Teaching children how to do deep breathing gives them the tools to feel calm and peaceful whenever they want. It is a powerful self-regulation skill. Look below for simple instructions and a graphic of “Peace Breath.”
Help your child feel peaceful with Peace Breath!
silently say these words as you breathe in and out:
(inhale) I am
(exhale) peaceful
Try this breath 5 times, then sit quietly and notice how you feel.
As an Amazon Associate, Shining Kids Yoga earns from qualifying purchases from the links in this blog
Meet Deran Deegala
Deran Deegala is the illustrator of Mystery Pose: A Yoga Guessing Game. He is 13 years old and is an honor roll student at Julius West Middle School in Rockville, Maryland. Read below to learn more about this talented young artist!
When did you start drawing?
I started drawing at a young age when I was in preschool which escalated in first grade.
How/when did you get into digital art?
I got into digital at the beginning of the pandemic. I’d started looking at other artists on social media creating amazing things on a tablet, so I’d thought I’d try it out.
Who are your favorite artists/cartoons/shows/illustrators?
I love looking at art from small artists on social media and my art was influenced by the cartoons I liked, like Steven Universe, The Owl House, Amphibia, OK.KO Let’s Be Heroes and Carmen Sandiego
Where have you taken art classes?/how did you develop your style?
I’m actually a self taught artist. I drew based of the shows I watched and it helped develop my art style.
What was your favorite thing about making the illustrations for Mystery Pose?
My favorite thing about working on Mystery Pose was experimenting with all the yoga poses. It was incredibly fun to draw them because of how dynamic they were.
What is your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subjects in school are history, science and art
What is your favorite color?
It’s hard for me to choose a favorite color, but I’d say any shade of blue.
Do you want to be an artist when you grow up? If so, what kind of artist/what speciality? If not, what do you aspire to be?
It’s been a dream of mine to crate an animated show and I’m working on my animation ability too.
I have a weird passion of interior design. Maybe because of my art knowledge, I’m interested in furnishing rooms with the right colors.
To see Deran’s illustrations, Purchase Mystery Pose on Amazon
Help your child feel more calm and peaceful ANYTIME with guided meditations and yoga practices on the Shining Kids Yoga YouTube Channel!
Check out two sample meditations below or view the entire collection on YouTube
Does your child have a favorite Shining Kids Yoga meditation? Send us a message at info@shiningkidsyoga.com and let us know!
"Mystery Pose: A Yoga Guessing Game" is now available on Amazon!
A book and game rolled into one, children will delight in following the clues to guess all of the yoga poses. Colorful illustrations and rhyming poems help children gleefully discover the yoga pose hiding on the next page. This adorable book includes 18 child-friendly yoga poses and ends with an inspiring relaxation. Mystery Pose is a playful introduction to yoga for young children.
(Shining Kids Yoga earns from qualified purchases using this link)
PLUS!
Join Andrea for a special Book Release Party on Saturday, May 15th at 11:30 a.m.!
More details here: Book Release Party RSVP
COMING SOON! - PRE-ORDER NOW!
Be the first to receive a copy of this entertaining and relaxing book by Shining Kids Yoga Founder, Andrea Creel! Estimated ship date: May 2021
All pre-orders will receive Shining Kids Yoga swag in their order and a signed copy of the book with a special message just for you!
PLUS - all orders placed by 4/15 will be entered into a drawing to win a FREE Shining Kids Yoga t-shirt (youth sizes only) and eye mask!
Mystery Pose: A Yoga Guessing Game
by Andrea Creel
Illustrations by Deran Deegala
Book Description:
It's time to play a guessing game!
A book and game rolled into one, children will delight in following the clues to guess all of the yoga poses. Colorful illustrations and rhyming poems help children gleefully discover the yoga pose hiding on the next page. This adorable book includes 18 child-friendly yoga poses and ends with an inspiring relaxation. Mystery Pose is a playful introduction to yoga for young children. For ages 3-8.
Advance Praise for Mystery Pose:
“As a pediatrician, I'm always looking for creative ways to help kids fall in love with healthy habits. Mystery Pose is exactly that—a beautiful, engaging book that puts the fun in fitness and inspires children to be mentally and physically strong, whether they realize it or not!" - Dr. Steve Silvestro, Pediatrician, Host of The Child Repair Guide Podcast and Founder of the Mindfulness for Parents Online Course.
