Kids love to play with toys!  Many times they have a toy that is a little more than just a toy, it is a special friend.  Dolls, action figures, stuffed animals, are just a few that are on the top of the list.

As we mentioned in a prior post, we allow kids to bring in a toy to Yoga class and talk about it with the group, kind of like a “show and tell”.  Depending on the toy they bring, we usually try to do a few Yoga poses related to the toy.  They really love this!  Not only do they enjoy the activity, but they also become very creative when trying to relate a toy to Yoga! It is great watching their minds go to work!

During summer vacations kids not only rest from their daily school routine, but lots of them also like to take the time to rest from their after school activities, such as Yoga class!

July is a very atypical month since our Yoga classes in the studio are practically empty, except for a few children who continue coming to class.  So for this small bunch we like to do different activities that are not part of the “usual” Yoga routine.

These past two weeks we have done YOGART… a combination of Yoga and Art!

So after our typical welcome and warm up session, we changed gears and worked on a few “art projects” enhancing fine motor skills, imagination and creativity.  All of course, while having fun and doing Yoga!

We found some really neat foam animal stickers and some foam build-your-own animal kits that we have been using this week… especially with the younger children (that seem to be the ones that continue coming to class).

With the stickers we had the children come up with a story that they would portray on paper using the sticker and crayons.  Once they finished their “art work” they went around in a circle telling us the story and acting it out with the relevant Yoga poses.  They had lots of fun doing this… and oh what stories they came up with!

The build-your-own animal kit had 3 animals to choose from and build from scratch.  Once the kids made one they wanted to keep on going with the other two!  This was also a very nice activity since it calmed them down because it required them to concentrate.  Once the animals where put together, we did the corresponding poses and also came up with some interesting stories!

We hope to keep exploring YOGART… next time maybe with paints!  Please share any ideas or experiences that you may have had with YOGART!

It is true that you can do Yoga just about anywhere and without the need of any equipment, even a mat is somewhat of a plus to have rather than a necessity.  Similarly, you can teach Yoga to children without anything more than the love and enthusiasm you share both for children and Yoga!

However, after a few months at our studio we have noticed that there are some “instruments” that are nice to have handy during our kids Yoga classes. These are everyday materials, that simply make class a little easier and much more fun!

Yoga Kit:

1. Balls: children love to play with balls and as soon as they see one they get really excited and just want to throw or kick it! Kids love participating in activities with this great prop. For more detailed activities, you can check our post: “Balls… Props That Come In All Sizes”.
2. Colorful Handkerchiefs: not only do they light up the room with their different colors, they are great for breathing exercises and can also be used as butterfly wings, amongst other things.
3. Soft floor: If you can splurge a little, cushioned floor mats are worth the extra investment.  Having a soft but sturdy floor gives kids the extra confidence they need to try difficult poses!
4. Yoga Posture Cards:  can be used for games such as memory and freeze and are a great tool for introducing new postures or as when having the kids make up their own sequences.
5. Music: Everybody loves music. You can create different moods depending on the music that you choose.

Creativity: last but certainly not least… creativity is by far the most important tool to always have present in a kids Yoga class!

Sometimes after teaching 16 Yoga classes a week we feel that our creativity is just not there! It can be difficult to come up with something new to add to each class and suddenly we run the risk of classes becoming monotonous instead of fun and creative.

What can we do when our creativity is running on empty?

We found that the answer is simpler then you may think… let the kids be your fuel!  Instead of running the risk of falling into the dull routine trap, let your students be the ones who give you the ideas of how to make class fun and creative. Kids love the chance to be the teacher, let them be the ones to lead the class for a moment. Children love it when their opinions and ideas are taken into consideration.  They become very excited knowing they were the ones who “invented” a new activity or came up with the idea of what to do next.

Children are very creative and we are sure that you would be impressed with all the new and exciting ideas and activities they can come up with.  Give it a try, be open to the idea of letting them be the teacher once in a while, we assure you that everyone in the class will have lots of FUN!