In a world that’s constantly changing and challenging, teaching our children resiliency is more important than ever. Resiliency helps kids navigate life’s ups and downs and encourages a positive mindset. It rewires their brains to help them look for solutions. This prevents them from getting bogged down by obstacles. I have spent the past few weeks focusing on resiliency in my yoga classes and workshops. It has been the most rewarding experience with my students!
One of my classes this month was a workshop with Kindergarten students. We had 75 minutes together. In that short amount of time, we practiced yoga and had lots of discussion about resiliency. We dove deep into its meaning and importance. The children were eager to learn, and we practiced some challenging yoga poses together. We started the class with a discussion about resiliency and the children shared examples of when they were resilient. We then moved on to play yoga Jenga together. (Read more about Yoga Jenga here!). This was a fun yet thought-provoking game that perfectly symbolizes the concept of resilience. The goal was simple: each child would have a turn pulling a Jenga piece. Each Jenga piece had a yoga pose on it and the child that pulled the piece would lead the class in that pose. It did not matter if the tower tumbled down!
As we played, I posed the question, “What happens if the tower falls?” To my delight, many of them confidently responded with “We rebuild it!” This was music to my ears! It showed that they understood the basic concept of resilience. When things don’t go as planned, we have the power to try again.
However, I also noticed majority of the children holding their breath when it was someone’s turn to pull a block. In those moments, I encouraged them to take deep breaths and to cheer each other on. It became a gentle reminder that we can control our reactions, even in moments of uncertainty. One of the rules we set was to use kind words. If someone accidentally knocked the tower down, their peers were asked to respond with encouragement. These pauses gave them an opportunity to respond with deep breaths and positive words rather than with frustration.
This exercise not only helped them practice challenging yoga poses but also instilled a sense of teamwork and support within the group. They learned that mistakes and setbacks are a natural part of life, but how we respond can make all the difference. As we continue to foster these qualities, we’re equipping our children to face the world with confidence and resiliency.
I also loved the length of this class with the older students. I didn’t have to rush to get it all in – we were able to take our time and practice challenging yoga poses.
Incorporating practices like yoga into our children’s lives can help change their mindset and rewire their brains toward resilience. Through challenging poses, mindfulness, and supportive interactions, we can empower them to embrace challenges and rebuild—both on and off the mat. Let’s help our little ones develop the skills they need to thrive, one deep breath at a time!
Feel free to try some of these exercises with your own children and witness the incredible benefits of resilience and mindfulness in action!
Interested in classes? Want to learn more about what I do? I’d love to hear from you!