Archive for the ‘Yoga for Kids’ Category

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Yoga Teacher Training: Kids

Saturday, July 7th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

Yoga teacher training courses enhance an interns ability to connect with children on many levels.  Teaching yoga to children is very rewarding, but there will be challenges in your classes.

Perhaps if adults had the energy, optimism and honesty of children, the world would be a different place. Looking at the world through the eyes of a child means taking things one moment at a time, stopping to appreciate seemingly insignificant moments and attractions, and releasing your emotions as you feel them. Essentially, children are living some of the most fundamental of yogic principles: mindfulness, gratitude and inner peace. It makes sense, then, to teach children yoga postures and breathing while they are young and eager to accept healthy, lifelong concepts.

Teaching children requires a special kind of teacher. We can’t expect kids to file into class quietly, choose a mat easily and flow through postures seamlessly. Kids’ yoga instructors are faced with the challenge of making kids’ classes engaging, interesting and fun. Fortunately, there are many techniques teachers can employ to provide an environment conducive to kids.

Stories

Children love stories of all kinds. They love hearing and telling stories, and they usually want to hear the same stories over and over again. Asanas can easily be incorporated into stories so the kids can experience the story with their bodies as well as their ears. Many kids’ instructors start by introducing several animal or nature poses, which can easily be incorporated into stories. Instructors might read a book, showing the illustrations first and then teach the kids the corresponding poses. Once the children know the poses, they can perform them while the teacher shares the book.

Games

Kids love games because they are engaging, challenging and fun. Yoga instructors can play a variety of games with the students that focus on learning or reviewing the poses. Instructors might lead the kids in musical mats, where the kids dance around until the music stops and then have to find a mat and perform a designated pose. Instructors can place illustrated posture cards on every student’s mat and instruct them to perform the pose on the card and then switch mats upon a designated signal. The games do not have to be complex, they can be simple and silly.

Music

The music we traditionally associate with yoga is quiet, calm and instrumental. While there is certainly a time for quieter, calming music at the end of class, the music for the bulk of a yoga class for kids can be upbeat, loud and energetic. Instructors can use music to let the kids explore how their bodies move, feel the beat and move with the music. Yoga can teach them to get their energy out in positive ways while also teaching the value of quieting the mind and body with cool down poses and meditation.

Side Notes for Yoga Teachers

Always look for materials (educational props) that enhance the learning experience in your classes.  Flowers, leaves, pine cones, and sea shells are examples of inexpensive props, which can bring a story or idea to life.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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How to Tell Kids Yoga Stories

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012

yoga teacher certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Teaching Yoga to children can be a challenging and fun experience. Although first-time instructors might feel overwhelmed by the incredible amount of energy one room can hold, preparing ahead of time can make the kids’ Yoga class a lot less intimidating for the teacher.

Stories as a Method for Focusing

One excellent way to tame active, energetic children is to use Yoga stories as a tool to guide students throughout the session. Stories can serve a variety of purposes, including getting a child’s attention, correcting misbehavior, teaching an important moral or character lesson, pacing the class, and giving young minds interesting material to latch on to.

How to Tell Stories

Some Yoga instructors tell stories, in the beginning of the class, to serve as an attention-getter, or at the end of class, as a call to relaxation; other instructors prefer to weave stories into the entire session. The method a Yoga teacher chooses will probably reflect how long the class is, how energetic the instructor is, the average age of the youth, and how engaged the students are.

Stories should be tailored to the age of the class, as younger children will benefit from simpler, more interactive stories, and older children will prefer more detailed stories that they can apply to their own lives.

One of the best things a Yoga instructor can do with stories is to use props. Kids love practical, tactile helpers, such as bolsters, blankets, and Hoberman Spheres. They can also have a wonderful time with less practical props, like hats, costume jewelry, feather boas, flowers, leaves, and branches. One smart way to utilize these items is to pass them out and have each student demonstrate the use of the prop during a certain point in the story.

Most young people have no problem following the instructor’s lead into asanas during story telling, but visual aids can also be a great resource for keeping kids’ attention. One easy way to do this is to bring in books with colorful illustrations to display, reserving one page of the story for each pose.

