How to Bring Yoga and Mindfulness Into Your School

Over the past 15 years of bringing yoga and mindfulness into schools, I have watched these practices move from something that felt a little outside the box to something educators increasingly recognize as an important part of supporting the whole child.

And I am here for it!

Our children are learning how to read, write, solve math problems, navigate friendships, follow directions, sit in classrooms, manage disappointment, take tests, transition from one activity to another, and figure out who they are—all while their brains and bodies are still developing.

That's a lot.

Yoga and mindfulness give children something incredibly valuable alongside their academic education: tools for understanding and caring for themselves.

And bringing these practices into your school doesn't have to be complicated.

Start With the Why

When I speak with schools about yoga and mindfulness, I encourage them to think beyond the yoga poses.

Yes, children are stretching, balancing, strengthening their bodies, and developing coordination. These physical benefits are especially valuable during the preschool and early elementary years.

But there is so much more happening beneath the surface.

Children are practicing:

Body awareness.
Breath awareness.
Self-awareness.
Emotional regulation.
Focus and concentration.
Balance and coordination.
Confidence and resilience.
Mindful movement.
Rest and stillness.

We are helping children begin to understand the connection between their bodies, brains, breath, and emotions.

When a child begins to recognize, My body feels different when I'm upset, that is self-awareness.

When they learn, I can take a long breath out when I feel overwhelmed, they are developing a tool for emotional regulation.

When they fall out of Tree Pose, laugh, and try again, they are practicing resilience.

The yoga mat becomes a safe little laboratory for learning about themselves.

Meet Children Where They Are

One of the most important things I have learned from teaching yoga in schools is that children's yoga should look and feel like children's yoga.

A preschool yoga class should not be an adult yoga class made shorter.

For our youngest yogis, we learn through imagination, movement and play. We become animals. We go on yoga adventures. We roar like lions, balance like trees, stretch like cats and breathe like bumblebees.

They are having fun, but their bodies and brains are doing important work.

As children get older, the practice can grow with them. We can spend more time holding poses, connecting movement to breath, developing focus and exploring mindfulness, self-talk, emotional awareness and stress management.

The practice meets the child where they are.

Make Yoga Part of the School Day

There isn't one "right" way to bring yoga and mindfulness into a school.

Some schools offer yoga as a part of their school day or as a weekly enrichment class. Others incorporate it into PE, after-school programming, summer camp, wellness weeks or special events.

Short, consistent practices are meaningful! And it makes it possible to easily incorporate into a school day.

A 30-minute class might include movement, yoga poses, a breathing exercise, mindfulness and a short rest. Longer classes allow us to explore these practices more deeply.

What matters most is consistency.

When children practice these tools regularly, yoga and mindfulness begin to become familiar—not something they only reach for when they are already overwhelmed.

We are building the tools before they need them.

Bring Mindfulness Into the Classroom, Too

Mindfulness doesn't have to end when the yoga mats are rolled up.

Some of the most powerful practices take less than a minute.

A teacher might invite students to take three intentional breaths before a test.

A class might pause and notice how their bodies feel after recess.

Children might put their feet on the floor, sit a little taller and take a long breath out before beginning a new activity.

These tiny pauses matter.

One manta I continually share is from my teacher Michiko J. Rolek.

“When the body lifts, the mind shifts and the Spirit soars!”

When we change the shape of our body, we change the way we feel. Just by getting our body upright we can instantly shift our state of being to centered, calm and confident.

When children learn this connection early, they begin developing a toolbox they can carry with them wherever they go.

Support the Teachers, Too

If we want regulated classrooms, we have to remember the nervous systems of the adults in the room.

Children are incredibly sensitive to the energy around them. They learn mindfulness not only through what we tell them to do, but through what they experience in our presence.

This is why educator wellness and mindfulness training can be such an important complement to children's programming.

We don't need teachers to become yoga instructors.

We can simply give them small, realistic tools they can use for themselves and then weave into the rhythm of their classrooms.

Take a breath.

Feel your feet.

Relax your shoulders.

Begin again.

Sometimes the simplest practices are the ones we actually use.

Find the Right Program for Your School

If you're considering bringing yoga and mindfulness into your school, look for a program and instructor who understands children—not just yoga.

Ask about experience working with your students' age group. Ask how classes are adapted developmentally. Talk about your school's culture, schedule, classroom needs and goals.

Most importantly, look for someone who knows how to connect with children.

Because children learn through relationship.

When they feel safe, seen and engaged, they are much more willing to explore something new.

Start Small

You don't have to overhaul your school day to make room for mindfulness.

Start with one class.

One grade.

One enrichment session.

One teacher workshop.

One breath.

See how the children respond.

Yoga and mindfulness aren't about creating perfectly calm children or perfectly peaceful classrooms. Children are supposed to move, feel, play, make mistakes, get frustrated, laugh loudly and occasionally fall out of Tree Pose.

The goal is to help them build a relationship with themselves through all of it.

At zen momma, we have been bringing children's yoga, mindfulness and social-emotional wellness programs into Los Angeles schools, preschools, camps and communities for 15 years and counting. Our programs combine movement, breath, mindfulness and play to help children feel grounded in who they are and experience more peace and joy in their daily lives.

If you're interested in bringing yoga and mindfulness into your school, we'd love to connect.

Learn more about zen momma's children's yoga and mindfulness programs in Los Angeles.