I recently recieved the following question from a subscriber and thought I would respond on our blog to help others. If you have a kids yoga question, please feel free to email me. I love supporting others on their journey to empower children with vital wellness skills.
With love,
Lisa Roberts
Q. In the sequence for a class. Usually, when you go to a yoga class (for adults) the end is in savasana, to relax and stay with that calm. However, you say that first is the relaxation meditation and then to finish, the game and the questions.
A. I’m not sure where or when I have recommended a strict or inflexible order on planning/delivering yoga for children because it is most certainly not part of my philosophy or teaching methodology. I highly value relaxation at the end of a traditional yoga practice but placing it at the end of a session is not always appropriate for children – or even adults. What I do subscribe to, is working with the individuals in your presence and responding to their needs. This includes responding to any input or information you have received verbally, reading non-verbal cues, and simply recognizing/anticipating what a client’s needs are as you work with them.
When working with children, it is very helpful to have a plan that is age appropriate and that includes engaging activities … and to be willing to let that plan go and adapt to meet the needs of your students. If kids are having a great time playing a breathing game you have introduced, why stop just because your “plan” limited that portion to only five mins? If the children you are teaching look bored during a game or story you have incorporated, let it go and switch it out for something else. If the energy of the room is escalating, or the general mood is dull you need to learn how to respond to that by introducing what the kids need in that moment to calm down or find energy.
I’ve started sessions with savasana, introduced savasana in the middle of a session, as well as ended a session with savasana. To set the tone of a practice and prepare kids (and adults) to be centered and focused it is helpful to begin your session with breathing/centering – and this may be a mini savasana with intentional breathing all the way through something more active such as sun breath. It’s up to you, and the people you are teaching (if you are paying attention to their needs).
Questions at the end of the session are helpful to guide you as a teacher to understand what your students liked, did not like, found helpful etc. which are helpful to connect as well as plan for future sessions. It is also a wonderful way to encourage your students to reflect on what they experienced, and empower them to apply the valuable tools and practices you have introduced outside of your sessions.
To summarize. There really is NO set sequence, just a loving a knowledgeable teacher willing to respond to the needs of the students they are serving. If a student needs savasana for the entire session, go for it! Or if you’re all having a blast and are engaged on your yoga adventure – keep going! Never be a slave to the clock or a schedule. Yoga and mindfulness are, after all, about learning to be in the moment.