Teaching yoga to children is a growing specialty in the yoga profession. It also growing as a complimentary training for teachers, therapists and other childhood development professionals. Yoga can help children cope with stress, learn how to focus, compliment academic lessons and build healthy bodies. It also has many therapuetic applications for special needs children.
There are several different training options for aspiring kids' yoga teachers ranging from long, in-depth training to short weekend seminars.
Content
Whether an in-depth program or longer length training, all kids' yoga teacher training programs focus on adapting classic yoga postures and meditation for children. Programs typically review the stages of childhood development, anatomy, yogic philosophy and teaching techniques.
Some programs provide specialty training for teaching yoga to kids with ADHD, autism, Down syndrome and other special needs.
Certification
To receive children's yoga certification from the Yoga Alliance, the international organization that certifies yoga teachers and schools, you need to complete a 95-hour training program at a certified school. The 95 hours includes classroom work with an experienced kids' yoga teacher, reading and writing assignments and observations.
The certification program was established in October 2010. Any existing yoga teacher with training and extensive hours teaching yoga to children is eligible to apply for certification under Yoga Alliance's grandfathering clause.
Certification is not required to teach children's yoga; but it can ease finding a kids yoga teaching position.
After Training
Kids' yoga teacher training is appropriate for existing yoga teachers, aspiring yoga teachers, grade school teachers, physical, occupational and developmental therapist and other special needs teachers. After completion of a training program, you may go on to teach kids' yoga at a yoga studio or gym, to school students or integrate yoga principles into therapy programs.
Considerations
When considering a kids' yoga teacher training program, you should research content, certification options, location and specialty content. There are several national teacher training programs that often provide training sessions at various locations around the world. Most national programs have commercial videos and books available for review.
Some well-known programs include Radiant Child Yoga, Itsy Bitsy Yoga, Yoga Kids, Storytime Yoga, Yoga Child, Karma Kids Yoga, Yoga for the Special Child and Yoga Ed.
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