Yoga Flow in the Classroom

Hello, I’m Ms. Mekayla

I truly believe Mindfulness is an essential skill everyone needs to learn and know. Knowing and understanding Mindfulness will benefit a person and how they deal and react to everything happening around them. Everyone gets sucked into the mainstream fast-paced world, we forget to stop and breathe. Teaching this in various ways in education can help teach children early on how to deal with the stresses and changes they face in life. It will help reduce their reaction time, allowing them to actively think before they act. Yoga helps strengthen the mind and body, while also restoring everything. While you begin your practices, you learn to listen to your body and what it is telling you. In this ebook, I will tell you some ways you can schedule and incorporate moments where you can try this with your students or children.

~TABLE OF CONTENTS~

Children By The Ages-

Ages 7-8                                                                          4-6

Preteens Ages 9-11                                                           7-9

Teens and Up 12+                                                              10

Storytelling and Yoga                                                     11-12

Discussion Questions                                                          13

Other Activities To Do                                                         14

Children by the Ages-

7-8 Year Olds

At this ages your children want to avoid the silly kiddie poses and explore the limits of their borders. Most children at this age have better body coordination and attention spans compared to younger children. They will be more motivated to challenge themselves for more of the trickier poses focusing on balance and such. You can be really creative with this age and see what challenges and is comfortable to your students. At this age you can also help them work and focus on their forms in each pose. At the end of every session you end with a savasana, aka dead mans pose. During this you can guide them in a simple relaxation meditation.

Poses~

Sun Salutation B and Standing poses are best at this age. Being on the floor for extended times at this age looses its appeal.

Balance poses are a favorite to try and tackle at this age.

~Tree pose, Warrior 1&2. 1/2 Moon, Eagle, Awkward~

For leg flexibility there’s the Dragon (low lunge with knee down)

As well as the half split (hips back, front leg straight)

Storytelling Yoga is encouraged at this age too.

You can go deeper into folklore, fairy-tales, myths, poems and more. As your class gets the flow of it, you can challenge them by creating a story together incorporating their favorite pose.

Preteens Ages 9-11

At this age, the children are more conscious about their bodies. They may not be as open to participate because they fear embarrassment in front of their peers. It is important to teach and normalize how yoga is good for everyone, and anyone can do yoga. This brings up topics about body positivity and empowering self-esteem. We are all made differently, and this is okay. Some things may seem easier for some people and not as easy for others. Some key points to remind your children are its okay to look and feel different. As well as the importance and purpose of yoga. How it strengthen and helps us learn to listen to our bodies and minds. With the students who are into sports you can discuss the importance of taking care of and healing your body. Also how yoga can help them get better at any sport they are doing.

Pose~

-Faster-pace flow (vinyasa style), is the best to work with this age. Focus less on the form and more of getting them moving. This allows them not to stress or worry to much on how they look but rather getting their energy flowing.

-Partner poses are recommended to help teach them to work as a team. Also, this allows them to practice for the consent to touch each other appropriately.

-Yoga games are also encouraged- light hearted competition is adored at this age.

-Sun Salutation with added halfway lift as well as warrior 3.

-Balance poses are great too

(Hot tree, figure 4, dancer, side plank, wild thing)

-During savasana, talk them through a guided body scan and implement body positivity. Ask them to think about and notice how they are feeling personally.

Teens and Up Ages 12+

At this age its much like the preteens and focusing on body encouragement is essential. Talking about all the things we can do rather than all that we cant. We can teach and talk about how we can set realistic goals and to be okay with the changes from day to day. Yoga looks different for everyone, body positivity and acceptance is crucial. Talking about the why and purpose of yoga, along as the history and how it helps our brain as well as our bodies.

Poses~

Basic Sun Salutation

Standing and Balancing poses

Trickier poses are encourages such as the half moon, 3 legged plank, wild thing, and more.

A longer savasana is encouraged with a deeper guided meditation encouraging body positivity.

Storytelling and Yoga

Incorporating storytelling with yoga opens up the mind to all the creativity and imagination we learn to hide. It combines the magic of storytelling and the ancient wisdom of yoga. It builds fluency and comprehension, encourages positive interactions, increases body awareness, and stimulates self-expression. It also teaches how to foster emotion regulation, it increases flexibility and strength, and it makes reading fun! Storytelling in general is an art of performance. To make the story come alive you must use emotion and tones to really express the story life. Incorporating both allows you to become apart of the story itself. It is truly magical! When you first start out, begin slow, really get a feel for the story and flow of the yoga together. As you get used to it, you can research and create your own sequences to go along with the books you and your students are interested in as well. Most importantly, have fun!

Discussion Questions

How do your feel when we practice this activity?

What did you do today that made you think hard?

What is your greatest talent?

When your feeling confident, what emotions do you experience?

When you want to feel more confident, what do you do?

How do you think confidence relates to happiness?

What do you do when you are upset?

What makes you feel like a strong person?

What do you do when you see a classmate struggling with something?

Of all the people in your life, who makes you feel the most confident?

Name three qualities you love about yourself?

How do you think others see you?

What is self-esteem?

Why is it/do you think it is important to have high self esteem?

How do you know when you have succeeded at something?

What is your greatest strength?

Why is it important to encourage and congratulate people?

What kinds of things hurt self-esteem? How can you discourage these activities?

Other Activities To Do

Journal Prompts

-write about a unique quality you have that makes you special?

-Write down 5 things that you believe define who you are?

-Write about a time when you did something you were afraid to try. How did you feel afterwards?

-Write about a person you admire. What qualities do you have in common with this person.

-Write a poem that describes the feeling of confidence.

-Write about a time when you helped another person. How did you feel?

Mindfulness Activities

-“Just one breath” Breathing activity

-Create a mindful glitter jar

-Heartbeat exercise

-Go on a safari walk

-Tense and release muscle relaxation

-Ishi The Rock- mindful book and classroom activity