We are dedicating a whole tab to yoga cards because cards are an affordable, teacher and child-friendly way to get started with some basic yoga.
Yoga Pretzel Cards Barefoot Books
Yoga Planet Cards Barefoot Books
Yoga Warrior Cards Radiant Child
ABC Learn With Yoga Cards Christine Ristuccia
Yoga 4 Classrooms Lisa Flynn
Self-Regulation Flash Cards Leah Kalish
Harmony Cards Kerry Spina
Here is a list of some of our favorite instrumental music. We have also had a lot of success with the $1 instrumental CDs from Dollar Tree.
Atmospheres: Dolphin Dance by Jeff Wolpert
Chakra Suite by Steven Halpern
Comfort Zone by Steven Halpern
Dancing at the Gate by Dana Cunningham
Earth Songs by Murdo McRae
Gentle Spirit by Phil Tweed
Healing Touch I by Nadama
Healing Touch II by Nadama
Heart to Heart by Nadama
The Sacred Well by 2002
The following book recommendations include both yoga books and classroom strategy/teaching books that we have used in our trainings over the years.
Allen, Richard: Impact Teaching, Ideas and Strategies for Teachers to Maximize Student Learning
Bailey, Dr. Becky A.: Conscious Discipline, 7 Basic Skills for Brain Smart Classroom Management
Bersma, Danielle & Visscher, Marjoke: Yoga Games for Children
Braverman, Eric. R, M.D.: The Edge Effect, Reverse or Prevent Alzheimer’s, Aging, Memory Loss, Weight Gain, Sexual Dysfunction, and More
Cain, Susan: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Tallking
Capouya, John: Real Men Do Yoga, 21 Star Athletes Reveal Their Secrets for Strength, Flexibility and Peak Performance
Cohen-Harper, Jennifer: Little Flower Yoga for Kids: A Yoga and Mindfulness Program to Help Your Child Improve Attention and Emotional Balance
Colombo, Luann: Uncover the Human Body
Doidge, Norman, M.D.: The Brain that Changes Itself
Douillard, Dr. John: Perfect Health for Kids
Dweck, Carol, Ph.D.: Mindset
Emerson, David & Hopper, Elizabeth, Ph.D. Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body
Feinstein, Sheryl: Secrets of the Teenage Brain: Research-Based Strategies for Reaching and Teaching Today's Adolescents
Flynn, Lisa: Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises, and Meditations for Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children
Forbes, Bo, Ph.D.: Yoga for Emotional Balance
Fox, Jenifer: Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them
Gagnon, Michelle: The Ultimate Human Body Block Book
Gladwell, Malcolm: David & Goliath, Blink, Outliers
Gordon, James S. M.D.: Unstuck, Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression
Groves, Dawn: Yoga for Busy People
Guber, Tara Lynda: Contact, The Yoga of Relationship
Hannford, Carla, Ph.D.: Awakening the Child Heart – A Handbook for Global Parenting; Smart Moves – Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head
Harvey, Paul: Yoga for Every Body
Jensen, Eric, Ph.D. Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner’s Potential
Teaching with the Brain in Mind
Tools of Engagement
Super Teaching
Deeper Learning
Turnaround Tools for the Teenage Brain: Helping Underperforming Students Become Lifelong Learners
Komitor, Jodi: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga for Kids
Levine, Peter: Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
Lipton, Bruce, Ph.D.: The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles
Loeher, Jim, Ed.D.: The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
Loeher, Jim, Ed.D. & Migdow, Jeff, M.D.: Breathe In – Breathe Out
McGonigal, K. , Ph.D.: Yoga for Pain Relief
The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It
Payne, Larry & Richard P. Usatine: Yoga RX: A Step-by-Step Program to Promote Health, Wellness, and Healing for Common Ailments
Pease Banitt, Susan: The Trauma Tool Kit
Purperhart, Helen: Yoga Exercises for Teens: Developing a Calmer Mind and a Stronger Body
Ratey, John: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain
Robertson, Joel: Natural Prozac: Learning to Release Your Body’s Own Anti-Depressants
Seligman, Martin E.P.: Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life
Servan-Schreiber, David: The Instinct to Heal: Curing Depression, Anxiety and Stress Without Drugs and Without Talk Therapy
Schwartz, Ellen: I Love Yoga: A Guide for Kids and Teens
Siegel, Daniel J., M.D.: Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain
Solis, Sydney: Storytime Yoga: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story
Sumar, Sonia: Yoga for the Special Child
Tobias, Cynthia Ulrich: The Way They Learn: How to Discover and Teach to Your Children’s Strengths
van der Kolk, Bessel, M.D.: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Weintraub, Amy: Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga
Yoga Skills for Therapists
Wong, Harry & Rosemary: The First Days of School: How to Be An Effective Teacher
Here are some excellent DVDs to support teacher wellness, or specifically for children:
Shanti Generation: Yoga Skills for Youth Peacemakers - Ages 7-16 with Abby Wills
Partner Yoga for Teens: Shanti Generation with Abby Wills
Pizza Party: Yoga Class For Kids with Lisa Detamore
Kids Yoga DVDs - Scooter & Me Body Series (Set of 3) for Strength, Flexibility & Balance with Wendy Phillips Piret
Yoga Kids (series) with Marsha Wenig
Get Fit Where You Sit Chair Yoga with Lakshmi Voelker
Just My Size DVD with Megan Garcia
Life Force Yoga Level I with Amy Weintraub
Lilias! Complete Yoga Fitness for Beginners
Absolute Beginner Yoga DVD with Joanne Spence
Yoga for Stress Reduction by Hala Khouri
Yoga for Depression by Gary Kraftsow
Yoga for Anxiety by Gary Kraftsow
Yoga Thrive with Susi Hately
These are simply suggestions. No props are needed at all, and a basic yoga practice can be done standing, or sitting on a kitchen chair. However, these are some of our favorites if time, money, and space allow:
Yoga mat
2 blocks
Yoga strap or tie
Eye pillow
Blanket
Saagara: provides a helpful visual and audio support for a breathing practice
Stop, Breathe & Think
EQ Coach
SuperBetter
Simply Yoga
HealStress
Mindshift
From time to time we build a class around a particular story. Here are some of our favorites:
Bowen, Connie: I Believe in Me: A Book of Affirmations
Curtis, Chara: Fun is a Feeling
De Brunhoff, Laurent: Babar's Yoga for Elephants
Fox, Mem: Koala Lou
Ganeri, Anita: Alive, The Living, Breathing Human Body Book
George, Mike: 1001 Meditations
Kaur Khalsa, Shakta: Fly Like A Butterfly: Yoga for Children
MacLean, Kerry Lee: Peaceful Piggy Meditation
Morgan, Allison: Wisdom Within
Murdock, Mike: Spinning Inward
Sumner, Christine: I Can Be, A Child’s Whimsical Introduction to YOGA
Thompson, Lauren: Hope is an Open Heart
As the name suggests, the following organizations represent some of the finest children's and teens yoga programs/products/curriculum and trainings in the country, if not the world. We are proud to call them friends! Honestly, we would watch paint dry with these folks . . .
Others represent more of the mental health and yoga community.
Follow this link to Yoga District to enroll in this program for free mats for your students.
