Sara J. Weis's Blog: Go Go Yoga Kids: Empower Kids for Life Through Yoga, page 2

How to Begin Your Kids Yoga Class

Congratulations on taking the time to truly gain an understanding of why each part of a kids yoga class is important. By following our everything will easily fall into place for you and your students. A well-thought-out and organized lesson plan will create more opportunities for learning, engagement and create lasting memories.

You can get all caught up with our first Kids Yoga Lesson Planning 101 Training Video Here .

The Welcome is the very first part of your kids yoga class and it is the first real class interaction you will have together. The Welcome helps set the tone for how your class will go and helps explain to your students what they will be doing and learning as well as what you expect of them.

When you establish and make a connectionwith your students right from the start, it makes such a difference throughoutyour class as you introduce and teach breathing exercises, yogaposes, games, challenges, relaxation, and more.

I think about this in my school classroom as well. Children need to know that they are safe and cared for. When you have a connection and a trust established, then you can truly teach the content, relax, and have fun teaching.

In the beginning of my kids’ yoga classes, I like to gather the students in a circle and welcome them warmly while having them introduce themselves. This will help you get an overall sense of their mood and abilities from the start. It is also the ideal time to reinforce their names with their faces which comes in handy with the management of the class.

I like to have my students share their nameand answer a question.

For example:

Sharing something that they are good atWhat do you already know about yoga?Share why yoga is good for youDemonstrate any yoga poses that they already knowAsk a theme-related question (in relation to the yoga theme of class) such as “Which superhero would you be and why?”

I also like to briefly go over my 3 No-Fail Rules at this time.  You only need these three rules to keep your class running seamlessly which is a big deal for the success and involvement of your classes. These 3 No-Fail Rules and many classroom teaching videos are all included in our online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training course. Enroll now and work through at your own pace and time with our support throughout.

Remember, you only get one chance to make that first impression. The Welcome does not need to be long, but it is the best opportunity to let kids know how excited you are that they are there and to introduce them to the theme and format for the class.

Continue to Part 2: Breathing Exercises for Kids

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5 Easy Ways to Add Yoga to Your Child’s Day

In our super fast-paced world today, it is more important than ever to help our kids find ways to relax and stay physically active. Yoga will help with movement, mindfulness, and deep breathing and is an excellent way to find this balance. By adding a few moments of yoga into your kids’ daily routine can have many benefits, including flexibility, focus, and an overall sense ofwell-being. 

5 Easy Ways to Include Yoga in Your Child’s Day:

Morning Yoga Stretch: Start the day right with so simple stretches like Cat Post to Cow Pose or with Sun Salutations. Do this with your kids and encourage them to match their breath with their movements. This can help wake up their bodies, improve circulation, and set a calm and focused tone for the day ahead.

Take a Yoga Break: Just as adults benefit from taking breaks during the day, kids can also benefit from mini yoga sessions. Encourage your children to take short yoga breaks If feeling overwhelmed. Do a few quick and easy stretches or balance poses. Use the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards to help make selecting different poses engaging and fun.

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

Go on a Yoga Adventure: Create an adventure story that incorporates various yoga poses. For example, if the story is about a journey through the jungle, each animal encountered could correspond to a different pose such as Tree Pose, Gorilla Pose and Cobra Pose. This not only keeps kids engaged but also helps them remember and enjoy the poses in a creative context.

Family Yoga Time: Try some partner poses from The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards to help with teamwork and togetherness. This shared experience not only promotes physical well-being but also strengthens family bonds.

Bedtime Yoga: Yoga is a great relaxing and soothing activity before bedtime. Help your kids transition from the busyness of the day to a calm and relaxed state by guiding them through gentle stretches and calming breathing exercises. My favorite restorative yoga poses are Legs-Up-the-Wall and Reclining Butterfly Pose. This is a wonderful way to wind down and release any stress from the day.Legs Up the Wall is a Favorite Restorative Yoga Pose

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Kids Yoga Product Giveaway

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How to Help Kids Transition Back to School with Yoga

I just love the fresh start feeling of a new school year. As a teacher and a parent myself, I understand that we want our  children to be in a collaborative, creative, calm and supported classroom environment.

The good news is that by easily incorporating some breathing exercises, mindfulness practice, and simple stress-reducing happy poses, kids will become more focused and attentive and will develop greater empathy toward one another. Yoga may help create that classroom environment that we all want for children.

