Unwrapping Joy and Mindfulness with YogaBeez this Christmas

Unwrapping Joy and Mindfulness with YogaBeez
Unwrapping Joy and Mindfulness with YogaBeez this Christmas.

Are you wondering how to handle the Festive Frenzy this season?  Discover the art of unwrapping joy and mindfulness with YogaBeez this Christmas.

The holidays are a whirlwind of excitement, sugar overload, and chaotic gatherings with friends and family. While it’s a time for joy and connection – it can also be overwhelming, especially for our little ones. Overstimulation, meltdowns, and sensory overload can lurk around every sparkly corner.

But fear not, fellow teachers, parents and babysitters! We can navigate the festive frenzy with grace and giggles by incorporating yoga and mindfulness practices. These tools help children (and ourselves!) stay grounded, manage emotions, and appreciate the simple magic of the season.

 

A great place to start is always with some breath work to bring everyone back to centre… Help them to “Breathe It In, Breathe It Out”:

  • Calming Snowman Breaths:

    Sit cross-legged or kneel with your children. Imagine a tiny snowman on their tummy. As they inhale, their snowman grows bigger, filling their belly with air. Exhale, and the snowman shrinks, melting away worries. Repeat, adding silly snowman noises for extra fun!

  • Glitter Breath:

    Have your child pretend to hold a jar of glitter. Breathe in deeply, imagining the glitter rising in their chest. Breathe out slowly, letting the glitter gently settle. This visualization helps lengthen and deepen breaths.

Next – help them to “Shake it Off”:

  • Reindeer Romp:

    Channel your inner Rudolph! Stand with feet hip-width apart. Pretend your antlers are heavy, shaking your head to release the tension. Then, jump with joy, prancing like reindeer around the room.

  • Snowflake Sways:

    Stand tall with arms outstretched. Imagine you’re a snowflake gently falling. Sway slowly from side to side, letting your body move with the rhythm of your breath. This gentle movement releases tension and calms the mind.

It is so important to provide some quiet spaces and peaceful activities for children during this sometimes manic holiday season… help them to stay present, as they wait for their presents!

  • Mindful Gift Wrapping:

    Instead of rushing, turn gift wrapping into a mindfulness ritual. Fold the paper slowly, feeling the texture. Notice the colors and patterns. Breathe deeply as you tie the ribbon. This mindful approach fosters appreciation and reduces stress.

  • Sensory Bottles:

    Fill a water bottle with glitter, beads, and small toys. As your kids start to shake it, encourage them to observe the swirling colors and calming movement. This visual and tactile exercise promotes focus and relaxation.

Unwrapping Joy and Mindfulness with YogaBeez

Remember, the holidays are about connection and joy, not perfection!

Embrace the wobbly reindeer poses, the glitter-covered faces, and the moments of quiet wonder. Let yoga and mindfulness be your playful guides, helping you and your little ones navigate the festive season with hearts full of peace and love.

Bonus Tip: Create a cozy “calming corner” with blankets, pillows, and calming sensory objects. This becomes a safe haven for children to practice their yoga poses, read a mindful story, or simply take a quiet breath.

So next time the holiday craziness threatens to sweep you off your feet, remember: you’ve got superhero strength in your breath, a wiggle in your tail for happy dances, and a whole toolbox of yoga poses to save the day! Now go forth, little yogis, and spread holiday cheer like glitter on a gingerbread house!

 

 

 

Follow us here to keep up to date with new training dates: https://yogabeez.com/childrens-yoga-teacher-training/

 

 

Considering Becoming a Children’s Yoga Teacher?

Are you considering becoming a children’s yoga teacher? Then the YogaBeez Children’s Yoga Teacher Training Course is the answer for you! 

