Kids sit and listen to lectures all day at school.  When the school day ends, children want to move, play, and have fun.  Not listen to more directions. When cuing kid’s yoga, limit what you say and keep talking to a minimum.  Chances are they won’t listen anyway, but will try to swing, roll, and climb instead.

Here are some tips for cuing kid’s yoga:

• Keep it simple. Kids do not comprehend complex auditory directions, especially when there is a fun device hanging from the ceiling in front of them.  When cuing kids aerial or land yoga poses, direct simple directions are best.
• Avoid using left or right. Instead of saying left or right, use landmarks to cue poses.  For example, say “Put the foot closest to the rock wall in the hammock.”
• Model it on the floor first. When doing complex poses, do the movements on the ground first.  When kids are in the hammocks, it is hard for them to see the instructor. They also tend to move and not hear directions.
• Use as many learning modalities as possible. For visual learners, demonstrate the pose.  For auditory leaners state the cues.  For hands on learners, allow them time to practice the pose.  Since you will have kids with different learning styles allow them to see it, hear it, and practice it.
• Use simple words. Instead of exhale, inhale, use breathe in, breathe out. Avoid using Sanskrit as it only confuses children and most adults as well.

Teaching children’s yoga is very different from teaching adults.  When cuing adults, the sentences are complex and full of phrases to aid alignment. Children like to move and cannot remain still long enough to listen to lengthy dialogue.  Keep it simple and meaningful – only stating what is required in a straightforward manner that is easy to decipher. Doing so will keep children engaged and coming back for more classes.  Want to learn more ways to teach kid’s yoga? All of our yoga trainings are registered with Yoga Alliance.  Sign up for our kid’s aerial yoga teacher training.