For this week’s inquiry, I will look at the benefits of movement in the morning. For students, mindful movements such as yoga can improve focus and improve their attention in class. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress or worries. It can increase a students mobility and physical health, boost confidence as well as create a sense of calm and regulation. Yoga in the morning for kids is a great way to start the day ground and help students learn self control, awareness of their bodies and self-discipline. The great thing about yoga is that it has benefits to both physical and mental wellbeing for all students and is not depending on a child’s socioeconomic status.
As a class room teacher there are several ways you could go about morning yoga for students. The first is to read a book by Teresa Power titled the ABC’s of Yoga for Kids. As an educator your could read the story as your students moved through the positions for each letter of the alphabet. This would be a great tool for students and educators alike as it is a fun way to review the alphabet and get their bodies moving. The website, linked above, offers many other 5 minute exercises, books, activities and videos to support yoga for kids and yoga in the classroom. This yoga routine would best in an open space such as at the carpet/circle area. A great yoga that could be completed at the students work area is a 5 minute routine, also created by Teresa Powers called; 5-minute-a-day-routine, or the summer yoga. Originally designed to get kids up off the couch and moving in the summer, this yoga routine is a quick and easy way to get students moving and grounded before you start your day.
Another resource for yoga and movement that my children enjoyed when they were young and then again became a staple in my home during the pandemic is Cosmic Kids Yoga. These short videos take students on an adventure where they play along to the various characters that the instructor sets out in her videos. The colours and a characters are fun. It’s a fun way to interact and engage with your students. I have linked the website where you can start a free two week trial and unlock more resources for yoga fun, but a majority of the videos are available on you tube. Below is an example of a yoga routine that has played many times in my household, My Little Pony! – A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure. This video is 17 minutes long and could be long for some classroom settings or students, but as an educator you can adjust the time of the video that you play based on your students needs. That’s the beauty of Yoga, there is no warm up or cool down needed!
Starting the day with Yoga is a great way for students and educators alike to start the day calm, regulated and focused. Yoga can be a great resource for a mindful morning routine that can be done every morning, once a week or as a fun activity once in awhile. However and where ever you decide to add yoga to your classroom, keep it fun, yoga is for everyone. Stretch your mind, body and soul!