“Andrea Creel’s Mystery Pose: A Yoga Guessing Game, captures the playful curiosity that is at the heart of yoga…the use of a guessing game to cue poses is so creative and fun. I plan on using these guessing games with adults as well as children. Children will enjoy learning the Sanskrit words for the poses along with the delightful descriptions. I work with a diverse patient population so I was happy to see children of all colors and ethnicities represented throughout the book. I can’t wait to introduce this book to my pediatric patients!” - Lauren M. Dome, RN, MSN, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Mental Health Specialist, and Registered Yoga Instructor RYT500
“Kids and families will enjoy reading together and trying to guess the poses while being in the poses. The author's words are incredibly poetic and almost musical! I feel like I am moving gracefully through a vinyasa flow as I read the story. The illustrations by Deran Deegala are really wonderful. The pictures are inviting and empowering! The children look strong, peaceful, and confident." - Kim Hughes CCC-SLP, Certified Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist and Co-Founder of Talk Yoga, Speech and Language Therapy + Yoga
“This book is a fun and creative way to introduce and do some yoga! The poems are great for new and seasoned yogis alike, as they try to figure out which pose goes with each description. Fun for kids, great for adults, and a great way to share some yoga with your littlest friends.” - Mariela Gomez, Children’s Yoga Teacher and Owner of My Little Light Yoga
“Cleverly written and delightfully illustrated, 'Mystery Pose' is colorful, imaginative, and inclusive; a great book for inspiring any child's interest in yoga." - Hari-kirtana das, Yoga Teacher and Author of In Search of the Highest Truth: Adventures in Yoga Philosophy
“I have a feeling that this book is going to be a part of every kids yoga teacher's kit. It is a great addition to every yoga lesson and a wonderful way to engage children to practice yoga. It all works really well, the guessing game, the illustrations, the beautiful and uplifting messages that shine through the book.” - Shlomi Almoslinos, Author of Yogi on a Journey; Founder of Yoga4Kids Sydney
“Andrea Creel has written an engaging, whimsical and beautiful ‘invitation’ for children to express their appreciation of yoga through language and movement. By using the metaphor of ‘mystery’ to assist in remembering each pose, she teases answers out of youngsters by reminding them of the attributes of familiar poses while walking them through the cues to create each asana. A skillful series of lessons on building and celebrating a child's practice with playfulness and compassion, framed within vibrant illustrations by Deran Deegala.” - Linda Lang C-IAYT, E-RYT, Certified Yoga Therapist, Symposium Director for Therapeutic Yoga of Greater Washington, the Smithsonian’s Medical Yoga Symposium, and Advisory Council Member for the International Association of Yoga Therapists
Sanskrit is the language of yoga! Sanskrit comes from the Indian sub-continent and is one of the oldest languages on record. Every yoga pose has a corresponding Sanskrit name. In the book, Mystery Pose: A Yoga Guessing Game the Sanskrit names of the yoga poses are listed underneath the English names.
Just like with any new skill or language, it can take time to feel comfortable pronouncing and remembering the pose names. If you want help learning how to correctly pronounce the Sanskrit names of the yoga poses in Mystery Pose, listen to the audio clips below.
The weather's getting warmer, and we are busy planning for our spring session!
Spring classes will start the week of 4/12. We will be offering online and outdoor classes this spring! Our spring class and workshop schedule will be posted on our website by 3/19.
If you would like to set up a private outdoor class at your school or home/pod with friends, please email info@shiningkidsyoga.com. Our outdoor class requests are filling up, so please reach out soon if you would like to set something up! Outdoor classes are available for Maryland/Washington, D.C. area only.
Calling all unicorn-lovers! Join us for a magical afternoon of peace, love, yoga, and unicorns!
In this online class, children will practice unicorn-themed yoga poses, songs, stories, and games. Class will end with a special unicorn meditation that will leave your child feeling calm and peaceful.
Materials: participants will need a yoga mat. Unicorn stuffed animals, toys, and clothing are optional but encouraged.
Celebrate the trees with these fun yoga activities for children ages 3-8.
