Teaching Kids

Getting little ones on the yoga mat is a sign of the times. Thank goodness! If your own yoga journey started as an adult and you’re reaping the benefits, it seems only natural to encourage and support children to start as early as possible.

Many studios offer yoga classes for kids, usually run as a course, and most studios offer discounts for older teens and students. There are also teaching courses available specifically for teaching kids. And while it’s not a mandatory part of the education curriculum, there are schools open to yoga being taught as part of their wellbeing and health programmes. Thank goodness!

Tim Seutter of Yoga Fire teaches in beautiful Northland. He’s recently been teaching young people of all ages and has lived to tell the tale.

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Tim: My daughter’s teacher initially approached me about teaching yoga. It was something I had wanted to propose to the school so [the teacher] saved me from having to convince them.

 

I was actually more nervous to teach kids than I have ever been teaching adults. I was worried about being in sync with them and delivering a type of yoga that they would relate to. I haven’t taken formal training in teaching kids yoga; I have just allowed my intuition and my heart to guide me.

Before I’d mostly taught at high schools as a guest teacher introducing Years 10, 11 and 12 to yoga as a way to expand their health and wellbeing. My daughter’s class is Year Five and Six and there is a definite difference in how they respond. The younger kids really get into it and are enthusiastic. They understand the notion of the sun salutation and they also like to learn about the origins of yoga and the Sanskrit words, which can make them laugh. They ask me all the time how I remember them.

I try to link the poses with things the kids would understand and in ways that they may have seen in real life such as encouraging them to hiss like snakes in cobra pose. The boys really like the warrior poses and I try to link these to Maori warriors and being strong and focused. They can understand the Haka so when I do these poses they get right into it. I think the age of these kids (nine going on 10) is really conducive to getting into the postures and enjoying it.

The older teenagers have reacted a little differently to the unfamiliarity. I notice some of them don’t want to try something new that they’re not good at because their friends might laugh at them. Others are right into it and want to learn, to explore the poses and have a giggle. Again, I try to make the class fun, play some music and allow the students to find their own challenge. They have definitely been quite surprised with how challenging yoga can be.

The older they get the more I teach the class like I would do with adults. I give them simple poses and if they want to try something harder, I show them but would leave them to choose if they want to straighten their leg or not. I want them to feel the poses and breath more than anything. I don’t offer anything other than verbal cues because I want teenagers to develop confidence to practice in front of their friends.

I would say the style I teach is a Vinyasa style but definitely age appropriate, employing different strategies for each age level. I’ve done sessions for my son’s kindergarten too and found that although the kids like the poses with the animal names and sounds, and a lot of the little ones were happy to move, they would sometimes rather watch than participate.

I really believe breath is the most important part of a yoga pose and try to get them to feel the pose, but still just be kids. They don’t need to be fixed or have their postures corrected, they need to comfortable with breathing and then finding the pose that works for them. I’ve let go of my expectations and watch and learn from whomever I am leading in asana.

I keep the deep philosophy out of these classes at this stage, just explaining some history and words. I believe getting kids to just move with the poses and feel great after is more important than introducing too many esoteric or philosophical principles. With the Years Five and Six we end with a short breathing and meditation practice where I get them to imagine the times in life that make them the most happy, a memory like Christmas or something that they can actually see and think and feel while their eyes are closed. This group is really inquisitive so maybe as we continue to work together we can find more things to introduce.

Right now I just want them to develop a healthy lifestyle and hopefully yoga becomes part of their life as they grow. If we can start to forge links with mind, body and breath then I believe I’ll have been more successful than I could’ve imagined.

At this stage I would love to keep teaching the kids in my daughter’s class and maybe other classes at the school as it organically grows. I believe that kids of all ages are keen to learn new and different things. Whereas adults often have a preconceived idea of what yoga is, and isn’t, kids don’t have any judgement. They feel good after (at least my daughter has told me that), I feel good and it really feels like you are making a difference and possibly changing perceptions about yoga. Maybe the parents of these kids will seek out yoga and make it part of their lives.

I really have to applaud the teachers for approaching me and getting me out of my comfort zone. They were the catalyst and it’s really great they want to expose their students to different things. For me, being with my daughter doing yoga in her school and seeing her smile back at me is so rewarding. I feel I have made an impact in her life, which can then continue to impact others. Having that connection has been an awesome experience.

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Thanks so much, Tim!

For more information on Kid’s Yoga classes in Auckland check out our Studios page here.

Some links you might find of interest:
Yoga games
The secret to teaching yoga to kids
The benefits of yoga in schools

– Jane

© The Yoga Connection 2015