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Setting Up the Class (Via Zoom & In-Person): A Guide for Kids’ Yoga Teachers

Over the years, yoga has continued growing in popularity among children. Through kids' yoga, the young ones are able to cultivate self-awareness and inner calmness, while also getting physically active in a fun way. Kids can greatly benefit from yoga through various activities, whether they are in a yoga studio or even in their own homes.

As children, it is important for them to have a well-structured class. A kids' yoga teacher needs to overcome the challenge of keeping these little ones engaged for the entire session as well as teaching them new poses effectively and safely. Kids' yoga instructor training courses can help in developing the skills necessary to overcome such a challenge.

In this blog, we’ll share helpful tips on how you can set up an effective children’s yoga session, whether via online or via in-person.

General Tips for Setting Up Zoom Sessions

Zoom sessions are really popular at this time due to convenience. So, here are some general tips on how to prepare the Zoom session as a certified kids’ yoga instructor:

1. Use the chat box to set parameters.

Depending on the age group of the participants, It’s important to establish the rules beforehand. Use the Zoom chat box to lay down these rules.

2. Use the mute button as necessary.

Younger children can be very vocal during sessions. So make sure to use the mute button to your advantage. Zoom has a feature that allows you to mute participants.

3. Pin/spotlight yourself.

You don’t want the kids to get distracted. Be sure to pin or put the spotlight on yourself so they can focus on you and your instructions.

4. Use emojis as applicable.

Kids love fun. Using emojis during sessions can help make instructions more fun for them.

5. Use things that can be found in their homes.

When performing the online games or activities, be sure to incorporate various things that the young ones can easily find in their homes or easily within their reach. By doing so, you can keep them engaged and not have them wander around looking for such things.

General Tips for In-Person Classes

If you are thinking of setting up in-person classes, these are general tips that most kids’ yoga teacher training programs will advise:

Keep distractions at a minimum.

Children can easily get distracted, especially in the younger age groups. Remove items that are not needed in the session. If you’re unable to physically remove these items, cover them up. Kids won’t be distracted with things they can’t see.

Know the layout of the studio.

Whether it’s your own studio or you’re renting one, it’s important to know where the bathrooms are. Younger participants tend to need the bathrooms often.

Designate a quiet corner.

In relation to the previous tip, you also need to designate a quiet corner. There are certain situations where children may need to take a pause, especially spirited ones.

Ensure even class temperature.

Make sure that the studio is not too hot nor too cold. If possible, ensure that there is bright lighting for the entire area.

Bring props.

Props can keep the attention of the participants in your session. Make sure that these props are helpful and safe.

Be flexible.

Children, depending on the age group, might be very vocal about their preferences. For instance, they might not want to use yoga mats. They might not want to take off their shoes. So, it’s important to have the willingness to be flexible in these situations.

Conclusion

Setting up a fun and effective kids’ yoga session, whether via Zoom or live in-person, can be achievable when you keep these tips in mind. A kids’ yoga teacher training program can also help you set up a complete session for your participants.

Interested in training to become a Yoga Alliance Certified Kids Yoga Teacher? Our Yoga Alliance-approved Kids’ Inclusive Yoga Teacher Training course is online, and focuses on sharing yoga with all kids! Please check out all the information HERE.

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Kids’ Yoga and Pranayama: Teaching Fun Breathwork Exercises

Pranayama is one of the eight limbs of yoga. It focuses on breath and its regulation. Through breathwork, one can elevate life energies and improve mental and physical wellness.

In this blog, we’ll list down some of the breathwork exercises that you can implement as a kids’ yoga teacher.

Different Breathwork Exercises

Here are some suggestions for breathwork exercises:

Balloon Breath

Breathe in through the nose and fill up the belly. Then, breathe out through the nose and release air from the belly. Encourage the kids to imagine their belly is a balloon and to feel it with one hand on the navel.

Candle Breath

Breathe through the nose as if smelling a flower. Then, breath out through the mouth as if gently blowing a candle out. This slows down the breath for a calming effect.

Conductor Breath

Quickly inhale through the nose three times. Then, do a long exhale through the nose. The kids can paly as if they are directing a choir to the “beat” of the breath.

Mantra Breath

Breathe in through the nose. Then, breathe out and say a mantra out loud. A mantra can be any positive word or thought repeated, such as “I am happy / I am well.”

Power Breath

Breathe in through the nose. Then, say “Ha!” loudly while exhaling.

Rainbow Breath

Breathe in and breathe out. Repeat this cycle, one each for every rainbow color. With younger kids, you can use the arms to pretend you’re painting a rainbow.

Snake Breath

Breathe in through the nose. Then, breathe out slowly through gritted teeth, emulating a hiss sound.

