Original Post, August 27, 2011:
Have I told you about my new job?
A couple weeks ago, I gave notice at The Nature Conservancy. While I've enjoyed the last two years writing newsletter articles about their global conservation programs, I'm finding myself more and more drawn to teaching yoga, specifically to kids. So starting this fall, that's what I'm going to do.
Some of my classes have already started. Recently, ten three-year-olds and I went on a trip. We packed our bags, took an airplane ride, went swimming on the beach, and went dancing in New York City, all without leaving their colorfully decorated classroom in Northwest DC.
Partial class plan for Planes, Trains and other Mobiles:
pack our bags
- wash our clothes: twistee
- dry our clothes: nahbi
- hang them on the clothes line: half moon
- iron the fancy stuff: moon toe
- fold the shirts and pants: toes to nose
- put everything in the suitcase: forward bend
pack the car: in-out breathing
drive to the airport: red light-green light x2 or x3
check our bags at the airport: ring around the yogi
airplane ride: play The Airplane Song: jump, spin, gallop, dance (Laurie Berkner)
visit the beach
- make a sand castle: wide angle forward bend & variations
- read book: sing These Are My Glasses (Berkner)
- take a bicycle ride
train ride home
Sure yoga teaches patience and mindfulness and is a physical exercise that's good for kids, but it's also wildly fun.
Updated schedule, August 2012:
Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Babies
for 4 week old to nearly crawling babies
- 12 noon on Thursday at Flow Yoga Center (Logan Circle)
next session starts Sept 13.
Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Tots
| Weekend Classes for Tots! |
for crawling babies to 2 year old toddlers meets
- 9:30 am on Monday at Capitol Hill Yoga (Eastern Market)
next session starts Sept 10; - 9:45 am on Thursday at Flow Yoga Center (Logan Circle)
next session starts Sept 13; and - 8:30 am on Saturday at The Hill Center (9th & Pennsylvania Ave, SE)
next session starts Sept 8
Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Tykes / Little Families Yoga
for 21 month toddlers to 4 year old preschoolers meets
- 10:30 am on Monday at Capitol Hill Yoga (Eastern Market)
next session starts Sept 10; and - 10:45 am on Thursday at Flow Yoga Center (Logan Circle)
next session starts Sept 13.
| Weekend and Afternoon Classes! |
for 21 month toddlers to 4 year old preschoolers with younger siblings welcome meets
- 4 pm on Monday at Flow Yoga Center (Logan Circle)
next session starts Sept 10; and - 9:30 am on Saturday at The Hill Center (9th & Pennsylvania Ave, SE)
next session starts Sept 8.
Mom & Baby Yoga
for mom with 6-week old to nearly crawling baby present meets
- 11:30 am-12:30 pm on Monday at Capitol Hill Yoga
next session starts Sept 10.
Contact me for more information about upcoming classes or join my mailing list by following the link or liking my Facebook page.
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Photo credit: Preschooler demonstrates tree pose, a pose taught in Tyke Itsy Bitsy Yoga. Yoga Girl photo by Flickr user naturalmom / CC BY 2.0