Yoga for Different Stages of Speech-Language Development 41Yoga classes for children at this age also enrich emergent literacy
skills, which will be the focus of Chapter 9.
As children learn through repetition, teachers of toddler yoga
classes often establish routines to help children learn new skills.
For example, classes may consistently begin with a sun salutation
adapted for this age group or end with a farewell song, such as
“Namaste.” Some specialized toddler yoga classes involve poses,
breathing exercises, props, and music that cater to familiar themes,
such as modes of transportation or farm animals. Despite these
routines, toddler yoga classes are not rigid. Rather, the sessions
are quite flexible as teachers follow the children’s lead to include
their interests. For example, yoga teachers may ask children to
name their favorite animals and perform the corresponding
poses. While mainly energetic and playful, toddler classes end
with an opportunity for relaxation, which promotes calmness
and self-regulation.
Classes for three- to five-year-olds
At three years of age, children typically separate from their
caregivers for yoga classes as they would for preschool. This
promotes independence for the child and socialization with peers.
Apart from this new independence from caregivers, the structure
and content of the classes for three- to five-year-old children
are similar to toddler classes. They frequently include music and
props, such as books, to lead children on a yoga journey. The
themes and associated poses represent less familiar and more
decontextualized, abstract schemas, such as underwater or outer
space adventures. In addition, relaxation time at the end of the
classes may include guided visualizations. Young children often
exhibit difficulty lying on the floor with their eyes closed. They
may fidget, open their eyes to look around, or refuse to lie down at
all. Visualizations, led by a skilled yoga teacher, present children