Introducing Yoga in Preschool

The benefits of yoga for young children are many. Yoga supports physical and emotional regulation and provides a pathway for them to integrate the rapid maturation occurring throughout their bodies, minds, and hearts. Through yoga, young children can experience a balanced awareness of breath, body, mind, and heart. Yoga can be an asset to any preschool program, but it needs to be done with careful intention.

First, it’s wise to explore the many options available to receive yoga teacher training. Completing a recognized children’s yoga teacher training program usually leads to a Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (R-CYT) certification. You can also receive professional development credits through certification programs.

Search on “children’s yoga teacher training,” and you will find many training programs available. The one you choose should offer instruction in child development combined with appropriate poses, breath work, and imaginative engagement strategies. I highly recommend Yoga Calm. Yoga Calm began in a rural school district and has grown into a national resource for teaching emotional intelligence through yoga.

Little Flower Yoga is another good option that can equip you with a variety of research-based yoga activities to do with children ages 3–18. Their work is highly focused on building resilience and healing from trauma. This could be good especially if you work with a high-needs population of students.

I strongly advise obtaining consent from parents and caregivers before beginning a yoga practice with preschoolers. Parents should fill out a simple consent form and questionnaire that asks about any special medical conditions, allergies, or accommodations.

Once you are trained and ready, here are some tips on how to introduce a successful yoga practice into your classroom.

Adequate space and yoga mats

Use natural or ambient lighting to induce a calm tone in the area. There should be enough space for the children to practice yoga without bumping into each other.

Yoga mats define personal space. This is crucial when practicing with young children, who are still learning how to manage their bodies in relation to others. Children’s yoga mats are slightly shorter than adults’ but the same width. If students can purchase their yoga mats together with their caregivers, each child can choose a mat that is special and relatable.

A grant or donation can provide funding to purchase mats, or a local yoga studio might donate gently used yoga mats that can be cut down to size. Children can add stickers or designs to personalize their mats.

Children can learn to unroll their mats at the beginning of practice and roll them up at the end. This helps to cement caring and pride in the practice and is also a great motor planning activity.

I recommend setting the mats up in a circle and bringing imagination to the practice. Ask the children to envision each yoga mat as an island or a lily pad and the floor as water. Or, picture the mat as bedrock that is surrounded by hot lava.

Adult-to-child ratio

There should be enough adults to help guide the children through the poses. Starting out, have a 1-to-2 adult-to-child ratio. Once the practice is underway, you can practice with a 1-to-4 adult-to-child ratio.

Yoga can provide a wonderful opportunity to solicit volunteers from families or from a local yoga studio. Invite the volunteers to participate in the sessions with you and the children, while modeling strategies to assist the students.

Children’s developmental levels

Practicing yoga with 3-year-old students looks different from practicing with 4- or 5-year-old students.

Three-year-old learners are literal thinkers and live in the moment. They’re becoming aware of their body in space and its relation to others. Start with simple poses, such as Child’s Pose, Star, or Cat/Cow, to help them feel successful. Work toward more challenging poses, like Tree, Triangle, and Eagle, that will support them as they develop crossing midline and balancing skills.

Pictures and visual representations of children doing the poses are always beneficial with young children. The ABCs of Yoga for Kids is an excellent resource. Teresa Anne Power is recognized worldwide as an expert on children’s yoga and has developed books and supplies that can help support a children’s yoga practice.

When and How to practice

Any time of day that works for your routine and schedule is a good time for yoga. Start with smaller groups of children. A small group rotation is ideal. Or, when children are playing in centers, have a special yoga area set up where children can choose to come and do yoga with a trained adult.

Initially, five to 10 minutes is enough time to practice. Children hold each pose for five to 15 seconds, depending on the pose, the children’s age, and their experience, and count three to five slow breaths while holding each pose. As children become familiar with the routine and poses, sessions can last from 10 to 20 minutes.

Breath work

We breathe all the time, mostly unconsciously. One of the healthiest things we can do is bring intentional awareness to breath. Children can learn to be cognizant of their breath and to control it. When breathing is practiced in calm times, the practice can be used in times of more intense energy and restore balance to the body and mind.

There are many fun breath work activities to do with young children. Once children learn them, a child can choose which breath the group will practice. Each breath can be done standing or sitting for three to five times. Some simple ones to start with are Balloon Breath and Volcano Breath.

Always start the yoga practice with breath work. Integrate breathing awareness throughout the practice and do more breath work at the end. Try to end the practice with the resting pose savasana for a minute or two.

Children can place their hands on their bellies and feel their breath. Then have them lie on their side in the fetal position for a few seconds before slowly coming to a seated position. Take a few more deep breaths together to close the practice.

Watch as your preschoolers become more peaceful, proficient, and perceptive. Yoga helps children feel strong and powerful. Children gain confidence and patience. I wish you the best of luck on your journey into yoga with your preschoolers. Namaste.