Yoga for Preschool Children

Yoga For Preschool Children

Adults have been walking so long we forget that just standing is a balancing pose.  So yoga with preschool kids means thinking like a preschooler.

Preschool children usually range from toddlers up to 5 or 6 years old.  Here’s a quick overview of  the many changes that happen during these years, in case you don’t remember from when you were a kid:

• At 12 months kids are usually standing on their own and taking their first wobbly steps, they’re only speaking a few word;
• at 18 months the kids are toddlers, meaning they walk well, starting to go upstairs or walk backwards, their vocabulary is around 15 words;
• 2 years – identifying body parts, putting words together, singing, jumping;
• 2 – 3 yrs – can follow 2 step instructions, throw overhand, jump, run, and potty train
• 3 – 4 yrs – speaking short sentences, walk backwards, sideways, balance on one foot for a few seconds, pedal a tricycle, use a fork/spoon and hold a pencil correctly.
• 5 – 6 yrs – now we can start introducing complex poses!

Choosing Yoga Poses for Preschool Kids

When it comes to yoga, the poses must fit the child’s stage of development.  When choosing poses ask yourself:

• How many steps does it take to get into this pose?
• How much co-ordination/balance does it take?
• Do the kids know the body part I am naming?
• How much abdominal strength does this pose take?  I’ve found younger children have more flexibility, especially in forward bends, but less ab muscles for things like rocking on your back.

Yoga Poses:  The Good, The Bad, and the Awkward…

Here are three of my favorite yoga poses for preschoolers.  Even at 18 months they just copy these:

1. downward dog
2. cobra
3. squats

Here are three poses that seem like they should be easy to do – but for younger kids they can get awkward:

1. tree – notice (above) that balancing on one foot doesn’t happen till 3 – 4 yrs old,
2. cat pose – when kids see this one they often go into downward dog – they need help to understand that they keep their knees on the floor,
3. pigeon – any three or four step poses will probably require individual attention.

If you’re teaching yoga in your living room or a small class, you’ve got the time and attention to get awkward and work it out.  If a child isn’t doing a pose they may not be at that stage of development yet.   Be sure to realize it’s your problem and not theirs.

If you’re teaching a large class (15 – 20 children) in a thirty minute daycare setting, you’re going to adjust your lesson plan according to the complexity of the poses you have chosen.  The more complex the poses, the more time they will take to teach.

What are your favorite preschool yoga poses?

Have you ever done a pose the kids just couldn’t figure out?

Imagination: Creates and Destroys

It reminded me of what my teacher says about thoughts, circumstances, and imagination:

Often we try to change by changing our circumstances.  But like my three year old comrade, if we don’t change our negative thoughts to a new way of thinking, we’ll keep kicking down our castles.

This realization comes in handy when working with kids, especially three year old children.  They don’t want to change who they are.  If you try to change them, and start thinking negatively, teaching a class is difficult. Thinking about your own approach to the class is the only real option and you’ll probably find this method easiest.

Here’s an inspiring talk called Vaccination Against Negative Thoughts with Tulshi Sen.  He looks at why we dream and what ends up happening when we imagine.   I found it inspiring.  Enjoy!

Yoga, Obesity, and Weight Loss

Yoga has many role models from fat happy Buddha’s to skinny contortionists, although one of my pet peeves is that everyone in the yoga magazines leans towards the later.  As someone who thought about weight a lot, especially as a teen, I found this info on Obesity from the Vitality and Stress course very interesting.

A person’s weight can affect their stress and their stress affects their body weight.  We know childhood obesity is a big concern for parents.  What I learned last week is our view of the cause of weight problems is distorted and can increase stress and makes matters worse.

The Survey Results
In surveys most people believe will power is the biggest factor in weight problems (60%), followed by lifestyle (25%), and genes (15%).  However the facts show weight problem factors are the opposite:  5% willpower, 50% lifestyle, and 45% genetic.  If we believe people are overweight because they lack will power or are lazy – we add to their stress and at the same time we don’t address the actual problem.

