Teaching Kids

[Guest guest]

Looks like I'll have the opportunity to create a class for kids - grade

school. I'm SO excited about sharing yoga with them. Does anyone have

any advice and experience to share?

 

Can you recommend any books or other resources that might help?

 

Much thanks and namaste'

Diane

[Guest guest]

I can't agree with this advice.

 

Children can concentrate. They also have a much greater ability to learn

languages and other skills than adults, and they are more flexible (mentally &

physically) and unafraid to try new things. All of these characteristics mean

that they can be taught the Sanskrit names for things, and indeed taught the

whole primary series and beyond, much more easily than adults.

 

What we learn in ashtanga yoga affects all areas of our lives in a positive

manner. If I had done ashtanga as a kid, my whole life would be different.

When we come to the mat as adults, we have to waste a lot of time and effort

trying to re-learn stuff we could do as kids. If we'd practiced as kids, we'd

never have lost those abilities.

 

Also, the discipline required to practice will help them in their schoolwork,

not to mention pranayama helping them cope with life's stresses. All of this

crap with ADD and drugging kids and such would evaporate if all kids did

ashtanga every day. And think of the impact of teaching ahimsa and all the

other character-building and ego-diminishing aspects of yoga. No more screaming

brats watching television and demanding the latest toys! I see ashtanga for

tots as a cure-all. & this is not even getting into the physical benefits, like

reducing asthma, etc.

 

I see no good reason to dumb down the practice for them. They need to be

disciplined and concentrate, and they are at the stage of life where they can

most absorb new things. Forget the "Simon Sez" BS; I'd demand more, not less,

of them than adults.

 

Amanda

>I have had some experience teaching yoga to kids. ashtanga yoga is not the

>way to go.

>

>kids have limited attention spans and are not too particularly serious.

>focusing on the breath is a death knell to your class.

>

>kids classes MUST be comprised of like 90% games. you can make up all types

>of stuff, and you can have them help you do it. games they like include:

>

>simon says (with yoga moves)

>into the jungle (moving like animals)

>into the ocean, (like fishes)

>moving through space

>follow the leader

>yoga obstacle courses

>red light green light (freezing in yoga poses)

>

>dont bog them down with sanskrit names of poses

>encourage the use of sound as well as silence

>they love playing "dead person" for shavasana

>

>Golden rule for teaching kids yoga: If you think its interesting, its

>probably boring

>If you are going to do anything be as silly as possible, leave your

>inhibitions at the door and for god sake, DON't FOCUS on the POSES. Good

>luck!