Click below to listen to episode 156, Kids Yoga 101: Simple Breathing and Mindfulness for Every Teacher with Giselle Shardlow from Kids Yoga Stories:
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify | Watch on YouTube
Key themes from Kids Yoga 101: Simple Breathing and Mindfulness for Every Teacher with Giselle Shardlow from Kids Yoga Stories [#156]:
- Power of Kids’ Yoga and Mindfulness: Kids’ yoga and mindful breathing exercises can bring calm and focus into classrooms and homes, providing emotional balance and improved focus for both kids and adults.
- Simple and Accessible Techniques: Incorporating mindfulness doesn’t require extra time, space, or elaborate setups. Small, practical methods like chair yoga, breathing exercises, and brief mindfulness moments are easy to integrate.
- Positive Impact on Children’s Mental Health and Learning: Mindful breathing and yoga can help children manage emotions, focus better, and feel more prepared to learn, making it a valuable tool for both educators and parents.
- Mindful Role Modeling: When educators and parents practice mindfulness, they model emotional regulation for children, creating a ripple effect that promotes a calm environment.
- Starting Small with Breathing Exercises: For those new to mindfulness, starting with simple breathing exercises is an effective way to introduce and experience the benefits of mindfulness with children.
What if there was a way to bring calm and focus to your classroom or home without needing extra time, space, or materials? In our latest episode of the *Educate and Rejuvenate* podcast, we explore how kids’ yoga and mindful breathing can do just that. Special guest Giselle Shardlow from *Kids Yoga Stories* joins us to share simple, impactful techniques that any teacher or parent can incorporate into daily routines. Here’s a breakdown of our conversation, filled with insights on how yoga and mindfulness can transform both teaching and parenting experiences.
Why Kids’ Yoga is a Game-Changer for Educators and Parents
Many people think yoga is just a series of poses or a workout routine, but in reality, it’s so much more. As I’ve recently discovered in my own journey, yoga is a lifestyle—a way to bring mindfulness, calm, and focus into everyday life. Giselle, a passionate advocate for kids’ yoga, explains that it includes not only poses but also breathing exercises, meditation, and positive affirmations.
The Benefits of Yoga in the Classroom or at Home
Incorporating yoga into your instruction or parenting can be life-changing. According to Giselle, yoga helps children build physical strength, improve focus, manage emotions, and develop a calm, ready-to-learn mindset. Imagine students or kids at home who are calmer, more focused, and ready to face challenges. Yoga and mindful breathing can help make this a reality.
Quick and Simple Ways to Add Yoga to Your Day
You don’t need a dedicated yoga space or hours of extra time to incorporate mindfulness. Giselle shares ideas like:
- Chair Yoga Poses: Use her yoga cards and do quick stretches that can be done right at the desk.
- Breathing Exercises: Giselle’s favorite is the “figure eight breath,” where children trace an eight shape while breathing in and out.
- Mindfulness Moments: Take two minutes for silence or play the rainbow game, noticing colors around the room to center attention.
Real-Life Transformations Through Mindfulness in Schools
Giselle shared an inspiring story of a school counselor named Amy who introduced mindfulness in her school. During an emotional situation, Amy used the figure eight breath with her students, calming a group of 50 children and teachers in a matter of moments. This simple act changed the energy from frantic to calm, showing the real power of collective mindfulness.
Creating a Mindful Environment with Kids Yoga Stories
Giselle created *Kids Yoga Stories* as a resource for educators and parents, offering everything from yoga books to card decks with breathing exercises. Her mission has become even more critical in today’s world, as educators and parents face rising stress levels and mental health challenges in children. Whether it’s through a simple breathing exercise or a few stretches, *Kids Yoga Stories* provides tools to support emotional balance and focus.
How to Start Incorporating Mindfulness with Kids
If you’re wondering where to begin, Giselle suggests starting with the breath. You don’t need to know complicated techniques—just focus on deep breathing with your students or kids. If you want more guidance, her breathing exercise cards are a fantastic resource, available on Amazon and her website.
Bring Calm to Your Classroom or Home Today
The journey to incorporating mindfulness and yoga doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start small, and over time, you’ll see the impact it has on your classroom or home environment. For more tools and insights, tune into *Educate and Rejuvenate,* check out my book, and explore resources like *Kids Yoga Stories* to support your journey to a calm, focused, and thriving teaching or parenting experience.