Our best results for weight loss come through lifestyle modifications.  Here are some to encourage:

• a good night’s sleep is proven to help balance your weight,
• use smaller plates (6″ plates are best) helps reduce food intake,
• stay hydrated by drinking water, sometimes we’re thirsty when we think we’re hungry,
• add exercise to our lifestyle like a sun salutation or some favorite yoga poses, start with small amounts then increase times,
• bring awareness to our eating:  look at how we deal with our feelings, notice what we eat, how we eat, and when we eat.

It’s been proven over and over that diets and short-term exercise plans just don’t work in the long term.  As teachers, do we push for these?  Do we make kids feel like they lack will power?

My mentor often gives of an Ancient  meditation that includes these words:

When kids are unhappy because of their body, they don’t understand who they really are.  If our happiness is related to our body, then we are destined to diminishing happiness. As far as I know there has never been a  body that has not eventually become food for the worms.

Will power relies on the mind and we all know the tricks the mind can play.

When we rely on Consciousness, I Am, as our true support, we find happiness in all conditions regardless of circumstances like how we look.  This is the way to become the masters of our happiness. Then only can we see that our body is ours, we can be free to choose the lifestyle we want to live.

Then we are truly living the yogic lifestyle.

Has weight been a concern for others out there?

Medical study – Yoga Helps Some Kids with ADHD

This week I’m taking a sixty hour Yoga Teacher Training called Vitality and Stress, learning all different aspects and qualities of stress. My favorite so far has been examining our “stress monster” personality. Sounds like something that could work in kids yoga – don’t you think?

Here’s an intersting article and video on how yoga helps relieve stress, balance cortisol levels, and create a better state of mental health. About half way through you’ll find this:

One thing we’re also understanding is that low levels of stress can be motiviting.  Its the unrelenting, ongoing stress that we want to avoid.

Hope everyone has a low stress week. I’ll have some more tips next week.

Aruna Kathy Humphrys
http://www.youngyogamasters.com/

Announcing: Kid Yoga Teacher Training Dates

Announcing the next Kids Yoga Teacher Training Dates
This Kids Yoga Teaching Training course gets you ready to teach kids yoga and avoid the problems that new teachers experience.  With a tested six week kids yoga curriculum filled with yoga and activities that kids love. You will also discover additional poses, games, meditations, and songs to build the skills and confidence to design your own classes.  This course will equip you to spread the health and joy of yoga with children at home, in daycares, studios, or in the classroom.

1. New Program:  12 Hour Training + 6 Hour Co-Op Training (6 weeks): Toronto, Ontario, Canada Starts Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2. 12 Hour Training Weekend:  Toronto, Ontario, Canada
   Friday, April 30 – Sunday, May 2, 2010

Who Should Attend the Kids Yoga Teacher Training:

Attention:  Those who want to give kids the life-long rewards of healthy bodies and happy minds.

• Yoga Teachers
• School Teachers
• E.C.E.’s (Early Childhood Educators)
• Doctors, Therapists, and Kids Specialists
• Specialty Kids Teachers
• Teaching Assistants
• Parents
• Grandparents
• Those who work with kids
• And all those who love and care for kids

Teaching Kids Yoga Training is for you!

About the Course:

Connect with kids from toddlers to tweens with a meaningful yoga practice.

Young Yoga Masters is a unique Kids Yoga Teacher Training program that will give you the tools to explain yoga and meditation to kids.  It is for those who are just starting out and also for those who teach kids regularly and want to rejuvenate their lesson plans with inspiring ideas and activities.

For Developing Focus & Keeping Imagination Alive
Teaching Kids Yoga features age old postures and meditations that can build self-awareness and confidence. The stories from Ancient Secrets of Success for Today’s World by Tulshi Sen inspire teachers and kids alike.
Take your classes from good to awesome!  In this weekend workshop you will discover:

• Classroom Management: How to gain kid’s cooperation, work with groups, and build passion for yoga,
• Child Development: An overview of the ages and stages of children’s abilities and development,
• Yoga Fundamentals: The fundamentals of yoga and meditation and how to present them to kids,
• A six week class curriculum based on Ancient Secrets of Success for Today’s World by Tulshi Sen – a tested program that inspires kids, filled with inspiring kids yoga, meditations, games and stories.  This curriculum tells you exactly how to introduce yoga to kids in a way they can understand and apply.  It will give you the tools to create a meaningful yoga curriculum to teach in your kids classes;
• How to develop your own kids yoga classes for different ages, time frames, and settings from the living room to the classroom;
• Quick Yoga: Quick, everyday tools for calming and centering for kids and adults;
• Rejuvenation: An amazing course to connect with others and nourish your soul.  Practical and personal development that’s full of imagination and fresh ideas.

