About Youth Yoga School

Welcome to Youth Yoga School, serving yoga teachers, educators, and students.

Today’s Yoga for Children

“A 2003 study by California State University, Los Angeles found that yoga improved students’ behavior, physical health and academic performance, as well as attitudes toward themselves. That same year, Leipzig University reported that yoga reduces feelings of helplessness and aggression, and in the long term helps emotional balance. The benefits of yoga are particularly strong among children with special needs, research shows.” Wall Street Journal

“We are competing with video games, cell phones, TV. We have to make yoga as fun as possible,” Desikachar says. “That’s how my sister and I were taught, and it left deep impressions in my heart. I still carry those impressions with me.”  Yoga Journal

The Dilemma
Thousands of schools, teaching institutions, and studios have incorporated yoga into their regular curriculum. We have found teaching yoga to children of all ages so rewarding! Yet, we experienced overwhelm and exhaustion from situations like preparing for classes only to throw the entire plan out the window, or completing our planned activities for a class and still having 40 minutes left.  Deciding on which resources to utilize for our classes left us with information overload. How could we begin to select a book, curriculum, website, yoga deck, or any other resource? It was all too much. Once in the class, we sometimes found ourselves in situations that we did not feel prepared for; for instance, children with special circumstances like autism, attention disorders and behavior disturbances.  As  yoga teachers offering classes to children and youth, we started to ask ourselves:

What are some of the best resources in books, music, web-sites?

A 2-year-old and a 12-year-old are worlds apart.
How can we adapt basic classes to such a wide variety of ages of children in a developmentally appropriate way?

How can we include fun child-centered crafts and activities but still stay true to the experience of yoga?

How can we best interact with schools, and parents, and teachers so the children have the best results?

And how can we teach kids in a way that is fun for them and for us, so that it is not draining or chaotic?

The Solution
Thus, the Youth Yoga School was born!  This training program is specifically designed to answer the questions above.  It was created from the love, compassion and respect three women have for educators who are passionate about sharing yoga with our youth. We wanted to prepare these people with our knowledge, and arm them with tested and current information. Teachers who attend the Youth Yoga School are prepared to go out into the world sharing their love of yoga, and teaching the young leaders of tomorrow.

We are all teachers in some way!
It could be your love of yoga that leads you here, or it could be a love of children and young people.   Youth Yoga School has helped the following professionals develop skills in teaching yoga and working with children:

  • Yoga instructors interested in further training regarding teaching children (whether seeking Yoga Alliance Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher credentials, or simply seeking a few CEU’s).
  • Yoga students who want to share their enthusiasm for yoga with their children or grandchildren in a fun and effective way.
  • Preschool or K-12 school teachers who want new approaches to help your students learn and be productive in your classroom.
  • School administrators who have seen the exciting research regarding yoga and kids and want to include yoga training in Teacher Institute Days or school curriculum.

The greatest teachers are students of life, those who are willing to learn from and share with others.  We welcome all such “teachers” to the Youth Yoga School, and look forward to helping them use yoga tools to be a positive influence in children’s lives.

Our motto
Aspire to Inspire

Our mission
The Youth Yoga School’s mission is to provide yoga teachers and child-focused professionals a “whole child approach” utilizing yogic techniques for the physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being of our youth.

Our vision
Have you ever done yoga or taken a yoga class? If you have, you know the benefits yoga brings both physically and psychologically.  All of the benefits that adults enjoy in yoga can be made available for children.  Think of what a gift it would be to youth to discover in themselves the capacity to be calm, to feel good about themselves, to be able to concentrate.  Many times we have heard adults say, “I wish I had found yoga sooner!”  You can help to give the gifts of yoga to children where you live, and to children whom you love.

If you love yoga and want to share yoga…
Youth Yoga School may be just for you. You can incorporate these techniques into any setting, do what you love for a living, and increase your personal toolbox to utilize whenever and wherever you need it.

Check out our calendar for upcoming training dates, or learn more about our paths to certification as a kids yoga teacher.  You can also contact us for more information about how Youth Yoga School can serve your individual needs.  We can’t wait to hear from you!