What is DownPup Yoga?
DownPup Yoga is yoga for kids and families! We offer yoga classes (and more!) to kids of all ages and their families, in our Kids Yoga Studio and at various community locations. Classes include Parent & Me, Kids Yoga, Family Yoga, Art/Storytime Yoga, and more. We offer group workshops and classes to Girl/Cub Scouts, Schools, Birthday Parties, private playgroups, sports teams, and more.
DownPup Yoga was born from a passion for kids intersecting with a passion for yoga! We aim to take the magic of yoga and share it with children and their families in a fun and approachable way. We believe yoga is for everyone! Our goal in all classes is for kids (and their grownups!) to feel comfortable and engaged, and to walk out of class with their bodies, minds, and hearts feeling balanced and peaceful. All classes are thoughtfully designed to be warm and inviting, age-appropriate, and a lot of fun!
Why Yoga for Kids?
The benefits of yoga span across all ages! Even the littlest yogis benefit from using their body in new and challenging ways, learning how to bring calm and peace to their minds and bodies through breathing and movement, and becoming more mindful in their thoughts and actions. Our world is now fast-paced and can be full of pressure and stress for children. Yoga gives kids the physical and mental tools to help them navigate it successfully.
Recent studies have shown that some of the benefits of yoga for kids are:
- Build concentration and focus
- Increase coordination and balance
- Increase strength and flexibility
- Learn breathing techniques to help manage stress and challenges
- Increase confidence and self-awareness
- Improve self-regulation and emotional intelligence
- Develop mindfulness and awareness of the mind-body connection
Of course, yoga for kids is not quite the same as yoga for adults. Yes, we do “real” yoga with age-appropriate asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing), and mindful meditation – but it looks a lot different especially for the littlest yogis. Kids CAN practice yoga in a very real way, but the secret to our classes is our playfulness. To make it engaging for kids, it’s all set in a backdrop of music, games, dancing, stories, activities, crafts, and imagination. Simply- it’s yoga that’s FUN!
Who is Ms. Katie?
Hello! I am Katie Olex, a trained and certified Kids Yoga Instructor who has completed children’s yoga trainings with both Yoga Ed. and Kidding Around Yoga (KAY). Even better- I’m a mom to three awesome kiddos, a previous Girl Scout leader, a school volunteer; and a lover of yoga, kids, fitness, board games, tacos, movies, and ice cream. I have lived in the great community of Plymouth with my family (yes, including a dog) for 20 years.
I founded DownPup Yoga after I discovered the impact of yoga on myself, then shared it with my own kids and saw how the magic worked for them too. With my love of kids, extensive background in youth programming and nonprofit management, loads of experience working with kids of all ages in many capacities, and a deep investment in my local community, this adventure of teaching yoga to kids seems like the destination my road has been leading me to. I am truly joyful to teach yoga to children!
Do you have other instructors?
As we expand our yoga (and more) offerings to include yoga classes and events for all members of your family, we are thrilled to welcome other amazing teachers to our team! Our instructors are carefully selected for having both experience with children, knowledge of yoga, and a true joy working with the age groups they teach.
*This page may not always be current with the full roster of instructors. Instructor bios for each class are available on Sawyer via class registration pages.
What’s with the name DownPup? Do you do yoga with dogs?
I wish! Yoga with puppies would be so fun. Maybe someday.
You have probably heard of the “Downward Facing Dog” or “Downdog” yoga pose? So, if dog=adult then pup=kid. Kids Yoga. 😊
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