Creating Incentives As Positive Reinforcement

Another fun way to enhance the story is to find a felt board, which are available at any teacher supply store, and enlarge pictures of some of the students in their asanas. Then create alternative, fun names for the poses and display the new names, which correspond to the story, on the story board, along with a picture of different children performing a variety of Yogic techniques. Children will feel proud about getting their pictures on the story board and will enjoy the task of coming up with new names to go with the stories you tell.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

Free report, newsletter, videos, podcasts, and e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

If you are a Yoga Teacher,  studio manager, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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The Dangers of Pushing Kids in Physical Yoga

Sunday, April 29th, 2012

teaching yoga to childrenBy Faye Martins

Yoga teachers are often considering the development of new programs for adults, seniors, and children. Sometimes, we consider giving children the opportunity to get the level of exercise needed to rid extra energy. This extra energy needs to be released in a positive way, but children need proper guidance and yoga instructors need to make sure classes are safe.

Power and vinyasa are generic physical styles that often derive their roots from the Ashtanga school of yoga. These generic styles emphasize the physical practice over the mental and spiritual practice. They are often offered at gyms as a form of exercise that can build strength and help with weight loss while encouraging flexibility and stress relief.

Additionally, more and more families are realizing that these health benefits are not lost on the younger generation.

It is important to note that despite being an advantageous way to stay healthy and fit, yoga can also present its own challenges to safe practice. With this in mind, parents should expect that there might be dangers in physical yoga for kids, and should refrain from pushing their children too hard.

The Risks

Power, vinyasa, and other physical forms of yoga can be risky for kids for several reasons.

First, children’s developing bodies and immature attention spans pose a special challenge for yoga instructors or parents who wish to guide youths through the refreshing practice of physical yoga. To prevent injury, students should take pose progression slowly, starting first with only the most basic postures and working on each pose series until the technique is nearly-perfect. Moving on to the trickier poses too fast can put a young person beyond his or her strength and flexibility capacities. As part of this idea, yoga teachers must keep an eye on balance and stress the importance of paying attention. In this way, children can avoid falls or muscle strains from incorrect posture. Practicing creative teaching can also make this challenge a lot easier by engaging kids’ attention in more lasting ways.

Second, even poses that children have mastered can present dangers. Inversion poses, for example, can place stress on the spine and neck, and abrupt forward bends are known for aggravating or causing back pain. With these risks common among adults, instructors should be careful not to place undue amounts of stress on young people’s immature musculature.

Third, there is a difference between pushing children to fulfill their potential and pushing children beyond their abilities. Some instructors or parents become impatient with children who struggle with pose alignment, but it is important to maintain an encouraging and supportive role during a yoga session. While some kids may need more guidance than others, continuing to assess the student’s abilities during a difficult pose is absolutely necessary. Remember that baby steps will get a person to the goal just as well as steps that over-reach.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Explaining the Benefits of Kids Yoga to Parents

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

distance learning yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga is a great way for kids to strengthen their bodies while learning healthy ways to deal with life. The  poses allow children to stretch and strengthen their muscles. The breathing exercises keep fresh oxygen flowing through the body, which helps keep it running efficiently. Kids who practice Yoga are less stressed, more confident, and can maintain overall good health. In order to get parents on board with kids’ Yoga, they need to understand the many benefits it provides.  Instructors can approach parents in a number of different ways.

Schedule an Introductory Meeting

Parents, who are new to Yoga, may have a lot of preconceived notions about the practice. They most likely have many questions about the format of the class, and the benefits that it provides for kids. Schedule a parent meeting before the session begins. Introduce the fundamental principles and philosophies behind Yoga, the core poses students will be learning, the benefits of the poses, the meditation and breathing techniques you will teach, and other important information. Let parents know the format of the class, and other things their children can expect, such as music, dancing, and story telling.

Send a Flyer

Yoga teachers can also send home a one-page flyer with details about the class. Highlight some of the fun things the kids will learn, and list the benefits kids’ Yoga provides. Include information about class dates and times. Make sure to add contact information, so parents can contact you by phone or email, if they have questions. Keep it short and eye-catching to avoid information overload.

