Teaching Yoga to Kids: The Class

Armed with these tools I planned and prepared for an hour-long class that I would teach, which looked something like this:

Discussion:

• Ask the kids: What is yoga? Give additional insight to their answers. 
• Set Ground Rules including:

1. Stay on your mat 2.Try everything 3. Everyone is different so it’s impossible to be good or bad and you shouldn’t compare yourself.

• Belly Breathing

Asana:

Name              Sanskrit                                  Additional items

Cat                   Marjaryasana                         Meow

Cow                 Bitilasana                                 Moo

Butterfly          Baddha Konasana               Ask what noises butterflies make?

Down dog        Adho Mukha Svanasana      Bark

Mountain        Tadasana                                 Be a tall, strong mountain

Tree                 Vrksasana                                Trees are rooted into the earth but their branches sway, can you

                                                                               sway without falling?

Frog                 Bhekasana                               Do leap frog

Warrior II        Virabhadrasana II           Partner Warrior, explain that we can be peaceful warriors, not

                                                                               sway without falling?

Boat                 Navasana                                Can you also try to row your boat?

Corpse Pose    Savasana                              Change the name to sleeping pose

Meditate on your favorite place, go there and remember how that happiness made you feel.