The activities below are perfect for celebrating Arbor Day, Earth Day, the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shevat, or any other time you want to help your child connect with the beauty and majesty of nature. The full activity list takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Trees need the sun to grow. Listen to the Dance for the Sun song by Kira Willey and do the sun salutation yoga poses.
Practice: Tree Pose, Seed Pose, Flower Pose, Sun Pose, Rain Pose
You can use the “Tree Yoga Story” Poster (below) to learn and practice these poses together!
Watch and do the poses along with the Apple Tree song (video) by Bari Koral
Sing “Happy Birthday” to the trees. After the song, take a deep breath in, make a wish, and blow out the birthday candles! Try blowing out the candles 2 or 3 times. Notice how calm you feel after taking deep breaths.
Breathe for the trees! Trees and people help each other by creating more air for us to breathe. When we breathe out, the air we breathe out helps the trees, and when the trees “breathe” as part of a process called photosynthesis, they make oxygen for people to breathe in! We are all interconnected! Let’s send some air to the trees! Stretch your arms out wide and take a deep breath in; slowly bring your hands together and breathe out - send love and air to the trees! Try this 3 times! (for older children, the terms oxygen and carbon dioxide can be used and the process of photosynthesis can be explained in more detail. Here is a video that explains photosynthesis to kids).
Say “thank you” to the trees. Trees do many things for us. Bring your hands together at your heart, and send wishes of thanks to the trees. Here are a few wishes you can say:
Thank you for giving us shade
Thank you for giving us delicious fruits
Thank you for giving us oxygen
Thank you for creating beautiful scenery for us to look at
Thank you for providing a home for animals
What other wishes of thanks can you give to the trees?
Lie down and close your eyes. Relax your body as you listen to this Tree Meditation for Kids relaxation story (below). Feel your body calm, peaceful, and relaxed.
Note: As an Amazon Associate, Shining Kids Yoga earns from qualifying purchases from the links in this article.
When most people think about what supplies a yoga teacher might need, they usually think of mats, maybe blankets and blocks. For yoga teachers who teach classes to children, one can assume books, cards, and other assorted child-specific props might also be needed. In fact, you can read my recommendations for some of those props here. But many people may not realize that there are hidden supplies that are essential to a kids yoga teacher’s supply list.:
My number one recommendation for any kids yoga teacher is to invest in a color printer. A printer can be used to download printable yoga cards, activity sheets, photos, and even custom-created yoga bingo cards to liven up your yoga classes. There are lots of great printers on the market. The one I use and love is the HP Office Jet Pro 6978. Especially if you’re printing a lot, a home printer is much more cost effective than running out to FedEx or Office Depot for your copying needs.
Along with a printer, I also recommend a A laminating machine and laminating sleeves which will allow you to reuse printed materials.
I’ve gotten so much use out of these office supplies that they have more than paid for themselves with the amount of items I have created to use in my yoga classes.
One last recommendation is specifically if you are teaching yoga online. It is a set of camera lenses that you can clip over the camera on your phone, tablet, or laptop to make the camera view wider. This is a benefit if you are teaching yoga online and want your camera to capture a larger space so you don’t have to place your yoga mat so far away from the camera in order for the camera to capture your whole body. Being able to stay closer to the camera/computer also means less of a need for an external microphone!
Are there any “hidden” props or supplies YOU want other kids yoga teachers to know about? Share in the comments below!
Happy Teaching!
Wishing you peace, love, and yoga!
~ 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 Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) 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 Extend Yoga, where she is on the yoga teacher training faculty.
When not teaching or practicing yoga, Andrea enjoys playing board games with her son, Quinn, singing karaoke, and trying out new vegetarian recipes!
Yoga games are a fun way for children to learn and practice yoga. This game was created by the yoga students at Ronald McNair Elementary in Winter 2017. It’s a great activity to do with a group of students who enjoy showing off their favorite yoga poses. It can be played as part of a yoga class or at home with friends or family.
Directions:
Line up all of the yoga mats like a long fashion runway with the short ends of the mats touching each other in a long line across the room. Put on a popular, upbeat song (our personal favorite is the Kidz Bop version of “Confident”) and have the kids line up behind the first yoga mat. One at a time, each child struts down the “runway” like a fashion model (or in whatever dramatic way they want) and then strikes a yoga pose on the last mat - everyone else will clap and cheer as they hold their pose for 5 breaths. The child will then turn around and walk to the first mat and strike another yoga pose while the other children clap and cheer. After getting off the runway, the student goes to the end of the line to wait for another turn.
