Written by Kayla Reetz, Trauma Supports Director & Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Instructor
"Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans combine yoga, mindfulness exercises and storytelling. These lessons are designed to help your students connect their minds, bodies and hearts and teach valuable social-emotional skills." ~ Kayla Reetz
Our mission here at Challenge to Change is to inspire all to be happy, healthy and safe. You may think that we only do that through our Mindful Education in Schools program, but we also have ready-made Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans that can be easily accessed right from home!
That’s right. At home. Like, in your living room. 🙂
Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans combine yoga, mindfulness exercises and storytelling. These lessons are designed to educate and empower children with proactive tools for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
Studies have shown that yoga and mindfulness practice leads to:
increased ability to concentrate and focus
decreased stress levels
improved mood
These lesson plans include all the tools you will need to teach an interactive 60-minute yoga class.
To give you an example, we are going to dive into the lesson “When You Are Brave” which is this month's NEW lesson in Challenge to Change’s Yoga + Mindfulness Resource Center.
Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans
The best thing about the Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans is that it creates a whole-body experience from a 2-D page! Help kids find inner strength and courage despite challenges with the help of the story, When You Are Brave, by Pat Zietlow Miller.
If you’ve never read this children’s book, it shows a little girl in the midst of a big move. We see her leaving her current home with everything packed in the car as she sees the life she knew pass by right before her eyes.
It discusses the feelings that come along with big changes and moments that can be out of our control and overwhelming. It then guides us toward working through those emotions, giving examples from nature as well as relatable events from a child’s life. Then it reminds us how to access our inner bravery and tap into our inner strength during life's challenges. (If you couldn't tell, we love that theme here at Challenge to Change :)
Your students will practice and tap into:
- courage
- resilience
- trust
- self-expression
- creativity
- flexibility
- mindfulness
What's Included: Full Lesson Plans
Everything you need is included, so it takes all the guess work out of lesson planning! The Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plan utilizes When You Are Brave in each part of practice.
Each lesson will include:
list of materials needed
the seven parts of the lesson guide explaining the details of each section taught
the print out worksheet of the three mudras used and information about each mudra
the breath deck card (front & back), including the illustrated picture from the card and detailed information on the breath practice being utilized
links to the sun salutation yoga flow and to sa-ta-na-ma (close of practice)
access to the meditation or what we call the Yoga Nap that will help to reiterate the theme of each lesson
a creative expression activity (often an art project) that incorporates the theme of each mindfulness lesson
a worksheet of yoga poses used in the lesson
By infusing activities that promote mindful education, parents and teachers can lead kids towards a path of self-discovery and empowerment. These lessons foster a supportive environment where kids can learn to love more, while also developing preventive well-being habits that can have a lasting impact on their lives.
Thanks for reading!
Kayla
P.S. Get access to ALL of our best yoga and mindfulness resources - all in ONE place!
Full Kids Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plans
Digital versions of Challenge to Challenge's card decks (including the Kids Yoga Pose Deck!)
Breathing practice instructional videos and card decks for calming, focus and energy
Movement videos and yoga sequences
Guided mindfulness audio tracks
Mindful games + social-emotional learning worksheet Printables
Teacher self-care practices and in-services
It’s the one-stop shop for classrooms, yoga studios, daycares and homeschoolers!
Learn more and sign up: https://grow.challengetochangeinc.com/p/general-resources