Treehouse Yoga for Children was established in 2014 with an educational background to enrich children, offering a comprehensive program that helps students gain confidence, resiliency, and a stronger identity within the varying facets of their lives. Our unique partnering yoga programs engage children six weeks to fourteen years of age. We bring yoga and mindfulness to kids through the following: enrichment programs, school wide programs, assemblies, camps, and more. Through these programs, children will be better equipped to meet the everyday demands of their lives, whether it be at home, school, or in the community. Studies show that children who engage in mindfulness practices have less anxiety, better focus in school, and have a more compassionate approach to life. Our program is specifically designed to engage children and foster growth by introducing new respiratory techniques, body and spatial awareness, and focus activities in a fun and playful manner.

One of the tenets of Treehouse Yoga for Children focuses on breathing. There are over 22 unique breathing techniques that we use to teach children to better understand their emotional and physical bodies. These practices help to teach them the differences between types of breathing, and why it can affect our emotions. The bumblebee breath is a direct example of the fun and joy that can be learned through breath work.  It is where it tickles our lips from the vibration and then as we get to the older ages moving the vibration towards the back of our throat. The number one breath that we always share and talk about is calming breath, breathing slowly in and out. As they progress and depending on the theme or topic we are playing with, children will start to incorporate breathing and the flow of yoga postures as one.

Yoga postures are another foundational aspect to our program. They give us a great sense of our body and mind. A simple starting point is to sit criss-cross or legs out front and have students move around in order to outline and focus on feeling their “sit bones”. As they start to move, we ask them to become aware of their sit bones coming off the ground. This may seem like a very simple exercise, but quite surprisingly it is not. We will cue them along the way to help center and focus on posture while being more cognizant of their surroundings, both individually and collectively.

The focus activities during our play with yoga are so engaging and delightful that students do not realize the attentiveness and effort they are immersed in. We like to call this our “Mary Poppins bag,” or bag of tricks (and sometimes not literally in a bag). There are a few favorites that the children will ask for over and over again, but we like to change them and keep them to the themes and topics.

Although there is more that goes into our practice, these are the main practices we like to focus on with children. These are the tools they can use at any given time when needed. Children that take part during this time and continue to practice will grow and develop interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and a cohesive approach to a better understanding of the world around them. We have seen it change the lives of so many children, parents, and educators. We are a small company with a large impact on the future and will continue to share and enlighten the ones around us.

Photographs provided by Treehouse Yoga.