
If you have any questions about the training, email Andrea Creel at info@shiningkidsyoga.com. Payment plans and full-time educator discounts are available.
