Reflecting on a Year of Growth with Willow Yoga Kids

Nurturing Growth, Learning, and Connections- By Lucy Perkins

Reading time: 4 minutes

A year ago, my first Instagram announcement read as follows: Welcome to Willow Yoga Kids. Set to offer weekly classes as of September 2023 for children aged 2-12, which aims to build on the innate flexibility, creativity and ease within their mental and physical states. Alike the qualities and symbolism of a Willow tree, children are the truest embodiment of growth, change, trust, peace and joy.

Through my yoga classes, I will guide and empower your child to strengthen their intuition, confidence and emotional-regulation, giving them a foundation for life. Watch this space.

Reflecting on my personal and professional growth, confidence, resilience and compassion over the last year feels hugely fulfilling and motivating. I have experienced the joy, challenge and enlightenment of working with a group of beautifully unique, open-minded, curious children in a variety of locations.

Most consistently has been weekly classes held at a Dance Studio in Kentish Town, North London, which welcomed me with open arms and has provided a foundation of experimenting, practicing and building on my Yoga and Mindfulness teaching style.

I have had spontaneous moments of Yoga and Mindfulness with children at the Montessori Nursery school I work at; with parents and their children during nannying roles in their gardens and homes; with my Aunties on the Cornish sand; with my nephews during family occasions; with friends on Greek islands, Brighton pebbles and Hampstead Heath grass and ponds.

I have learned the importance of holding space for the ever-evolving and dynamic presence of children’s emotions, ideas, energies and personalities. I have witnessed the calm and happiness that children emanate when they feel seen, heard, valued and respected to share their creativity through their bodies, words, hands and hearts.

I have learned to adapt my classes to create the fine balance of providing children with the consistency and familiarity that enables a sensation of safety and comfort, as well as novelty and challenge that stimulates their learning and expands their knowledge.

I have been tested in my ability to stay focused, to reduce my irritation, and to come back to my breath when classes don’t flow to plan or when children’s listening skills are understandably unpredictable. I have realised the constant undulation and distinct attention spans within different age groups and personality types and have formed tactics to elevate and then ground their energy as well as harness the grounding and calming power of their breath.

I have embraced the use of props to engage children’s minds and bodies to create a variety of learning opportunities to suit a variety of learning styles, including Yoga Pretzel cards, wooden miniature yoga figures, yoga blocks*, the Hoberman Sphere breathing ball, a breathing chime and plain paper with coloured pens for mark making.

Above all, I have been fascinated and inspired by the profound awareness and intuitive intellect that children have when listening to and caring for the needs of their minds, bodies and energetic states. The children I have taught have been my greatest teachers. I adore the reciprocity of the relationships I have built with my students and their families.

It has been a year full of excitement, connections, pride and love. Willow Yoga Kids was formed out of a desire to share my passion, knowledge and skill, and I have received all of this in return. It has evolved into more than I even hoped. I am ready for more to come!

*commission earned from this link.