By Susan Goecke

When I started teaching Yoga at my son’s Montessori School, I felt excited, nervous, and open to what may come. I have to admit, I had high expectations that all my students would love the art of practicing Yoga as much as I did. I knew my students would range from 2 years old to 12 years old, and I felt confident that in 45 minutes I could teach them all a lot about Yoga. What I didn’t realize is that I would learn more from them. For example, I automatically thought the 2 year-old class would be the most challenging while the 8-12 year-olds would be the most responsive. Wrong. I thought that not much could really go wrong in 45 minutes until the fateful day blood was drawn and started spurting all over the floor in my 4-6 year-old class. It took 15 minutes to clean the mess, calm the child, and then return to center with the rest of the class. In fact, while teaching yoga to my “kids,” it was I that reached a full spectrum of emotion, patience, laughter, and excitement as I prepared for my classes and experienced Yoga through the eyes of a child.

What does it take to teach Yoga to children? After extensive research and trial and error, I found the main ingredients required to cook up the perfect class for children. First and foremost, laughter is crucial to bring to the classroom. Second, a spirit of adventure that the kids can relate to is necessary. Also, finding the balance between teacher and student is important to the classroom as we all are teachers and we all are students simultaneously. Finally, when the class is over, having Namaste in the teacher’s and students’ hearts is vital to the full experience. Without full acceptance of what did and did not happen, the perfect class cannot take place.

“Laughter is the best medicine” is a famous expression. Laughing at oneself during Yoga with children takes on another life of its own. Marsha Wenig, of YogaKids, even has a pose that incorporates laughing called Pedal Laughing. During this pose, the student (and teacher!) lie on their backs, do a bicycle motion, and laugh. This happens for several minutes. I have to admit it is very exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Even those who do not want to participate, and there is usually about one, get a benefit from the contagiousness of laughter. “Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone” is another famous expression. Also true in Yoga for kids.

If the class is fun, all will want to join in. If the class is a miserable experience, no one will show up! Of course, there is a thin line of what is funny to some and ruthless teasing to others. Kids will be kids. They notice everything and feel it necessary to say whatever it is aloud. Feelings can be hurt. This is an opportunity for the Yoga teacher to offer life lessons to the kids. “Laugh at yourself!” is something I often tell the kids in my class. Falling out of a pose can strike up a fit of laughter from other children. The humiliated child needs the skill of laughter to boost them up. Of course, the other children are learning respect and honoring of others. Shockingly, this skill is not readily taught in schools.

A spirit of adventure is the next important element for a kids Yoga program. Fortunately, most Yoga poses are named after animals and nature. Incorporating animal sounds while in an animal pose really helps the kids enjoy the pose. Making animal sounds also encourages the kids to be creative in the pose and try new positions. My favorite is Downward Facing Dog pose. Not only can the children bark while in the pose, they can also wag their tail (behind), stretch up one leg at a time for three-legged dog, and move around to walk the dog.

My favorite pose we created as a class is “Doggy Bridge.” I, the instructor, would be the doggy bridge in which all my “barking puppies” would walk under my dog pose. This pose was only appropriate for my 2-3 year old class due to the size of the students. It is possible to create themes for weekly classes which incorporate a variety of poses, keep kids attention, and have continuity and variety at the same time. For example, I created themes such as “Disney Yoga,” “Back to the Barnyard Yoga,” “Cranky to Happy Yoga,” and “Under the Sea Yoga.”

During Disney Yoga, the class consisted of a variety of Disney songs and the poses would incorporate Disney characters. For example, Peter Pan was a class favorite as we achieved poses in story form to “I Won’t Grow Up.” When the song would say “If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree…”, the class would stand in Mountain Pose, start a climbing movement, and end in Tree pose. Other Disney Yoga moments would include the Siamese Cat Song for Cat pose with a nasty meow. The “Circle of Life,” from Lion King was appropriate for Lion’s Pose and Lion’s Breath. “Cranky to Happy Yoga” is another of my favorite themes.

I incorporate healing modalities in my teachings. A healing technique applicable to children is tapping on pressure points to alleviate mental, physical, and emotional ailments. My brilliant mentor, Regina Murphy, and I wrote a song for children which helps children remember the points while tapping and healing themselves. The song is called “If I’m Happy I Will Tap Me Over Here” and the tune is to “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” After we sing and tap, the class consists of cranky then happy poses. The idea is to experience crankiness and then achieve happiness through yoga poses. Cranky poses can consist of Alligator Pose and the happy alternative is Airplane pose. Next, Cobra pose with a hiss is done and then this pose turns into a beautiful swan in Swan pose. There is a variety of poses that can be utilized in cranky and happy poses. Other themes use basic groupings of poses, such as farm animals and sea life, and appropriate music is played. It has been my experience that incorporating themes in my children’s yoga classes has helped the children experience both variety and continuity as many of the poses are the same yet they appear new and exciting with a new theme.

