Music in Kids Yoga Classes
May 12, 2016
Three components we add to make Yoga fun and engaging for children are sound, movement and stories. For example, when holding Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), we wag our tails and bark. That dog could be in the forest with the hero of our story who is about to meet a dragon.
Music is one aspect of sound, movement and stories that can be engaging for children as well. A common question is, what kind of music and when to play it?
There is a set structure to the Yoga classes we teach to children. It begins with a quiet tuning in and moves toward active Yoga poses and games before heading back into a quieting time and into final rest and meditation. The best time to incorporate music is during the active time. Anything from "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles during Sun Salutations to "Adukbe" on Putumayo’s World Playground II album for a Freeze ‘n Flow game.
People often ask me for music recommendations and it’s tough for two reasons. One is that there is SO MUCH awesome music out there that it’s hard to choose. Another reason is that I rarely use music in my kids' Yoga classes. We live in such a busy, noisy world, I want to give kids a chance to experience quiet. Who knows when a spontaneous moment of silent presence will arise and I don’t want kids to lose the chance to experience it because music, however wonderful, is taking them out of the experience.
Many say that music can facilitate an experience. That’s true too. This is why ultimately, using music in Yoga classes for kids or adults is based on personal preference. So, as it is with all meaningful questions about the practice of Yoga the answer is...it depends. It depends on your preferences and your students' interests and, perhaps most importantly, your intention. If you want your students to get a good feeling for Yoga, have fun and be interested in more, music is a great way to engage.
If your intention is to facilitate an experience of quiet and connection, music may not be indicated. As a teacher, I find music distracting. It may or may not match the tempo and the mood of what we are doing, and I find myself turning toward the music to adjust the volume or skip to the next song instead of tuning into the kids. I was taught to teach a traditional form of Yoga and so I have no experience making playlists to go with a Yoga practice.
If you are going to use music in class, find out what the children like. Many kids don’t like “Yoga music.” That soft, lilting, inspiring music we love is the same music kids will openly complain about. I’ve had older kids write down song titles and artists they recommend for Yoga practice and then I go research and listen online. Many of the recommended songs had lyrics that did not support the Yoga philosophy. For younger kids, there are many great Yoga music CDs by wonderful artists such as Kira Willey and one of our own certified teachers, Samana Lake.
Playing soft tunes while children are coloring after a guided relaxation can be a lovely time for music in a kid’s Yoga class, but again I prefer to facilitate silence. Kids revel in silence and they get so little of it in life. Learning to be comfortable with yourself in quiet moments is a powerful skill to develop.
Try some music in class to initially engage your students and for the active segments of class. And also be sure to include quiet components so children have a chance to tune into the music of their own heart.
