Today Allison & I headed over to It’s Yoga, Kids for the “It’s Yoga, movers” class.  This class is new to their schedule & as moms of 11 month olds we are thrilled to find it.  We were big fans of their Baby Yoga & Infant Massage class and had to stop attending as soon as the little ones started moving.  We were planning to enroll again when the babies were about 2 so it’s wonderful that they’ve created something for this in-between period.

After yoga, we had the opportunity to sit down (or hover while our kids destroyed the lobby) with Michelle Wing, the founder & Executive Director of It’s Yoga, Kids.  We got to ask her a few questions to learn more about the benefits of yoga for children & how her business has helped so many local families.

What was the inspiration behind starting It’s Yoga, Kids?
It was the birth of my daughter 8 years ago.  I was a corporate girl at Microsoft & decided that didn’t feel as relevant as contributing to the lives of children & families.  I had practiced yoga for many years and when I was in my own practice in those quiet moments, Savasana, these ideas of yoga & kids started to come to me.  My goal was to create a yoga studio for kids, a place where children & families could come that was set up for them.  And I didn’t want it to be overwhelming.  It was the idea that the yoga would speak for itself, not outside stimuli.  I did three years of research & development to develop the curriculum.  I interviewed ob/gyns, yoga teachers, pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech therapists…. everyone who has something to do with children was interviewed.  You’ll find that everything in our curriculum has a developmental purpose – everything is there for a reason.  Whether it’s cognitive or physical or even emotional development.

What are some of the benefits to yoga?
I think the benefits depends on the child.  Parents say “my child sleeps better”.  I hear that a lot from parents with babies.  Also, “my toddler is able to calm himself down”.  For older kids, we had a boy who had anxiety attacks and through yoga he learned how to calm himself down & stop the anxiety.  There are lots of other benefits though; better balance, better coordination because we use both sides of the brain mindfully.  So test taking is easier and kids feel more confident in their ability to do well.  The feedback we get is extraordinary and it comes from parents so I believe it.

The benefits are visible enough that parents should consider yoga, not instead of, but in addition to the traditional kids activities – like dancing & soccer.  Parents should see this as something that can take you from cradle to grave.  Body, mind & soul – the same benefits for kids as they are for adults.  It’s hard for parents to know this if they don’t have a yoga experience of their own.  And some folks have a preconception about yoga that turns them off.  If they come and try it they usually love it.  It’s not a lot of chanting & stuff like that – it’s really just physical movement combined with developmental assets for kids and just being able to calm down & connect.

Is there a time of year when a lot of families register?
We see a lot of kids in winter because it’s an indoor activity and it helps kids in whatever other sport or activity their doing.  That’s what great about having a program that takes them from baby to teenager – there is always something for everyone & they can do it to complement their other interests.

How can people get involved with Its Yoga, Kids outside of classes?
We see a lot of parents contacting us to get yoga at their school.  And we also see parents who come to our Introduction workshop because they want to bring yoga to their homes.  And then we have a 2 day certification, which is usually lots of school teachers & yoga teachers who want to learn how to conduct a kids yoga class from beginning to end.

What are some unique things about It’s Yoga, Kids?
We are the only child-centric yoga studio on the West Coast.  We try to create a space for moms & their children where they each get something out of it.  This isn’t totally child-centric or mom-centric.  It’s a balance that we’ve worked hard to find.  That’s why we do a “Yoga for Mommy” and then “Infant Yoga & Baby Massage”.  “Yoga for Mommy” is a class where moms can get in a great yoga workout with baby by their side.  “Infant Yoga & Baby Massage” is for the babies, it’s a chance for moms to interact & lead their baby through yoga postures.  Instead of combining theses 2 classes we separate them so everyone gets what they need.

What are your goals, where do you hope to be in 5 years?
I hope to still be doing It’s Yoga, Kids.  I want to see the kids who are now 5 & 10 being 10 & 15 and still doing yoga with us.  I’d like to see the network of moms grow & see their kids grow.  I have moms who can attest to the benefits & it’s wonderful to see the progress their children make.

Interested in a yoga class?  Head to www.playplanit.com/wp to find one near you!