Constellation Connections: A Yoga + Mindfulness Lesson Plan for Ages 2-12: A Next Generation Yoga Lesson Plan

Before sharing this lesson plan with kids, take some time to familiarize yourself with it first. Your success as a Kids Yoga Teacher begins with detailed preparation and we are your partner in that! We recommend that you print the full lesson plan or download it to a tablet for easy viewing, then read it in its entirety. Visualize yourself teaching this lesson plan and imagine all the success and joy that comes with it!
Once you prepare, you will be ready to share this with kids. Taking time to prepare will make you more confident, and with a confident leader, kids are more willing to participate. We encourage you to stay with the theme of the lesson plan and make sure to have fun! Don’t worry about saying or doing it exactly as it is written or being "perfect" – there is no such thing! Include creativity, curiosity, wonder, and imagination - they are some of the very best teachers.
Next Generation Yoga Lesson Plans have the following sections: Suggested Props and Music Create the Space, Warm Up, Body, Cool Down, and Relaxation & Closing. This sequence is similar to an adult yoga class, helps keep the class cohesive, and is designed to support the body and mind. You may teach the full lesson plan as written or feel free to edit for your needs or reduce the amount of time you spend on each pose/section to shorten the class. Younger kids may not need all the details and learning points in the lesson; older kids may want even more facts and figures!
Breath prompts and exercises are also included throughout the lesson. Breath has the power to link the body and mind, helping kids to access peace and calm. Incorporate breath awareness in the poses, movements, and meditations when you can, for the benefit of the kids and yourself!
Recognize that yoga for kids is filled with fun, creativity, self-expression, and personal awareness. Find ways to allow children a few opportunities for these things during the lesson. While fun is a priority, always practice common sense guidelines for safety in yoga, play, and exercise. Remind children how to keep themselves and others safe and be on the lookout for potential hazards.
We recommend that you set up the yoga mats in a circle so that all children can see each other (and the teacher can see all the children!). A circle allows for a communal environment and a sense of connectedness, too.
You will find that children respond to instructions that are animated, playful, and engaging. Your voice is the key that ties the lesson together. Use age appropriate words, a cheerful tone, and smile lots! Kids yoga is about having fun while learning, so make sure you as the leader have fun too!
At the end of this lesson plan, you will find a glossary called Pose Pages. We include pose names in English and Sanskrit (the ancient yogic language) when available, as well as creative names that go with the lesson plan’s specific theme. Feel free to modify pose names when appropriate for the theme of the class or as your and the kids’ creativity evolves.