Encourage Parents to Attend Class

Kids’ Yoga instructors should always extend an open invitation for parents to attend class with their child. Allowing parents to attend, usually satisfies any curiosities they have about class. Make yourself available for specific questions before and after class.

Establish a Home-Class Connection

When kids’ parents are involved in Yoga class, and ask questions about it (eager to hear about their kids’ experiences), it affects how the kids behave during class. Kids with interested parents will most likely be interested as well. Yoga teachers should always encourage children to share what they learn with their parents, and tell them new things they learned during each class. Instructors can keep this conversation flowing by reminding their students to “Show your parents this.” or “Tell your parents you learned how to breathe deeply today.” When a child is excited about Yoga, it’s usually infectious.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Teacher Tips for Interacting with Kids Yoga Parents

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

distance learning yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When you are teaching a Yoga class for kids, it’s important to be ready to interact with the parents, as well as the children. If Yoga is a new activity for some, the parents are sure to have questions and concerns about what Yoga is, how it’s taught, and what they can expect their kids to experience during each class. If the parents have little experience with the practice and philosophies of Yoga, they probably have a few preconceived notions about Yoga. It is your job as a Yoga instructor to provide a positive experience for both the children and their parents.

Encourage Parents to Attend Class

Children will value the Yoga experience more when their parents show an interest. Always extend an open invitation to parents to attend class with their child any time they would like. Make parents feel welcome by greeting them with a smile and a handshake. Briefly explain the format of the class, any goals you have set for that day, or any other pertinent information, before class begins. If you find that parents are disruptive, let them know that if they have any questions during class, you would be happy to address them after class. Treat parents with respect and kindness at all times.

Listen First, Then Talk

When a parent comes to you with a concern, a question, or even a compliment – make sure to listen attentively. Give the parent your full attention by stopping whatever you were doing, making eye contact, and practicing positive body language. Don’t interrupt. When the parent is finished, acknowledge that you heard what they had to say, by summarizing, especially if it is a grievance. Then, carefully explain your point-of-view.

Return Calls Promptly

If a parent tries to contact you by phone or email, make sure to respond promptly, within a day or two. Let parents know the best way to contact you at the beginning of each class session by listing your work/office number and email. If you prefer to not be contacted at home, do not give out your home or mobile numbers.

Act with Integrity

Act with integrity by communicating openly and honestly with parents. Seek the help of a mentor teacher if you are faced with a difficult situation. Stand behind the philosophies of Yoga by treating your students and students’ parents with patience and respect. You will gain the trust of parents by proving to them that your class is a safe, productive environment for children to learn and grow.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Warm-Ups for Children

Saturday, April 14th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

After centering, the warm-up is an important component for the beginning of any Yoga class. Students need that transition time to go from an active and noisy environment to a more soothing, quiet place. It is also important to warm up the body before stretching the muscles and joints to avoid injuries. Children, especially, need time to transition into the Yoga environment. Warm-ups for children should be engaging and fun. Accompany Yoga warm-up poses, with songs or other narration, to keep kids’ interest.

Knee to Chest Pose – Apanasana 

This pose provides a gentle stretch for the legs and back. Students should begin by lying on their backs. Then, ask them to hug one leg into the chest. You might ask them to sing a little song to any tune, such as “I’m hugging my leg, I’m hugging my leg. I really, really love my leg, and so I hug it tight.” Release that leg, and then repeat with the other. Then, hug both knees to the chest at the same time. Release this hug after a few moments, and ask kids to hold onto their knees. Then draw circles with the knees, in both directions, to loosen the hips and massage the sacrum.

Happy Baby Pose – Ananda Balasana

Transition from “Knee to Chest” to “Happy Baby” by asking children to release their hands from the knees and grab the soles of their feet. The knees will widen and drop to the side. The children can then roll from side-to-side, as babies often do. This pose will, undoubtedly, unleash some giggles. Ask children to imagine that they are younger children again – allowing them to gurgle and coo.

Washing Machine 

Transition to a sitting position, with legs crossed. Children should place their hands on their shoulders, with fingers pointing down in front, and the thumbs resting on the back of the shoulders. Begin to turn slowly from side-to-side. Incorporate the breath, by inhaling to the right, and exhaling to the left. Add sounds, by having the children say, “Swish, swash,” as they move from side-to-side.