With children, it is important to realize that no matter how hard you plan a class, this particular lesson might not be taught that day, if ever. It is important to be prepared to accomplish the prepared lesson or just to “wing it.” Many times, it was more appropriate to step back as teacher and become the student who would learn from the children. Children are wonderful teachers to us adults if we would just listen. Having the kids teach the class, with as little guidance as needed, is greatly rewarding. This really helps the teacher see Yoga through the eyes of a child.

The teacher can learn what the kids are getting out of the class and what their favorite poses are. For example, Shiva Rae’s Trance Dance segments are very popular with my classes. I might not have realized this if I didn’t step back and listen. Another favorite theme for kids is partner Yoga. Kids like to team up with another and create twists, rainbows, pretzels, and balancing poses which require a partner. This differs from my favorite part of Yoga- being alone on my mat. If I wasn’t willing to also be a student I wouldn’t have heard their voice. My personal favorite moment of teaching kids Yoga is being the student and reaching my inner child. What better way to reach spiritual enlightenment than through the eyes of a child?

Finally, full acceptance of each class is vital to achieve a fulfilling environment to teaching Yoga. One of my biggest lessons was that not every class is going to be great. Never look for perfection. You might never want to teach kids again after a wild, uncontrollable class enters your world! I learned a lot from the wild classes that came my way. I learned that children are over- stimulated and over-tired. Of course, having four kids of my own, I’ve experienced the over-stimulated over-tired child on several occasions.

If class got too wild, I would ask the class what they felt the solution was to “stop the madness.” Given the choice, meditation and relaxation was usually the answer. Kids are brilliant and do know what is best for them! As soon as a class reaches a peak of excitement in which there is no turning back, it is time to sit, center, and find Namaste with each other. Chanting “Om” is the next phase as we embark on our journey of meditation. Having the children lie on their backs and squeeze out every bit of tension left in their body helps achieve the pre-relaxation mode.

Next, eye pillows are very helpful. The pillows create an environment which is darker and helps the child not to look at their neighbor. Also they can be scented with Lavender oil to achieve further relaxation. To achieve abdominal breathing, the placement of small rubber ducks on the children’s bellies helps to remind the children to breathe deeply through their abdomen. Once everyone is in position, meditation music, guided or not, helps take the children where they need to go mentally, spiritually, and physically. I like to incorporate the usage of tuning forks while the kids meditate.

Children especially like the “Om” fork while placed on the heels of their feet. This is very settling for the children. With the instructor approaching each child, the child has an awareness that they are expected to meditate and relax. Many times, a child will fall asleep. Usually, I have another class coming in so I would carry the child back to the classroom for extra rest. It never fails to amaze me how instinctual it is for a child to meditate. Also, after meditation, the Supreme goal of yoga has been reached, which is pure tranquility. After what may have started as a challenging class that was going nowhere, meditation saves the day. It is through the art of meditation that brings the children back week after week. This is truly inspiring.

Teaching Yoga to kids is a very rewarding experience. It can also be frustrating because the students are also teaching the instructor. Remember the important ingredients. They are laughter, Spirit of Adventure, truly seeing yourself as also a student of the class and not just as teacher, and remembering that everything is in Divine Perfection and that whatever did and did not happen in class today was a lesson to be learned and pondered upon. What do children enjoy? Music, laughter, and fun are vital to the class.

Sometimes, if your voice can’t reach the kids, loud music can center them quickly. This is especially true of music that reminds the kids to breathe. Ending the class with song, chant, and mantras helps the kids to learn something new and want to come back for more. Remember that fun is the most important element in teaching the perfect yoga class for kids. Without fun, no one will come back and sign up for more classes! Also, like any class, never push a child too hard and encourage a noncompetitive environment.

Kids are usually involved in competitive sports and don’t realize that Yoga is noncompetitive. Encouraging a noncompetitive environment truly helps everyone in the class improve at their personal level. With all of these perfect ingredients, it is fun to cook up Yoga classes for kids. Remember to touch your inner child so you too can experience every moment with these kids through the eyes of a child.

Susan Goecke is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches classes in the Las Vegas, Nevada area.