It’s in our childhood nature to play, to immerse ourselves in direct experience. But our adult nature wants to be good at things. This can lead us to value being good over simply being.

-BO Forbes, PsyD from her book Yoga for Emotional Balance (Shambhala Publications, 2011)

We’re bursting with exciting today because we convinced Kelly Hickey to write an original piece for you all! If you haven’t met Kelly yet, here’s bit of background; Kelly teaches yoga for children ages 18 months through 18 years and she’s really freakin’ good at it. The moment your child steps into her class, you notice her genuine warmth and passion for teaching; her contagious smile lights up the room and instantly sets nerves at ease. Her enthusiasm for play and creativity make her classes thoughtful, engaging and really fun! We’re so excited she is on MiniBury explaining her work and passion, teaching children’s yoga. Take it away Kelly!

Yoga classes for children are active with lots of communication and laughter.

Being a Mama of four very active kids, and having enjoyed a childhood full of time to play freely myself, has directly shaped my life. Playing, as a means of learning, is what I want for the children in my life and why I have chosen the path as a children’s yoga instructor. Yoga is an opportunity to enjoy “being” in our bodies with our breath and attention, playfully and without judgment, so that we can have time to discover who we are and how our bodies work, a skill that we can continue to tap into our whole lives. Perhaps you can recall your own memories of playing by pulling all the cushions off the couch and gathering all the blankets to spend the day making forts, or putting on “shows” or “dance routines” with your siblings or friends. Even as you remember it now, the feeling might trigger the corners of your mouth to drift upward into a smile. The skills and self-worth you acquired building that fort or being part of that show were enormous. You learned how to move your physical body in order to lift, arrange and form a structure or routine that you imagined, tested and built with your own energy and creativity. Children’s yoga offers those same skills while inviting an awareness of breath and techniques for quieting and stilling the body and mind.

There is no judgement, just adoration and wonderful bright smiles.

This idea of allowing and valuing play and simply being over being good – or meeting an expectation – is how I develop my yoga classes for children ages 18 months though 18 years. The children become the teachers as they enter the studio or classroom, teaching me what they need and how they feel. My mindful attention watches their body for clues of exertion, tiredness or maybe even a combination. A genuine inquiry as to how they are feeling and making time to really SEE them eye-to-eye so they witness being heard is invaluable. In a day and age where technology dominates a large part of our attention, these simple skills of human interaction and physical contact with our community bring life-building skills of kindness, compassion, compromise and adaptability. Moving from greetings and checking-in, the yoga classes are then arranged differently depending on the age and the assessed energy level needs of the students.

A genuine inquiry as to how they are feeling and making time to really SEE them eye-to-eye so they witness being heard is invaluable.

Children as young as 18 months can imitate and mimic behaviors, which is why this age is a great time to introduce them to simple breathing and gentle yoga postures. Many of the postures in yoga are related to animals and shapes in nature which naturally fascinate this age. Through playful storytelling and imaginative gameplay children begin to bend, stretch, slither, reach, and move in ways that allow them to discover how their own bodies relate to, and differ from the world around them. The yoga studio is set up with a bolster mountain to climb, tunnels to crawl or snake through, even towers of blocks constructed to only push down again. The dialogue between teacher and student is focused on muscle & bone movement and breathing. These words begin to bring awareness to the child of their ability to move in space and be curious about the mechanics of themselves.

{yoga} promotes good health, stability and balance, as well as strength and flexibility

From 5 years of age through the teen years children begin to want more of a modified mat practice and to learn, and repeat, the traditional postures of yoga. They are not so concerned with how it looks but instead on how it feels in their bodies–and this is why I think they are the real teachers. It is common to witness one child making their tree posture standing with one foot resting on their ankle and arms spread in a V shape above their head, while adoring their neighbor’s tree standing with legs wide and arms out and hands gently rotating. There is no judgement, just adoration and wonderful bright smiles. Yoga classes for children are active with lots of communication and laughter. Each class also incorporates a quiet mindful centering and concludes with what the majority call their “favorite part,” Savasana, a deep relaxation posture. Yoga is a noncompetitive physical activity which promotes good health, stability and balance, as well as strength and flexibility. Through the combination of movement and pause yoga can also teach us how to be attentive, concentrate and enjoy stillness. Yoga studios and quiet spaces at home to practice yoga are wonderful places to introduce to children. When children see you valuing and holding space for time to play, pause, restore and rejuvenate it is a gift moving them towards a life of well-being.

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Kelly Hickey has been a student of yoga since 1995. She is inspired by the many styles and philosophies of yoga and finds herself on what she believes to be a life long path of inquiry and reflection. Since 2004 she has enjoyed teaching both adults and children in Vermont. She has completed training in Radiant Child Yoga I & II, “Om Shree Om” Children’s Yoga Teacher Training and in 2015 became a 200hr CYT.  Working with children and families is where Kelly’s heart feels fullest and her soul enriched. She believes children are natural yogis and the joy they find on their mats transfers to great pleasure and care that reaches far into the world. 

ⓒ 2016 Kelly Hickey & MiniBury, LLC. All rights reserved, materials may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of both author and publisher.

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