For full course details link here:  http://www.youngyogamasters.com/in-person-training/

Please contact me if you have any questions about the course.  I’d love to see you there,

Halloween – Did You Have these Kids Yoga Problems?

1. Overheating: some costumes are full body cover ups, some even made for trick-or-treating outside in fall weather. If you’re teaching kids wearing costumes, go for simple easy poses (tree, warrior, spinal flexes) that won’t get the kids overheated.
2. Pointy Objects: Get these out of the way before you start your yoga.  I’m talking Magic Wands, Swords, Pitchforks, and even wire used in wings and capes.  Some costumes make many yoga poses difficult to do – like lying on your belly or back if you’ve got a belt, skirt, tail or other extra appendages. I ended up doing mostly standing and sitting poses so the kids could participate.
3. Candy Overload: Depending on when your class takes place, the kids may have already ingested a lot of candy, chips, and other forms of junk food.  So hold off on any intense forward bending.  Teach a light class that you could give someone who’s just had a meal.

When I taught my classes last Friday I knew yoga was going to happen during the Halloween party. I dressed up as an Indian Princess, I’d like to know how women do yoga in Sari’s – trust me, it’s fun to wear but your legs get stopped in the long slip if you try to take a big step apart.

I also don’t give out candy, I give out bindi’s (stickers for their forehead or hand) which everyone wanted, both the boys and the girls.

To compensate for the costumes I knew the kids would be wearing, I brought in one of my felt board stories.  We started with an old folk tale about how to think positively and we talked about how to stay calm when you might feel a little afraid.

For this class the story time increased, the yoga time was reduced, we did a daydreaming session for meditation – imagining flying through the sky, and we finished with a good round of freeze dance to keep the party feeling going.

The thirty minute classes went by in no time, especially because the children were so enamored with their costumes and had a lot to say.  Halloween is such an active exciting time, yoga can be a fine opportunity to relax, daydream, and find peace of mind.

Does anyone else have any Halloween costume/yoga stories to share?

Teaching Kids Yoga – New and Improved

Teaching Kids Yoga is moving from Blogger to a new website:

For several weeks I’ll be posting on both blogs while I figure out what I can do to keep some of the ranking I’ve build up for two years blogging on Blogger. Then I’ll switch over all posting to the new site.

I invite you to check it out and continue to read and comment on my new site.

All those who receive e-mails posts, you will be automatically switched. If you would like to start to receive the blog in your e-mail enter your address here:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Change Your Feed to My New Address
If you follow my blog in another way, you’ll have to change to the new address. Go to the new address and click the RSS feed or follow button.

If you have ANY questions – leave a comment and we’ll figure it out. I’d also love your comments on the new look. If there’s anything else you’d like to see, feel free to offer constructive feedback. I think the new location is better organized for over 140 posts!

Looking forward to seeing everyone at www.YoungYogaMasters.com!

Yours in Teaching Kids Yoga and children’s total health and balance,

Aruna Humphrys
www.YoungYogaMasters.com

P.S. I’ve created a new e-mail address: Aruna@YoungYogaMasters.com. My other e-mail addresses will forward to this address now so they still work!

P.P.S. For all those bloggers and entrepreneurial types following my blog, the main reason I switched is because there is more control this way (Wordpress). I bought a pre-made template and created pages. I wanted to be able to include all my kids yoga info on the blog rather than sending readers to another site.

Plus my husband is a computer genius and this is part of his business – I highly recommend him, although I am definitely biased. You can let me know if you want more info on starting a beautiful blog like mine, or switching formats, and I’ll put you in touch with the expert.

Get Kids Active with Donkey Kicks

Thanks to everyone who has been sending in questions!

Here’s part one of a question that came in from a yogi in Toronto who’s just starting teaching kids:

I was teaching an age 7 – 12 age group at a daycare and I had this one boy (who will never engage with me — have taught him 3 times now), who ended up sitting on his mat the whole time through the entire class. I tried to ask him about half way through if everything was alright, and he just shrugged me off.