If you want, you can add any of the following variations or challenges:
you must walk down the runway like a crab (or select another animal)
the yoga pose has to fit in one category (ex. balancing pose, backbending pose, seated pose, etc)
Walk down the runway in slow motion
you can’t repeat a yoga pose that someone else has already done
During these troubling times in our nation, helping our children feel connected to love, kindness, and peace can be helpful and healing.
Lovingkindness (metta) is a time-tested meditation practice that opens the heart and helps us connect to feeling of love and kindness. Children can practice lovingkindness meditation at bedtime or anytime they want to feel more kind, loving, and peaceful. Click the link below for a guided lovingkindness meditation for children ages 3-8 from Shining Kids Yoga founder, Andrea Creel.
Yoga games are one of the hallmarks of our Shining Kids Yoga classes. Games are the language of children; many important values including teamwork, honesty, sportsmanship (not being a sore loser) as well as new skills and information are learned through play both at school and home.
Below is a fun game that can be played in kids yoga classes or at home with family and friends. This game works well whether played online or in person.
Yes/No/Maybe Game
Materials Needed: Yoga Pose Cards (optional) or “Yes/No/Maybe” digital cards (optional)
In a yoga class, this is a great game to use as a warm-up activity because it allows children to share about their lives and connect with other class participants while simultaneously warming up their bodies and practicing a variety of yoga poses.
Prior to playing the game, come up with a few questions that can be answered with yes, no, or maybe. or check out a list of questions below. Alternatively, print and download our pre-made digital “Yes/No/Maybe” game cards at www.shiningkidsyoga.com/store
The teacher (or other adult) holds up 3 yoga cards and explains that if their answer to the question is “yes” they will do __________ pose, if no ____________ pose, and if maybe ____________ pose.
Teacher watches for answers and if someone does the “yes” pose, ask them to tell you more about it (ex. If they do the “yes” yoga pose to signify that they celebrated someone’s birthday that week, ask the child to share more about whose birthday they celebrated and what they did to celebrate).
Possible Questions
(note for some questions, the “maybe” answer can also mean “sort of” and sometimes the “maybe” answer is not relevant - just yes/no works for those questions). Questions listed with an asterisk are particularly relevant during COVID/pandemic lockdowns. These questions can be used as icebreakers/conversation starters by asking students follow up questions based on their answer (ex. if someone does the pose for “no” after the question “do you like pizza?” the teacher can ask that student to share 3 foods that they like.
Do you like ice cream? (or pick a specific flavor of ice cream)
Did you celebrate anyone’s birthday this week?
Did your family order any food from a restaurant this week?*
Do you have a pet?
Did you see you friends on Zoom today? *
Are you looking forward to (winter, summer, spring) break?
Do you like to draw?
Have you seen (latest kids movie to be released)?
Do you like Harry Potter?
Have you practiced yoga before?
do you like sleeping late on the weekends?
Have you ever traveled on a plane?
Do you play on a sports team?
Are you excited about the weekend?
Have you ever done yoga before?
This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 10th.
Look below for four fun Hanukkah-inspired yoga activities for kids and families! These games and songs can be used as part of a family Hanukkah celebration or as a way to introduce children to other cultures and holiday traditions.
Chag Sameach!
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. Don’t know this song? Listen to this fun verision by The Kiboomers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KKNnECMKbg
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!"
The dreidel song is one of the most popular Hanukkah songs, and also one of the simplest! Add these two yoga poses to the song to help your child stretch and move before a round of the dreidel game!. Check out this version of the song by The Kiboomers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BhN4_MluBo
I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay. And when it’s dry and ready, oh dreidel I will play!
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, and when it’s dry and ready, oh dreidel I will play!
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!
We are taking advantage of the continued good weather to offer outdoor yoga for kids classes (Grades K-5) through the end of October! All classes are held in Rockville at 400 Casey Lane, Rockville, MD 20850 (near the Fallsgrove Shopping Center).