Yoga for kids is becoming more common in schools and a few moments each day can help kids achieve the benefits that yoga provides. Children need active brain breaks throughout the day to learn best.

Take Mini Yoga Breaks During the School Day

Practice breathing techniques to reduce stress and help focus before a test or activity that you know will require concentration and focus. Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Games & Activities for Children and Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children has hundreds of ideas on how to teach and use this.Work with a partner or small group to practice partner poses and achieve a goal together You can find many partner ideas and illustrations here.Introduce a new yoga pose each week. Make it fun! For example, pick a certain word such as your school’s name. When you say that word everyone will stop what they are doing and hold that pose. Find yoga poses and ideas here with The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose CardsCount by fives and 10s while holding a balance pose.Take a One Minute Vacation and allow students to shut their eyes, breathe, and visualize themselves in their favorite place.

Want more ideas on how to use yoga at school day?  Yoga Lessons for Children includes games, ways to reduce stress, yoga poses, and great read-aloud books with complete lesson plans.

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Kids Yoga and Mindfulness in the Preschool Classroom

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The post How to Help Kids Transition Back to School with Yoga appeared first on Go Go Yoga For Kids.

5 Easy Ways to Add Yoga to Your Day

I just love the fresh start feeling of a new school year. As a teacher and a parent myself, I understand that we want our  children to be in a collaborative, creative, calm and supported classroom environment.

The good news is that by easily incorporating some breathing exercises, mindfulness practice, and simple stress-reducing happy poses, kids will become more focused and attentive and will develop greater empathy toward one another. Yoga may help create that classroom environment that we all want for children.

Yoga for kids is becoming more common in schools and a few moments each day can help kids achieve the benefits that yoga provides. Children need active brain breaks throughout the day to learn best.

Take Mini Yoga Breaks During the School Day

Practice breathing techniques to reduce stress and help focus before a test or activity that you know will require concentration and focus. Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Games & Activities for Children and Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children has hundreds of ideas on how to teach and use this.Work with a partner or small group to practice partner poses and achieve a goal together You can find many partner ideas and illustrations here.Introduce a new yoga pose each week. Make it fun! For example, pick a certain word such as your school’s name. When you say that word everyone will stop what they are doing and hold that pose. Find yoga poses and ideas here with The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose CardsCount by fives and 10s while holding a balance pose.Take a One Minute Vacation and allow students to shut their eyes, breathe, and visualize themselves in their favorite place.

Want more ideas on how to use yoga at school day?  Yoga Lessons for Children includes games, ways to reduce stress, yoga poses, and great read-aloud books with complete lesson plans.

You May Also Enjoy:

Kids Yoga and Mindfulness in the Preschool Classroom

Simple Ways to Get Children to Listen

Get Ready for Preschool Yoga

The post 5 Easy Ways to Add Yoga to Your Day appeared first on Go Go Yoga For Kids.

International Yoga Day and the Summer Solstice on June 21st

The official start of summer is with the arrival of the summer solstice on June 21st. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the longest day of the year.  This is the moment when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer, which is its highest point. For those who live in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the shortest day of the year and the arrival of winter. The solstice happens at the same moment for everyone, everywhere on Earth.

What makes this day even more special is that June 21st is also International Yoga Day which is recognized around the world since its inception in 2015.

What better way then to recognize both of these celebrations than with some family-friendly outdoor yoga?! Check out some of our favorite yoga poses and games!

How to Play Summer Beachball Yoga

Toega: Yoga Fun for Your Toes

Family Yoga Jenga Game

Do you love yoga and kids? Keep the fun of International Yoga Day going all year long! Introduce the joy and fun of yoga to children while instilling the benefits they will have for life. Enrollment is now open for our Kids Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Training! Find out more here.

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Spring Yoga Lesson Plan for Kids and Easter Egg Games

Get out your plastic Easter eggs ready and celebrate Spring with this fun kids yoga lesson plan, games, and activities. Easter Egg Yoga is for kids of all ages this holiday. 

 What You Need:Materials:Colored plastic eggsbasket (or something to hold the eggs) Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards for yoga pose visuals. Want them sooner? Try our Kids Yoga Pose Printables!

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

On small pieces of paper write the following poses and put one in each egg. 

Robin: Airplane Pose

Duck: Duck Pose. Encourage the kids to flap, quack, and waddle around like a duck.

Sun: Mountain Pose with arms outstretched to the sun

Spring Hat: Down Dog

Spring Tree: Tree Pose

Rainbow: Bridge Pose

Spring Basket: Boat Pose

Flower: Lotus Pose. Make petals by having the children hold their arms above their heads.