Anyway – I basically ignored him the rest of the time, but felt kinda bad for him. He looked like he wasn’t into it, and decided to not participate.

What would you have done?

Thanks to Lisa for the question. You are not alone in this situation especially teaching in a setting where not all the kids have chosen to be there. So here’s some things that I would consider:

• What would I do? I too would ignore the behavior as much as possible in class as long as it is not disrupting the class. I try to give energy to the behavior I want. If I wanted to find out what was up with this boy I would talk to him after the class was over, discreetly and quietly to see if he would open up a little more. It could be a number of things going on: stress, lack of confidence, a learning/developmental issue, or maybe just introversion. Since it’s been going on 3 weeks, I would probably ask the teacher(s) for advice or feedback too. The teacher’s are a great resource.
• The age group you are teaching is broad. The younger kids will still enjoy pretending, yet the twelve year old kids may not want to do “childish” things. This is tricky for a teacher. I teach to the higher end of the age range rather than the lower. I’ve found kids will act older when they are around big kids, but it doesn’t work as well the other way around. I would do a little less pretending with the group and talk about more mature themes in class.
• Pull out my Favorites: there are a few poses that kids just can’t seem to resist. One is Donkey kicks. Donkey kicks are great for getting rid of pent up energy and this kid may have some! Every class is a bit of a puzzle to figure out how all the different pieces fit together. When I have a situation like this, I privately make a goal to see if I can figure it out and get the child participating. It keeps it interesting for me as a teacher.

Here’s the simple steps for Donkey Kicks:

1. Come into downward dog pose then move your weight into your hands.
2. Kick one leg up high and then the other up, then land them on the ground.
3. Then switch which leg goes up first and repeat.
4. Continue for a minute or more.

1. Set up the room so no one is going to kick someone behind them. Get everyone on their own mat or take turns doing Donkey kicks so you can space kids out.
2. Do this exercise on padding for safety.
3. Before you start, remind kids not to kick too high or they may flip over and land on their back, hard. I’ve seen the situation in the picture above happen, by accident and sometimes on purpose, more than once. Don’t do this in a large group unless you have other teachers there to watch and help the kids.

Even with a few mistakes, I’ve never seen any kids harmed doing Donkey Kicks, but do take the precautions. When I mention Donkey Kicks, the kids eyes light up! But I’m sure there are other Sure Fire Yoga poses.

In the end, you can try all these things and still not get a child to participate. The ultimate power in yoga and in life is always the power to choose. We have to let others choose for themselves and even respect their right to choose even if we don’t like it. That will bring us closer to connecting with kids. Try not to feel bad or sorry for any kid who chooses not to participate. You will mostly end up bringing yourself down!

Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions on this question to help out a new teacher!

Aruna Humphrys

P.S. There are a few spots left in this weekend’s Kids Yoga Teacher Training course. Come to Toronto and join the growing number of kids yoga teachers. I’d love to see you there! Full details here.

Teaching Yoga Your Way

I have a confession to make.

In my first attempt to teach other adults about kids yoga, about seven years ago, I basically compiled a bunch of kids yoga ideas that I learned from other people’s books, DVD’s, and workshops. I took things from the daycare that I worked in too. These things definitely worked with kids. The classes were fun and the training was effective. But a part of me didn’t feel good about it.

I didn’t want to just “borrow” other people’s ideas. And I didn’t want to just play pretend class after class. At one point I realized if I wanted to keep teaching kids and train teachers, I needed to create a program that was unique and meaningful.

How to Explain “Yoga” to Kids?
I started to examine the things that connected with me in yoga and how I could teach these concepts in my kids yoga classes. I started with the idea of what Yoga is. How to explain “Union,” which is a very mystical and deep concept, to kids. That became the first week of my kids yoga curriculum.

I began noting how the kids reacted to different themes and how to phrase them so they really made an impact.

Then, a curriculum emerged of my favorite yoga themes. I felt relief. Not only was I teaching something that came from within, I enjoyed teaching it a whole lot more. I could not go on, class after class, pretending to visit the zoo! Doing yoga without any depth.

