What you need to be a Kids Yoga Teacher is kind of confusing because there are a lot of different levels of certification and training.

In this replay of the Monthly Mini-Training, you’ll get answers for many of the frequently asked questions about teaching kids yoga.

Watch the full replay and download the Guide to Becoming a Kids Yoga Teacher PDF, click here.

Here’s a transcript of the questions covered:

How do you divide the age groups for kids yoga classes?

I usually divide kids ages in the same as schools. Here in Canada, we have preschool, usually around walking, two, three, or four years old. We have junior and senior kindergarten who are four to six years old. Then we have junior school age, and senior school age.

In terms of partner poses, preschoolers don’t love partner poses.

Once you reach senior school age, they’re reading, and you can play games with them. You can do more puzzles, have them up, and teach them partner poses.

When you get into teen yoga, you’ll realize that teens like partner poses. You can have them teach the class as well with notice. That’s how I usually divide the age groups.

What time is best for a kids yoga class?

I’ve taught morning classes and afternoon classes. Afternoon classes are tricky if you are trying to teach younger ages because they nap.

I did teach an adult/tot class at 2:45 in the afternoon, right before pick up from school for our area. The adults and tots came, did the class, and then went and picked up their other kids. But sometimes, they would miss the beginning of class because of naps and a child sleeping late.

I suggest scheduling your class not too late at night. The latest I would go is a seven o’clock class or before dinner.

What is the maximum time you can teach a yoga class for kids?

The maximum time for kids yoga class depends on the age group. I find 30 minutes is a nice size class for the youngest age, like toddlers and preschoolers.

In the school age, juniors, and seniors, teens, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour can be excellent.

If I teach for an hour, I will bring in a storybook, a craft or colouring, or play a game for the last 15 minutes. All 60 minutes are not doing yoga poses, but we doing other mindful activities like all the ones covered in our teacher training.

Levels of Certification

There are quite a few people asking about registering with Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance is a voluntary registry. It’s not required that you register with them to teach.

However, if you’re looking at teaching yoga as a long-term business, you might consider registering as a Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher.

16 Hour Module

Most Kids Yoga Teacher Training gives a certificate of completion at the end of a course, regardless of the length of the training. Young Yoga Masters provides a certificate after each completed 16-hour module, so you can start teaching right away.

If you’re looking to finish the 96-Hours Kids Yoga Teacher Training, you can take the modules in any order.

95-Hour Kids Yoga Teacher Certificate

Yoga Alliance set 95 hours of specialty training in kids’ yoga as the standard for a Registered Children’s Yoga School (RCYS). An RCYS must follow specific training requirements and provide training in various categories to create a well-rounded training. Young Yoga Masters is a Yoga Alliance-registered children’s yoga school.

Yoga Alliance Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (RCYT)

Yoga Alliance’s standard for Registered Children’s Yoga Teachers is:

• 200 hours Adult Yoga Teacher Training plus
• 95 Hour Children’s Yoga Teacher Training
• then 30 hours of practical experience teaching children that you track on your own and add to the Yoga Alliance website

To learn more about the Level of Certification read here.

Still have questions?

If you have any other questions about Kids Yoga Teacher Training and Certification, and as a kids yoga teacher, I’ve turned the comments on here so you can drop them in the comments.

If you are looking for a Kids Yoga Teacher Training, we hope all the ongoing support we offer at Young Yoga Masters will encourage you to choose our RCYS training.