Sun Breath

Reach your arms out to the sky while breathing in slowly. Then, slowly put the arms down to the sides while breathing out.

Volcano Breath

Squat down while breathing in. Then, breathe out while standing up and making the sound of an exploding volcano.

Here are other exercises you can include:

Ahh! Breath
Bee Breath
Bunny Breath
Cake Breath
Horse Breath
Lion’s Breath
Mirror Breath
Ocean Breath
Rollercoaster Breath
Shape Breath
Shhh! Breath
Straw Breath
Starfish Breath

Check out these sources for other breathing activities:

Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey; Yoga for Children by Lisa Flynn; and Alphabreaths by Dr. Chris Willard

How Breathwork Helps Children

These are a lot of benefits that youngsters get when you teach yoga classes for kids.

For instance, breathwork helps calm the nervous system down. Children who practice breathwork tend to stay calm in certain situations and different environments.

For younger kids, tying breathwork with animal sounds can help make the practice fun. As a result, they are more likely to familiarize themselves with various animals.

Breathwork also helps lower anxiety and stress levels, which can be very helpful especially when they are of school age, tackling expectations both from school and family life. It also helps improve their focus and concentration, especially when studying and participating in their classes at school.

Conclusion

Pranayama offers a lot of benefits to the children. The suggested breathwork exercises can help such kids take advantage of the benefits, especially when you incorporate them into your yoga lessons.

Interested in training to become a Certified Kids Yoga Teacher? Our Yoga Alliance-approved Kids’ Inclusive Yoga Teacher Training course is online, and focuses on sharing yoga with all kids! Please check out all the information HERE.

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How to Tailor Age-Appropriate Yoga for Kids: The Instructor’s Guide

Teaching yoga for children usually needs a different approach than teaching for adults. In fact, the field is so specialized that Yoga Alliance requires a special certification for kids yoga teachers and training schools.

To give you an overview of yoga classes for children, here are general tips that you can use for every age group:

Ages 0-4

This age group consists of babies and toddlers. Young ones in this age group learn by playing, singing, listening, observing, and repetition.

They also often have limited attention spans, so it is advisable to make the lessons fast-paced. Keep the session length at 30 minutes maximum, and either have a very high ratio of caregiver to child or use a “Parent & Baby” format for bonding and parent support.

The best time for any kids’ yoga instructor to schedule the session is early in the day, ideally before they go down for a nap.

Ages 4-6

This age group consists of toddlers in their pre-K or preschool years. They usually are very creative, imaginative, and inquisitive, while also being funny. They love books, coloring pages, and lots of props so keep that in mind.

Young ones in this age group do tend to be rule-oriented so it would be best to have a classroom agreement that they will follow. Their attention spans are gradually increasing, so make the lessons fast-paced to keep them engaged.

You can schedule the lesson any time of the day, ideally earlier or later in the afternoon. Keep each session between 30 to 45 minutes.

Ages 6-10

Elementary kids in this age group learn by visual imagery and storytime, with the kids’ yoga teacher leading the way. They also love books and using lots of props. They love to help out and try things on their own.

In this case, the format of each class can just be for the children. At the same time, it will be best to set up a classroom agreement with the youngsters since they also tend to be rule-oriented. Each class typically has a distinct flow, so you can be a bit more traditional with it, such as warm-up, breathing exercises, and then poses that lead into sequences.

You can schedule the class any time of the day with a length between 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Ages 10-13

Middle school children- already in their tweens or teen years - usually learn by modeling. They also tend to embrace doable challenges which they feel as empowering and strengthening.

Those who are in this age group usually have the need to conform with others - so they project outward attention. They also tend to use social media a lot. So, it is important to encourage positive thoughts and affirmations during the session. Also, be sure to avoid body talk as these middle schoolers are starting to get more self-conscious.

The class should have a definite flow, with a beginning, middle, and end. But make sure to keep things fresh to keep their busy minds engaged. Music in the background is a good choice for this group.

The class format can be a mixed group of all teens. The length can be 1 hour or up to 75 minutes, at any time of day.

Ages 13-18

This age group consists of teens who are already in their high school years. They tend to like music in the background while doing poses. They also tend to enjoy more challenging postures as well as partner postures.

High schoolers may also like and need a longer Savasana. However, give them an additional focal choice during savasana - such as mantra, affirmations, meditation, and visualization - which can help in relieving their stress. They may also like having ice-breakers and closing discussions after breathing and moving.

This class tends to look more like an adult class, but make sure to focus on choice, inclusivity, and empowerment. A 1-hour session might be enough but you can also go up to 75 minutes, any time of day.

Conclusion

These tips offer general guidelines on how to set up a yoga class for youngsters. With these tips, and with the other ideas you’ll incorporate, your classes will be an enriching and fulfilling experience for the children.