Caterpillar: Locust Pose. Have the students raise and lower their heads as if eating leaves.

Butterfly: Butterfly Pose. Fly butterflies fast and then slow.

Bunny: Hero Pose. Have the children make bunny ears with their hands.

Kids love to try the partner poses that included in our Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.These 40 Yoga Pose Card Visuals include starred level of difficulty (1-5 stars) and mantras for mindfulness.

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For more Kids Yoga Lesson Plans check out our bestselling books filled with over 150+ ready-to-go kids yoga lesson plans and kids yoga games and activities.

Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children

Go Go  Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide  to Using Yoga with Children

Go Go Yoga for Kids Brand New E-Store Why the Go Go Yoga for Kids E-Store Matters to You:Now you are able to easily download your Go Go Yoga for Kids books on any device. This means your iphone, computer, tablet, kindle, ipad. Any of these places!You can also easily transfer your Go Go Yoga for Kids books from device to device.This is also extra exciting because you are able to easily print out sections that are important to you. You know how much I love writing and putting together kids yoga lesson plans. Now you can easily find which lesson plan you want to use and print it out for your personal use. This is also true for our lesson plan templates, guides and games that are found in our books!Another great reason to purchase your e-books directly from the author is that it does help me out. You know how kids yoga is my passion and I love being able to get resources and ideas straight to you. When you purchase directly from the author this allows a great connection and helps small businesses such as Go Go Yoga for Kids.

Thank you for checking out our Go Go Yoga for Kids E-Store and directly supporting me, the author. I have changed my shopping habits with so many small businesses feeling the impact from the coronavirus. I so appreciate your support.

Use code GOGO2020 to receive 50% off your purchases in the  Go Go Yoga for Kids  E-Store.

This includes all of our great resources, including our newest #1 New Release Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Games & Activities for Children.

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St. Patrick’s Day Kids Yoga Fun for All Ages

 St. Patrick’s Day Yoga Lesson Plan

Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these lucky and fun poses for St. Patrick’s Day yoga, games, breathing exercises and more.

These yoga poses and games are perfect for home, school, and studio. Get the full lesson plan in our bestselling book Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children.

Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children

Begin with Rainbow Breath:

1.Place your index fingers together.

2. On the inhale reach your arms to one side of your body.

3. On the exhale, raise your arms overhead and lower to the other side.

St. Patrick’s Day Themed Yoga Poses:

Pot of Gold: Full Boat Pose

Leprechaun: Chair Pose or Warrior 2 Pose

4 Leaf Clover: Star Pose

Horseshoe: Horse Pose

Rainbow: Wheel Pose, Bridge Pose, Reverse Plank

Visuals for all of these yoga poses can be found in the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

More St. Paddy’s Kids Yoga Ideas:

Balance Practice: Use plastic gold coins to work on balancing them on your hand, head, knee, etc. The children will have lots of ideas on where they can balance their gold coins. You can also use these gold coins for balance relays which the kids think are lots of fun.

Find the complete Lucky Leprechaun Kids Yoga Lesson Plan in our bestselling Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children book.

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan Books

Get your free Kids St. Patrick’s Day yoga Mandala here.

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Fun Family Spring Yoga Sequence for All Ages

Let’s celebrate Spring and our Earth with our fun Family Spring Yoga Sequence. This is a sequence of Spring yoga poses that will help get us ready for Spring and all of the changes happening outside!

For a full list of Spring yoga poses and sequences

How to Teach our Spring Sequence to Kids:

What is happening outside right now? The grass is getting green. Trees and flowers are growing and sprouting their leaves. Baby birds are hatching and animals are coming out of hibernation. There are many plants and animals that are changing by the day at this time of year! It is very, very exciting with all of the things that are happening with our Earth during Spring.

Kids love to practice Raindrop Partner Pose!

Today we are going to combine all those exciting things that are happening with our Earth, Earth Day and the season of Spring! We are going to combine them into a fun Kids Yoga Sequence.

Lesson Plan Tips:This Spring Yoga Sequence can be done with kids of any age. You can also practice this yoga sequence by yourself. It just feels good in your body for sure and a fun way to celebrate Earth. You do not need any materials or resources just a place to move your body! I will be using our Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Card s that have yoga pose visuals for the poses we will be practicing. It is always good to have visuals when practicing yoga with kids. The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

First, we need to warm up our bodies. One of my favorite ways to do this is through Sun Salutations with a Sunrise and Sunset. We are going to first move into Mountain Pose.

