What is cat yoga for kids?

Cat yoga for kids is a playful mindfulness-based movement class where children explore yoga poses inspired by animals, especially cats, while building body awareness, balance, strength, and focus through imaginative play and storytelling.

How does animal yoga help children learn mindfulness?

Animal yoga helps children practice mindfulness by linking movement with imagination. When children embody animals like cats, dogs, lions, and butterflies, they stay present, notice sensations in their bodies, and develop focus and emotional regulation through play.

Why is hands and feet alignment important in kids yoga?

Hands and feet alignment builds the foundation for safe and effective movement in kids yoga. Spreading fingers, pressing through palms, and grounding through all four corners of the feet improves balance, coordination, posture, and body control.

What does 'clawing the mat' mean in kids yoga?

Clawing the mat means gently spreading the fingers wide and pressing evenly through the palms and fingertips to activate the hands. This builds stability and strength in poses like Downward Dog, Plank, and Cat Pose.

What is proprioception in kids yoga?

Proprioception is the body's ability to sense where it is in space. In kids yoga, grounding, balancing, and weight-bearing poses help children develop this awareness, improving coordination and confidence in movement.

Research & Anecdotes

Energy Love with Energy Circuit

Energy Love

Energy is all around us, all the time.
Imagine if you can access that energy to shift you when you need it the most with just one simple pose.

Energy Circuit!

That’s the way will go.
To move from here and fro.
With the feeling we like.
That just feels right and shine our light so bright.

Find a nice and comfy space.
Sit gentle with grace.
And meet both hand at your heart.

Do not let them part.
Simply feel them as one, not two.
And just as you begin, to feel heat and tingle within.
Rub both hands, fast as fast can be.
Feel the fire… Smell the fire…
STOP but keep both hands as one.
Then slowly but softly part them tiny tiny tiny and let them bounce very weeny.
As you bounce and you bounce.
Feel the tingle between the two.
Like magnets pushing against you.
Let them bounce ever more.
Form a ball that will I endure.
The energy that you will ensure.
Whisper your love, Your light,
anything that makes you happy and bright.
All into your ball with sweet energetic light.
Send your ball within or blow it to a friend.
Your energy love that never ends.

Research & Anecdotes
When Resting Pose Becomes Real: Safety, Breath, and Deep Rest for Kids
During a class at a metro Atlanta shelter, we opened hearts, softened with “heart-melting” poses, and repeated “Inhale I AM, exhale OK.” Sixteen children settled into Resting Pose and fell sound asleep. Here’s what that moment taught me about safety, breath, and the healing power of Savasana for kids.
Read More When Resting Pose Becomes Real: Safety, Breath, and Deep Rest for Kids
Research & Anecdotes
Intention Tower
Gratefully, I wake up every morning, breathing, heart beating and mind wide open. As I breathe into my heart I pray, “God, thank you for this day, thank you for this breath and thank you for this life.” I am passionate about living life through peace and love rather than through fear and hate. My…
Read More Intention Tower
Research & Anecdotes
Rainbow Yoga Poses
Read More Rainbow Yoga Poses
Research & Anecdotes
Shames, Shames, Go Away! And Don’t Come Back Another Day!
Inspired by Yoga Sutra 2.16 Heyam dukham anagatam

Avoidable is the suffering
that has not yet to come~
That feeling of shame
That sticks like chewed gum.
How do we get through places
That are stuck deep inside?
Where the holdings, the collections
The patterns reside?
The patterns of feeding
Our suction cupped shames~
With secrets and silence
And judgements and blames.
Attract the energy of movement~
And comfort with movement~
Comfort with change~
Comfort with improvement.
Create space between impulse
And action that binds~
The stuck feelings that resists
Our meetings of minds.
Space is the experience
Of minds open and bright
The Wisdom of Grace
Is filled up with light.
Grace is the knowing
Our mistakes serve an aim~
Instead of allowing
Our mistakes to serve shame.
So to prevent future suffering~
And the feeding of shames~
Create a steady practice
Of breath work and aims.
Here’s a mantra for you
To embody and embed~
Press thumb into each finger
And say in your head~
{I inhale to prepare~
I exhale to share~
I inhale to release blame~
I exhale to transform shame~*}
{Repeat 11 times}~
Keep your sitting bones rooted.
Slowly rotate your core ~
Counterclockwise 3 rounds
Your breath? Don’t ignore!
Inhale going backwards,
Exhale going forward .
Your movements ride on your
breath~
It’s pretty straight forward.
Pause and move clockwise.
Repeat 11 times.
Close eyes and listen.
To your heart beat like chimes.
Find someone you know,
You love and you trust
Show them your shames
And watch your blames turn to dust.
May we have what it takes
To transform all our shames~
To allow our mistakes
To serve our Great Aim~
Read More Shames, Shames, Go Away! And Don’t Come Back Another Day!
Research & Anecdotes
Moving on….
Our children have an opinion and I feel it is important for them to be heard. In my classes I welcome discussion and I let my students know that their opinions matter. Yesterday’s classes were magically healing. My Thursday morning class at LEAD Homeschool in Avondale Estates started off the day with heart opening poses…
Read More Moving on….
Research & Anecdotes
Lasagna Savasana
Sedef Dion who teaches a Pre-Grounded class at Springs Yoga shared with me the story of a four year old girl who in the cutest way mistakenly called Savasana….Lasagna. This inspired me to write a Savasana visualization with a Lasagna theme that Amy and I recently used to connect with our Fernbank Elementary Yoga Club students. After we did our practice complete with the Lasagna Savasana, one of our students..the Principal’s seven year old daughter said…”that was so relaxing…this could help me fall asleep at night”. Since it was her birthday that day, we wanted to put together a recording that her parents could play for her as she lays her head down for a good night rest after a long day.
Read More Lasagna Savasana