Kids Yoga Training that is More than Fun and Games
This is what makes my Kids Yoga Teacher Training different from others. Sure we pretend and play games, but we also talk about the ideas of yoga and meditation that make it more than an exercise class. Of the hundred teachers I’ve trained so far, all of them have loved it not only for what it does for their kids yoga classes, but also what it does for them.

Awakening imagination, finding your voice, and creating your own story. Don’t you think this is what life is about! Doing it Your Way.

I invite all those who feel that yoga is more than an exercise class to come to my next Kids Yoga Teacher Training on the weekend of Sept. 26 & 27. This twelve hour kids yoga training is like no other – guaranteed. It is based on the teachings of my mentor, author of Ancient Secrets of Success for Today’s World, Tulshi Sen. It contains wisdom to build the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. It will train you to connect with kids Your Way.

Even if you’ve taken other kids yoga trainings, you’ll be amazed at what you learn in this transformational and extremely playful weekend. There are still a few spots available. Register by this Saturday you’ll save $40.

The full details are here. If you’re the kind of person who wants to teach kids more than stretching….I’ll be expecting you there!

P.S. Thanks to Adrienne for letting me know my blog was named in The Top 50 Yoga Blogs for a Healthy Mind and Body.

Kids Pick their Favorite Yoga Poses

One of my favorite activities for the last class of a kids’ yoga series is to have a “Yoga Party.” It’s a great way to review all the fun yoga we’ve done through the session.

Children like to show you what they know. I often hear, “look at me,” “look at this,” “Can I show you something.” Kid’s want to be recognized just like we all do. A Yoga Party is a great way for kids to show you their stuff while still doing yoga. In an end of series yoga parties, each child picks their favorite thing for us to do.

When I teach this class in my community centre class, which is an hour long, it means we end up playing yoga games most of the class.

But this summer I taught at a daycare where the class was only 30 minutes, which meant we usually didn’t play games in the class – not enough time for games. For this yoga party each person picked their favorite yoga pose.

Now for some reason this class was all boys and only one girl that day, for a total of about ten of us. It was the last week of summer holidays and a lot of kids were away from school for trips and holidays before going back to the grind.

Here’s what the kids picked:

1. Sun Salutation: Well this was my pick. I led off with sun salutations, which we had been learning all summer. Both the daycare teacher and I were impressed at how well the kids were getting to know them by heart.

   Also, kids will launch into yoga poses sometimes without warming up. Often it doesn’t matter too much for the active kids who are always warmed up. But you have to think of the whole class. If you are letting the kids choose the poses make sure they are warmed up first, or ask if any favorites are warm-up poses. It’s also a good way to review the idea of warming up.

2. Eagle Pose: picked by the one girl. Interesting because I don’t teach Eagle pose in my class – it’s just not one we do in Kundalini Yoga alot. She must have learned it from another teacher. Whoever taught her that – Thanks! (check out the fourth picture down in the Karmaspot blog post linked here to see a kids’ version of Eagle).
3. Cobra Pose: check out this beautiful description of Cobra on a great kids yoga blog: YogaInMySchool.com. Cobra is always a favorite.
4. Downward Dog: Again always a favorite for kids and everyone can do it.
5. Donkey Kicks: this one is best to do if everyone has their own mat, otherwise some people may, you guessed it, get kicked. If you don’t have mats and the kids are sharing or on a carpet, take turns doing donkey kicks and ask any other adults around to help supervise. (I’m going to do a post on donkey kicks next.)
6. King Cobra Pose: Again a favorite and picked again even though someone had already picked cobra earlier.
7. Bundle Roll: lying down the kids put their arms by their sides and roll across the floor, kind of like you would roll down a hill. Try not to bend. I’m told that this is good for kids with any attention problems, it is grounding.
8. Freeze Dance: I use a version by Christopher Carbone on the Namaste! CD, but feel free to recommend your favorite freeze dance music or songs in the comments!
9. Mountain Pose (see picture above): This pose surprised me! There is usually one child who picks a very still and relaxed pose. The imagery of being as solid as a mountain is very comforting.
10. Tree Pose: Children love the challenge of tree pose, it takes a lot of mental strength.
11. Archer Pose: Read about Archer in a past post here.

When kids can pick any pose they want, you may be surprised by what they choose and how well they end up doing a nice balanced class.

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