The following safety guidelines are in place for all classes:
- class size limited to ensure social distancing
- all mats are placed at least 6 feet apart from all other participants
- masks must be worn at all times during yoga class
SPACE IS LIMITED - click the links below to register. These classes are being offered on a drop-in/per-clsss basis (advance registration required).
Outdoor Yoga for Kids Thursday, October 22 4-4:45
Outdoor Yoga for Kids Thursday, October 29 4-4:45
Outdoor HALLOWEEN Yoga for Kids & Families Saturday, October 31 12-12:45 p.m.
How to Play the Yoga Spinner Game in Online Yoga Classes
By Andrea Creel
One of the most popular activities in my online kids yoga classes is “The Yoga Spinner Game.” Here are simple instructions on how to play it at home or in an online yoga class!
Download the “Decision Roulette” app by Treebit Technologies from the App Store
Either create your own spinners in the app or email me at info@shiningkidsyoga.com and I can forward you my premade yoga class spinners!
Show kids the spinner by holding up your phone/device to the camera and tell them all the color options out loud (ex. red, orange, yellow, light blue, dark blue, teal, brown)
Kids guess what color they think the spinner will land on either via typing their guess in the chat box or unmuting and sharing their guess out loud. If a child tells me their guess out loud, I type it into the chat box so I can remember what color they guessed.
Spin the spinner - whatever pose the spinner lands on, we do that pose.
If a child guessed the correct color, they get to pick a “bonus pose” for everyone to do next
Kids can either keep their same color guess for the next round or switch colors (I usually let them switch colors every 3-4 rounds so we don’t spend too much time guessing/typing between each pose).
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!
Note: As an Amazon Associate Shining Kids Yoga earns from qualifying purchases from the links in this article.
One of the favorite yoga games of young children in our classes is a twist on the classic game “Simon Says.”
In this version, instead of Simon, it’s “Yogi” and we do whatever pose Yoga Says. If Yogi doesn’t say, don’t do the pose! Children love the opportunity to pick their own poses and be in charge. And of course, trying to trick others into doing a pose when yogi didn’t say!
This is also great game to try at home with your children as a way of introducing them to yoga. If you or your child are not familiar with yoga poses, you can check out these great yoga pose card decks (we use both of them in our kids yoga classes!) to learn the poses and then play the game:
Join us for yoga this fall online and outdoors! Click here to view our fall class schedule.
We believe that the power of yoga is multiplied through consistent practice, so we are offering discounts + free swag for students who register for multiple online classes per week.
$60 - 1 class per week
$100 - 2 online classes per week
$135 - 3 online classes per week + free Shining Kids Yoga shirt (while supplies last)
$170 - 4 online classes per week + free Shining Kids Yoga shirt (while supplies last)
$195 - 5 online classes per week + free Shining Kids Yoga shirt (while supplies last)
Note: these discounts will be automatically applied at checkout. If you register multiple children/siblings for classes, the discounts will also apply to the total number of classes purchased (ex. if you purchase 2 classes for Child A and 1 class for Child B, you will receive the 3 class discount).
$80 - 1 class per week (4 week session)
Outdoor After-School Yoga Starts Next Week!
Shining Kids Yoga is offering socially-distant, small-group outdoor classes in Rockville this fall!
Our classes are held in the Fallsgrove neighborhood (near Shady Grove Hospital).
Space is limited, so register soon to save your child's spot in outdoor yoga this fall!
Grades K-5
Mondays 4-4:45 p.m. - Register
Thursdays 4-4:45 p.m. - Register
Looking for a class on another day/location? email info@shiningkidsyoga.com - if there is enough interest, we can create a class for you and your group/school!
As a parent, you may be wondering, “what happens in a Zoom yoga class for kids?”
The short answer is, almost everything that happens in an in-person yoga class for kids, plus a few special things that are ONLY possible in a virtual/at home format!
Since March, Shining Kids Yoga teachers have been teaching yoga classes via Zoom; it’s safe to say that we’ve learned some tips and tricks along the way to keep kids engaged and excited about yoga as well as connected to each other. While we can’t wait to get back to teaching our in-person yoga classes at schools once it’s safe to do so, we’ve come to love the online platform, too, and the new ways that we can teach and experience yoga together online.