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Giselle:
- Visit her website- Kids Yoga Stories
- Follow her on Facebook
- Follow her on Instagram
- Follow her on Pinterest
Take our Podcast Quiz
Do you love Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast? Take our podcast quiz to get a personalized playlist of episodes you don’t want to miss!
Connect with Kelsey:
- Follow her on Instagram, @educateandrejuvenate
- Join our Facebook group: Educate & Rejuvenate Collective.
- Follow on Pinterest for more helpful resources.
- Educate & Rejuvenate: A Three-Step Guide to Revitalize Your Teaching, Renew Your Spirit, and Reignite Your Passion For Life
Read the transcript for Kids Yoga 101: Simple Breathing and Mindfulness for Every Teacher with Giselle Shardlow from Kids Yoga Stories [#156] below:
What if there was a way to bring a sense of calm and focus into your classroom or home with no extra time, cost, or space needed? Today’s conversation unlocks how kids yoga and mindful breathing can help make that happen. Welcome to educate and rejuvenate, the podcast, episode 156, kids yoga 101, simple breathing and mindfulness for every teacher with Giselle Shardlow. Let’s go. Welcome to educate and rejuvenate, the podcast to help you revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. I’m your host, Kelsey Sorensen, a former teacher, current homeschool mom, published author, and certified life coach. Whether you are a teacher in a traditional classroom, homeschool from your kitchen table, or anywhere in between, I am on a mission to help you not only survive as an educator, but thrive. Get ready to up level your skills with incredible insights from guest experts and discover the missing piece, rejuvenating yourself. Are you ready to both educate and rejuvenate? Let’s go.
I am so thrilled for today’s podcast episode, because today, we’re talking about kids yoga. And I love yoga. I’ve just started really diving into it this year, as you’ll learn more in this interview, but it’s about so much more than poses. If you’ve ever thought yoga was just about poses or a workout, it’s not. So think again. Today, we’re exploring how something as simple as a breathing exercise can help transform your classroom or your home, support emotional balance for both you and the kids, and even help kids to focus better. So you don’t wanna miss the easy to use strategies that Giselle and I will be talking about today. But before we dive in, I wanted to let you all know a few exciting updates that are going on.
Oh, I love it, and I love those cards. So let me tell everybody right now, like, when we get off, I’m ordering them on Amazon for my kids, so you should all join me. Let’s all use those awesome breathing exercise cards. So thank you, Giselle, for your time being here on the show. I love all the strategies that you shared today, and I think that everybody’s going to benefit from the conversation that we’ve had.
Awesome. Thank you so much, Kelsey. So appreciate you.
Thank you for joining me on educate and rejuvenate the podcast today. If you love what you heard in this episode, be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. And if you’re hungry for even more, be sure to check out the book that I wrote. It’s called educate and rejuvenate, a 3 step guide to revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. It takes everything you learn here on the podcast and that I teach our members inside the educate and rejuvenate club into a guide book you can refer to again and again. One of our early readers said it was like clarity for her brain. Plus, it’s not only a book. With your purchase, you’ll get a full PDF guide with exercises and links to videos and more so that you can not only consume, but apply everything that you learn.
If you’re ready to make educate and rejuvenate not just a podcast you passively listen to, but a lifestyle that you put into action, it’s time to grab your copy on Amazon today, or head to educate and rejuvenate.com/book to read the first chapter and the introduction today.
More about Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast
Being an educator is beyond a full-time job. Whether you’re a teacher or a homeschool parent, the everyday to-do list is endless. Between lesson planning, grading, meetings, and actually teaching, it probably feels impossible to show up for your students without dropping the ball in other areas of your life.Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast is the show that will bring you the teacher tips, practical strategies, and inspiration that you need to relieve the stress and overwhelm of your day-to-day. Your host, Kelsey Sorenson, is a former teacher and substitute turned homeschool mom. Tune in weekly to hear Kelsey and her guests cheer you on and help you thrive as a wife, teacher, and mommy. Because with a little support and community, you can do it all. To access every single Educate & Rejuvenate resource, join the club at educateandrejuvenate.com/club.