Stand up, nice and tall and look between your hands and feel the strength in your arms and legs This will be our Sunrise. Go ahead, breathe in and dive forward into the Sunset. It’s almost like you’re diving into your swimming pool like it’s almost Summertime.

2. Now breathe in and bring your arms up high and relax your shoulders. Breathe out as you dive forward over your legs. Do this a few times warm up your entire body.

Stretch up as tall as you can in Mountain Pose to warm up your body during Sun SalutationsSeed to Flower Yoga Sequence

For our first yoga sequence, we are going to pretend to be a seed in the ground.

Go into Child’s Pose and make a small seed shape with your body. Now, very slowly I want you to go ahead and grow into something that you can find outside. It could be a flower, could be a tree, or a plant. Feel the warm sun on your back as you slowly starting to grow and sprout. Are you a flower? A tree? A plant?
Flower Pose with Hands at Heart CenterCaterpillar to Butterfly Spring Yoga Sequence

Now we are going to go through a huge metamorphosis. Do you know what animal does that? It is a caterpillar turning into a butterfly! So let’s go into Caterpillar Pose.

Go on your bellies and into cobra position. Put your head down so you’re spine is straight. Now you’re just going to raise up like you’re a caterpillar munching the leaves. We know that the caterpillar needs to eat a lot because pretty soon he’s going to make a cocoon. Step back into Plank Pose because this is going to be our strong cocoon that is hanging on the branch. Caterpillar, cocoon and then you will become a Butterfly! Jump up through your legs and come into Butterfly Pose. Let’s see our butterflies flap your wings. Oh butterflies can you fly, faster and faster! The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards include all of the Spring Yoga Sequence Images for extra visuals and fun!Tadpole to Frog: Spring Yoga Sequence

Our last Spring Yoga Sequence Metamorphosis is Tadpole to Frog Pose. A frog starts his life in egg.

Go ahead and find Child’s Pose. This is a very good restorative pose that you can come into at any time. Now we are tadpoles in our eggs. Let’s go ahead and come forward into a swimming position on your bellies with your arms outstretched. This is just like tadpole swimming in the water. This is good for working your lower back. Then the tadpole finally becomes the frog. Move into Malansa Pose. Let’s do our best Frog hops! Egg, Tadpole, Frog Pose (Malasana) is a fun yoga sequence for kids!

These are some fun yoga sequences that you can do with kids and as a family! Ready for more Kids Yoga Game & Activities?

Find Kids Yoga Poses, Games, Mindfulness Exercises, and Lesson Plans immediately in our Go Go Yoga for Kids Store. Use code GOGO50 at checkout to receive 50% off your order.You May Also Enjoy:

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5 Ways to Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday! Yoga Poses, Games, Books & Fun for All Ages

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday

It is time to celebrate Dr. Seuss! He is known for his many silly, wacky and nonsense stories and characters.

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on March 2nd or anytime with these fun and easy kids yoga ideas.

Look at these Truffela Trees!

1. Be a Strong Truffula Tree!

How long can you hold Tree Pose? Try it with others and know that we are stronger together! The Lorax by Dr. Seuss)

Rooftop Kids Yoga Partner Pose

2. Make a House for a Mouse

This fun partner yoga pose is perfect to try with kids! Partner Rooftop Pose (Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss).

Find all of your Kids Yoga Partner Poses in our bestselling Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

Get the best Kids Yoga Games & Activities instantly with our Go Go Yoga for Kids E-Store

3. Get your Body Moving

with Dr. Seuss ABC Dr.Seuss ABC book. As you introduce each letter of the alphabet, see if the children can form that letter with their body. This is also perfect for those kinesthetic learners that learn best while moving!

How many different letters can you make with your body?

4. Learn and Practice Yoga Poses

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss is perfect for learning and practicing many yoga poses!

Kids enjoy this book based on colors and animals which makes it the perfect book to tie in yoga poses. Read the book aloud and demonstrate the corresponding yoga pose for each animal. The children can then practice the poses.

Yoga Pose Examples From the Book:

Red Horse: Horse Pose

Blue Bird: Warrior 3

Brown Bear: Down Dog with Bear Walks

Green Fish: Fish Pose

For an additionals visual the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards include all of these poses to help make it engaging for the children.

Find more favorite read-aloud books with corresponding yoga poses and movement with our bestselling Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children.

No matter what….embrace the silliness that only Dr. Seuss can bring.

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