FOSTERING CONNECTION
Every online yoga class starts with a check-in and a chance for children to connect with each other. Fostering social-emotional connections with other children is so important, especially right now. At the beginning of yoga class, kids get a chance to share something interesting they did that day, show off a favorite toy or pet, and connect with each other. As part of our warm up activities with elementary-school age children, we sometimes play a game that allows us to use yoga poses to learn more about each other. We ask Yes/No questions, and depending on the answer, a child will do a different yoga pose (ex. Down Dog for “Yes” and Child’s Pose for “no”). Then they get to follow up by sharing more about their answer. For example, if the question was, “did you celebrate someone’s birthday this week?” and they do the pose for “yes” then they get to share whose birthday it was, how they celebrated, etc. We even got to sing “Happy Birthday” to one of our yoga student’s moms on Zoom one day (we couldn’t have done that in an in-person yoga class!).
At home, sometimes siblings or pets walk by, and we might even get to do impromptu cat yoga or partner yoga! We get a little more connected to each other just by getting to see that cool cardboard fort that one student created, or hear another student play her ukulele that she’s been practicing.
FAMILIAR YOGA POSES, NEW ACTIVITIES
When we do yoga online, we still get to practice all of the same yoga poses that we teach in our in-person classes. All of our classes for children and teens include a combination of balancing poses, backbends, standing poses, seated poses, and supine poses. We also learn and practice the Sun Salutation sequence which is one of the most famous yoga pose sequences.
One of the hallmarks of our kids yoga classes for grades K-5 are the yoga games that we often play as a fun way of learning new yoga poses and breathing techniques. Some of our in-person games translate well to the online format, but we’ve also found some fun games that are uniquely suited to online classes. The Spinner Game has turned into a big hit with many children who have taken our online yoga classes. In this activity, yoga poses and breathing techniques are put onto a spinner app, and each child gets to choose the color they think the spinner will land on. When the spinner stops, everyone does the pose or breathing technique on the spinner; anyone who guessed the correct color gets to choose a bonus pose to practice next.
We’ve also added specialty classes like stuffed animal yoga and pajama party yoga which enables kids to use stuffed animals and other items from around the house to incorporate into yoga class activities.
AT HOME YOGA PROPS
Another special benefit of doing yoga online is that kids have all of the extra props and materials for some fun yoga activities right at their fingertips. When we teach classes at schools, we aren’t able to bring lots of extra props with us and since kids are often coming right from school, they can’t bring extra things from home with them either. At home via Zoom, we are able to incorporate pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, balls, and even pets into our yoga practice. With the addition of pillows, we are able to teach a style of yoga known as “restorative yoga” where students lie over multiple pillows in different configurations and rest there for 2-5 minutes to receive the benefits of a stretch on the body without the muscular effort. This allows the body to relax, as well as provides calming benefits for the mind.
THE COMFORTS OF HOME
When children take yoga class at home, it is easier for them to honor when they need a break, grab water from the kitchen, or choose to participate in the class but without being seen. While we encourage students to have their cameras on to foster group engagement in our class activities, children are allowed to turn off their cameras, as desired, if they want more privacy during the class, or just need to take a few minutes for themselves. During final relaxation, children can rest with their own pillows, blankets, and other items to help them feel even more calm and peaceful.
RELAXATION IS EVEN MORE RELAXING!
One of the perks of online yoga is during final relaxation time, children can relax with a blanket, a stuffed animal, or anything else at home that helps them feel calm and peaceful and there are not the same time constraints as there would be during an in-person yoga class. Sometimes in our in-person classes, children get really relaxed (which is wonderful) and then have a difficult time getting up and handling the transition at the end of class when it’s time for parents to pick up and go home. With our online classes, children are able to rest as long as they want at the end of class. There’s no need to get back up at the end of yoga class, they can simply keep resting and relaxing even after yoga class is over. This allows children to keep that sense of peace and relaxation they cultivated in class for the rest of the afternoon and evening. To make final relaxation at home extra relaxing, your child can create and use their own lavender relaxation spray at the end of class.
Shining Kids Yoga is excited to be offering many online yoga classes this fall for various age groups from 1-13! You can check out our full class schedule here
If you have any questions about which online classes might be best for your child, please contact us at info@shiningkidsyoga.com
