How to Enhance your Homeschool Curriculum with Yoga and Mindfulness (Interview)
Homeschool Yoga. As homeschooling parents, you’re always on the lookout for innovative ways to enhance our children’s education, right?
With the growing importance of mental health and social-emotional learning, incorporating yoga and mindfulness into the homeschool curriculum has become a popular strategy for promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
In my recent interview with homeschool mom Erin Johnston from Cali Country Yoga, she shares practical tips and inspiring stories that demonstrate the transformative power of yoga in a home-based educational setting.
Let’s explore how you can easily bring the serenity and benefits of yoga into your child’s daily learning experience at home.
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Embracing the Yogic Mindset during your Homeschool Day
As we know, yoga is much more than just physical postures—it’s a lifestyle that teaches kindness, happiness, and connection.
Erin Johnston, with her background in nursing and as a yoga instructor, stresses the value of incorporating these philosophies into every aspect of homeschooling. For Erin, yoga has been instrumental in guiding her kinesthetic learner to connect with their body and emotions.
Start your homeschool day by setting a tone of calm and mindfulness. Discuss with your children how yoga aligns with the day’s lessons and life skills they’re developing. Remember, it’s not about dedicating hours to practice. Even a few mindful minutes can plant a seed of calm during what might be a jam-packed schedule.
Integrating Yoga into Daily Homeschool Routines
“Yoga doesn’t need to be an isolated part of the day. It can be the breath between transitions,” Erin says during our interview.
Introducing yoga can be as simple as using yoga cards or engaging in bedtime meditations that lead to breath and body awareness. Erin offers three simple ways that you can add yoga to your homeschool curriculum:
1-Mindful Mornings:
Use yoga cards to begin the day with simple stretches or yoga poses that prep the mind and body for learning. A sun salutation sequence can energize and align their focus for the day ahead.
2-Calming Transitions:
Practice yoga not just for energizing, but also for calming. For instance, before a test or a challenging subject, practice a few minutes of deep breathing or a gentle restorative pose to instill a sense of calm and concentration.
3-Bedtime Wind-Down:
Replace bedtime stories with guided relaxation or a gentle yoga practice that leads to a discussion about the day. This gives children space to process emotions and sleep peacefully.
Creating Personalized Yoga Experiences for your Homeschool
In the interview below, Erin emphasizes the importance of personalizing yoga practice for children. This customization allows children to explore their uniqueness and connect deeply with the practice. Turning yoga into a game can make it more appealing. For example, make use of yoga props, yoga storytelling, and imaginative play to bring poses to life.
Also, involve children in creating their personal yoga space within the home, whether it’s a small corner with yoga mats or a more elaborate setup. This dedicated space becomes a sanctuary for practice, play, and peace.
Hosting a Yoga Day with your Homeschool Community
Consider hosting a special yoga day where the entire homeschool group participates in an extended session, exploring new yoga poses, breath techniques, and perhaps even a yoga philosophy story.
Remember, the goal isn’t to perfect the poses but to enjoy the journey of mindfulness, to strengthen the bond within your homeschool community, and to support each child in finding harmony within themselves and with the world around them.
In this inspiring, heartwarming chat, Erin provides easy and practical ways to integrate yoga into homeschool life for the benefit of children and parents. It’s about taking the ancient practice of yoga and making it accessible, enjoyable, and impactful for today’s children. Using these simple, yet profound tips, you can create a homeschool environment where learning is about the mind as well as nurturing the heart and soul.
WATCH “How to Integrate Yoga into Homeschool Curriculum” Interview here:
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