The Worry Tree 

Help children leave their troubles behind at the beginning of Yoga class by hanging them on the “Worry Tree.” Ask children to sit or lie in a comfortable position. Lead them in a visualization exercise, imagining a tree where they can hang up all their worries for a time. Ask them to drop their worries one-by-one onto the tree. This will help to clear their minds before Yoga class begins.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Kids Yoga and Academic Performance

Saturday, April 7th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 

Imagine a world where children aim all of their pent-up energy toward something positive. What if children could learn to breathe and focus when life gets stressful? What if they could become so attuned to their own bodies that they respect and honor their selves above all else? Perhaps, we don’t give children enough credit for the things they are capable of achieving. Children, who practice Yoga, are learning these important lessons, while at the same time developing strong and flexible bodies. In fact, studies on children and Yoga have also shown that children’s academic performance is affected positively.

When you teach children Yoga, you are giving them a valuable tool to use throughout many aspects of their lives. School can be a stressful part of many children’s days, but it doesn’t have to be. When children practice kids Yoga, they learn to focus on their bodies. They learn to forget about everything else for a while, focusing on the breath filling up their lungs. They learn to turn their attention to their muscles, feeling them work and stretch. Children also learn how to visualize letting go of negative thoughts and emotions, and replacing them with positive. All of these skills can be transferred to academics.

Yoga for Motivation

Studies from Los Angeles to Jalandhar, India have shown that, children who practice Yoga, become more motivated as academic students. They begin to look at school in a new light, accepting the challenges of learning new concepts with open arms. Perhaps this is the result of a renewed confidence within their selves that they are smart enough and good enough to get the job done.

Yoga for Anxiety 

Many children experience anxiety throughout the school day – as a result of social issues, test taking, or any number of other reasons. Once they learn to apply Yogic breathing to these situations, they find that the anxiety lessens, or even completely disappears.

Yoga Movement

Children can also benefit from physical stimulation. Much of the school day is spent without physical activity. When children are allowed to get up and move on a regular basis, the results can be powerful. A short break for a few Yoga poses can help release anxiety and stress, which allows children to re-focus on the project at hand. The bottom line is that kids are capable of great things when taught the right skills. Yoga is gradually moving into schools around the world because the results are alarmingly positive.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Yoga Centering for Children

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

yoga teacher certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

We do not often think of the lives of children as being stressful, but many children do face a lot of stress and anxiety throughout their days. Kids’ days are filled with learning, commitments, rules, and restrictions. They may feel like they do not get a whole lot of say in their own lives. The issues they face are obviously much different than adults’ issues, but that does not make them any less important. Kids worry about school, friends, relationships, and uneasiness within the home. Kids’ after-school schedules are often packed with sports, clubs, or organizations. Although the causes of the stress are different, the results are the same for children and adults. Stress takes its toll on the body and mind, causing a wide range of physical ailments.

Step into a room full of kids, and it might seem as if they are thriving on chaos. They are often joyful, loud, energetic, and oblivious to all else. If given the chance, however, children will embrace the idea of calming the mind and body for a moment to “re-fuel” themselves. Centering activities, in Yoga, help kids learn how to deal with feelings of anxiety, stress, or helplessness. Yoga classes teach kids to take a break from all the business of life to just “be” for a few moments. The healthy techniques learned in kids Yoga sessions are valuable tools that children will use throughout the rest of their lives.

Kids Yoga instructors can use breathing activities, Yoga poses, and visualization to help children center themselves. Breathing techniques can be as simple as taking slow, complete breaths by filling up the entire belly and chest cavity. Yoga instructors can teach children how to visualize negative thoughts and energy leaving the body with the exhale, while drawing in new energy and positive thoughts with each inhale.

Most Yoga postures encourage centering as well. Yoga teachers encourage children to concentrate on how their bodies feel in each pose and to note where it feels good or not-so-good. Balancing postures, like Tree Pose (Vrksasana), help children focus because they must try to balance on one leg. Other poses that help children become calm and centered include child’s pose, candle pose, corpse pose, or easy pose. These poses require little physical challenge, so children can focus on being calm and quiet.