 Deciding to become a children’s yoga teacher is such rewarding and deeply fulfilling career path for several different reasons:
REASONS TO CONSIDER BECOMING A CHILDREN’S YOGA TEACHER:
  • Becoming a yoga teacher is more than just a career choice – it becomes a way of life.
  • You have the ability to have an incredibly positive impact on children’s lives. As a children’s yoga teacher, you can make a significant impact on the lives of young learners. Through this training – you will have the unique opportunity to empower, exercise and educate children holistically. This is achieved by using using yoga, mindfulness and Montessori principles.
  • By nurturing a love for exercise and movement in a child at a young age through yoga, you can help them to develop positive attitudes about self-image and exercise. The benefits of these healthy habits are infinite.
  • Teaching children to be mindful and relaxed can be incredibly beneficial to their overall mental health. Yoga provides them with great tools for coping with stress and anxiety.
  • Being a children’s yoga teacher can create wonderful opportunities to interact with parents and caregivers. This fosters a positive relationship with your community.
  • There is a growing demand for children’s yoga programmes. The interest in yoga classes for children has been growing steadily over the years. As more schools, daycare centres, and community organizations recognize the benefits of yoga for children -there is an increasing demand for qualified children’s yoga teachers.
  • Teaching children can be incredibly rewarding. Witnessing their growth and development can bring a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose to your life.
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE LEAP AND BECOME A CHILDREN’S YOGA TEACHER?

Ultimately, becoming a children’s yoga teacher allows you to combine your passion for yoga, with your desire to make a positive impact on the lives of children. This can create your new path which can be both personally and professionally rewarding. The next time someone asks you if you are considering becoming a children’s yoga teacher, you can confidently answer, “Yes!”

This could be the perfect career for you, so begin your journey today, and consider becoming a Children’s Yoga Teacher!

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Teaching a Children’s Yoga Class

Teaching a children’s yoga class? Are you grappling with effective classroom management within your children’s yoga classes?

Teaching a children’s yoga class? Done the training, learnt the poses, perfected your lesson planning, ready to go … and then the children arrive. They are chatty, unable to focus at the end of the school day, running around the space, not listening and getting their attention seems near impossible. Please know that you are not alone, and that some days are going to be more challenging than others. It is completely normal to have times where things go a little awry and the carefully-crafted lesson plan flies out the window! Effective classroom management can greatly assist you when things feel a little pressured.

When children are seeking attention, whether positive or negative, a mantra I always come back to is, “All behaviour is communication!”

Then breathe deeply, come back to centre, reassess the situation and find ways to engage the children in order to manage the challenging behaviour.

It can often be that by implementing some subtle changes into the space, a huge difference is made to the experience of your students, as well as your own confidence as a teacher.

Here are some valuable techniques, which could prove effective in the management your children’s yoga classes:

  • Firstly, to enter your classroom/space in a mindful way.  Try to be aware of any of your own personal challenges or anxieties BEFORE greeting the children. Leave these at the door and be fully present to hold space for your students. They are little empaths who will often feed off the energy you are carrying.
  • Remember that consistency is KEY! Remind the children of the Golden Guidelines gently at the beginning of the class, or have them illustrated in a visual manner. Co-creating these guidelines for acceptable behaviour will go a long way in gaining their ‘buy-in’.  Always follow through, and avoid empty promises. Truth creates trust. Consequences are important and sometimes we need to be firm to be kind.  Children feel safer and more secure when there are clear boundaries.
  • Create engaging and fun lesson plans but remember to be flexible in order to harness the energy of the children in the room. It is important to meet the children where they are, and work towards the goal in unison. Being too rigid will lead to frustrations across the board.
  • There are many different teaching techniques and we need to be aware which ones we operate from in order to be able to see what works and what doesn’t within each group.  When a class starts to become chatty or rowdy, level out your speaking voice to a low and soft place.  The louder they become – the quieter you become… Try not to be reactive, as this simply
    escalates any situation. Sound can be a wonderful way to engage with the children, so be prepared for opportunities to sing a song or hum a tune in order to subtly and positively adjust the energy at hand.
  • Bringing breathwork into the class at regular intervals is paramount. Either energise or calm the space, depending on what is needed.
  • Try to return to your yogic principles at all times, whilst acknowledging the positives in all situations, avoiding negative patterns of speech. Always try to model peace, love and a compassionate attitude, and hopefully they will follow.  And when all else fails … just breathe and smile … and know that the next class will be better! Here is a great quote to get you through the wobbly moments:

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, first you gotta put up with the rain.” – Dolly Parton

Always be prepared to be unprepared! This is an organic and symbiotic relationship which will move in many different directions, depending on the ever-changing aspects at play on any particular day.

The children will ultimately determine the current and direction, and it is our role to facilitate and not dominate.

At the end of the day, remember to enjoy the dance of the class interaction. Flow in and out of their different energy levels, with a clear image of your own engagement style.

Have fun, be kind, be firm and be mindful. Managing a children’s yoga class can be a breeze!