Toddlers Love Yoga…

Ever wondered about what exactly goes on in a toddler yoga class? Here’s a peek through the keyhole into a typical class…

The Yoga Teacher arrives, greeted by a room full of eager little faces, beaming with excitement that it’s “yoga time”. She can barely get in through the door with her yoga mats in a bundle in her arms as twelve little toddlers run up to embrace her with a group hug, wrapping themselves around her legs and her yoga mats. One little girl, Kara, looks up with a beautiful smile jumping up and down as she says, “hello Yoga!”. A couple of her friends, Monique, Kate and Roan join in, “hello Yoga!” as they all follow to help set up the mats. Drawings are pushed into the yoga teacher’s hands before she has had a chance to put her mats down on the floor, with “I made this for you”. The teacher sets up her mats and then it’s time, it’s YOGA Time!

Sitting cross-legged on littlies yoga mats, they get started with a Hello Yoga Song,
Our time at Yoga has begun get ready for some Yoga fun

We’ll use our breath for a balance and stretch

And make our bodies oh so strong

Animal poses, stories and songs, lots and lots of Yoga fun

Health and happiness, love and light

It’s Yoga time, Aum, Aum, Aum.

And a deep balloon breath, breathing in arms up and sighing out “ahhh” as they bring their arms back down to their sides. The children are ready for a brand new Yoga adventure, and wonder what it will be today…

They lie down and get tickled by a colourful silk scarf gently drapped over their bodies as they experience a progressive muscle relaxation, tightening then relaxing every part of their body under instruction. Little moments are shared between individual students and the teacher as she drapes the silk across their bodies.

Up they come, time to warm up their spines with a cat-mouse-dog sequence. Spontaneously each little toddler starts meowing and quietly barking (they have learnt a gentle bark by now). Zeya calls out “me, me, me!” and the teacher acknowledges what a wonderful pose he has created. Downward Facing Dog turns into kicking horse pose, and the teacher guides the children to kick their legs up and land on their feet. They have been practicing this for a couple of months now, and are getting quite good at it. You can see the sense of accomplishment on the children’s faces as they know they are getting stronger. They are almost ready for an assisted handstand.

Standing up, they all do a standing balloon breath, breathing in arms up above their heads, and “ahhh” sighing out as they bring their arms down. Calm reigns in the room.

Chloe exclaims, “I have a pink t-shirt on today” and the teacher shares in her colourful delight. Triangle pose next, sung to the song of “I’m a Little Teapot”. Once in the pose, they stay there, and sigh out three deep, long breaths before coming up for the other side. Hugo does a quick lap of the room and is guided back to his mat without too much of a fuss. This is not his favourite pose. To bring him back to focus, and whilst working on leg strength and hip openings, the teacher adds “chopping the wood” pose with a loud “ha” sound. Hugo is back, along with the rest of the class who love the freedom and release of making a big loud sound without being told to tone it down. Everyone that is, except for Mikayla, who is new to the group and has decided to watch today. She sits quietly on her mat making small movements, little variations of what the rest of the class is doing. She wants to do the practice but is still a little shy. She doesn’t realise the yoga teacher has been noticing. But then with every “ha” she cringes a little. The class has become too boisterous for her nervous state. She doesn’t complain. The teacher accommodates her by making the next series of chopping the wood with a whispering “ha” sound. The children are enchanted by the sudden change of pace. Mikayla feels comfortable again and even does a mini version of the pose seated on her mat. She continues exploring and finding her way. Zeya calls out “me, me, me” and the teacher acknowledges what a wonderful chopping the wood pose he has done, as has everyone else too!