Visualization exercises are powerful for kids also. They can help children release stress, anxiety, or pent-up energy. Visualization also teaches children that they are in control of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Visualization gives them a positive way to deal with any negative aspects of life.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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A Sample Kids Yoga Class

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Sangeetha Saran

Teaching yoga to a class of children can be a daunting task for any teacher- experienced or otherwise. Learning how to keep it fun is especially important, considering the short attention span of the average child. Kids yoga classes vary in age as well as length, so it is important that teachers tailor their activities with time frame and age capabilities in mind.

Beginning

Many yoga teachers like to keep their youth sessions traditional, starting out with a chant or OM. Others take that practice and tweak it by weaving a story or song into the beginning of class.

Do warm-up exercises for five to ten minutes. Keep it fun and light-hearted, and keep the kids moving. Encourage physical awareness by asking the students to push their bellies out while inhaling during breathing warm-ups, and make sure to keep the poses short.

Middle

Break the class up into segments. Longer classes can be broken down into 15 to 20-minute segments, and shorter classes into five-minute ones. In between segments, do a yoga game like freeze-pose, where children move as fast as they can in different poses until the teacher yells freeze, or downward-facing dog tunnel, where the students form a tunnel with their pose and one by one race underneath it.

The middle of the class is a great time to put together a balance clinic, which is an essential skill for young children to develop, and which works well with the standing and inversion postures.

Choose yoga poses that flow easily into each other. The typical yoga movement still works- salutation poses together, then standing postures like tree and warrior poses together, and then a segment of sitting poses. The progression should get kids from fun and more active poses to quieter, more restful poses.

Take advantage of the fact that many yoga poses are named for animals. Encourage children to come up with animal names for other yoga poses, as well.

End

The end of a yoga session is a very important time, for children as well as traditional yoga students. Transition into sitting and restful poses to quiet the energy and allow kids time to relax and focus.

Corpse is always a restful pose that teachers can use to finish the session. Combine the corpse pose with an OM or with a visualization exercise, where kids are asked to focus on their breathing and imagine themselves walking through a forest or meeting their favorite person.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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Kids Yoga Games for Ages 9 to 11

Sunday, March 18th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

As children get older, it is still important to keep yoga interesting and fun for them. If they have been attending yoga class since they were a preschooler, many of the poses and philosophies are probably well known. This makes it a bit easier to play interactive games with the students. The yoga instructor can then focus on proper form and philosophy a bit more than with younger kids.

Sea Shells 

Divide the room in half, designating one side as the “Sea,” and the other as the “Shore.” Designate a movement to do around the both areas, such as skipping, hopping, or running. When the instructor calls, “Sea!” or “Shore!” All the kids must go to that area as quickly as possible. When the yoga instructor calls, “Seashells!” the children must perform a yoga pose. Children can also take turns being the caller.

Swami Says

This game is modeled after the popular children’s game, “Simon Says.” Choose one student to be the “Swami.” All of the other children should spread out, facing the Swami. The Swami then calls out various yoga poses by saying, “Swami says perform downward dog pose.” When the Swami chooses, he or she may eliminate the “Swami says,” part of the phrase. Children should then stay in their current pose and disregard the order.

Body Chalkboard

Allow children to connect with their bodies with this sensory game. In partners, children sit one in front of the other, facing the same direction, in a comfortable, cross-legged position. The student in the back will be the “drawer,” while the one in front is acting as the “chalkboard.” The drawer then writes a short word on the back of his or her partner, who must guess the word. Variations include drawing pictures, writing a complete word-by-word message, or just writing individual letters. After a set time, students should switch roles. They can also use other body parts as the chalkboard, like the soles of the feet, palms, or stomach.

Five Good Moments

Teach children to focus on the positive things in life by encouraging them to pick five good things about the day to share with the class – Encourage them to focus on the beauty around them or a small moment of gratitude. Even if they had a fairly bad day, this yoga game will help them find the positive in a sea of negativity. Instructors may have to do a lot of modeling at the onset of the game by giving examples, like, “I’m grateful for the beautiful waterfall I saw on the way to class today,” or “The cashier at the store smiled at me today.”

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!

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