The Best Yoga Classes For Kids In The City

Yogi Beans
Yogi Beans

It’s no secret that yoga is becoming an increasingly popular activity for adults, but did you know that it’s also great for kids? There are many benefits of yoga for children. According to Shari Vilchez-Blatt, the founder and director of New York’s Karma Kids Yoga studio, yoga can help with “building concentration and focus, flexibility, balance, and coordination.” Yoga can also improve breathing—which helps little ones de-stress.

Lauren Chaitoff and Alexa Klein, co-owners of the Yogi Beans studio, explain the many ways yoga can aid kids, even beyond the physical aspect. While yoga can be a healthy exercise, it can also provide children with a release from their stressful, busy schedules. According to Klein, teachers should encourage kids to “take yoga off of their mat.” “How,” she asks, “can they implement the breathing we do at the end of class in their life?” Regardless of the child’s schedule, yoga can be done at any time and place, making it a great way to relieve stress and help children relax.

A variety of yoga studios focusing on families and children also provide a comfortable space for all members of the family. Alexandra Huzar, the marketing and outreach coordinator for the Prenatal Yoga Center, mentions the positive atmosphere for moms in post-natal yoga programs. “For post-natal yoga, you can bring your baby,” she says. “It gives moms a place where they can put themselves first, because they don’t have to give their baby to a babysitter.”

The new yoga-for-children trend is also reaching classrooms and schools throughout New York. “Teaching yoga in a classroom or during P.E. helps kids stay fit, because it forces them to participate in a class that introduces a plethora of yoga poses,” Samara Pearlstein, of Lil Yogi’s NYC, says. Additionally, yoga techniques can be taken from the classroom to the home where kids can practice yoga with their parents.

Here, we spotlight a handful of studios throughout the city where little ones—and new and expectant moms—can study yoga. Namaste!

Bend & Bloom
In addition to their robust prenatal yoga program, Bend & Bloom offers a holistic approach to childbirth education and postpartum support including post-natal yoga, moms’ groups, and lactation consulting. Their family focus continues with lively family yoga classes. Children age 3 and up can also take part in yoga fun after school while parents and caregivers enjoy their own serene practice in the adjacent studio. Park Slope, Brooklyn; bendandbloom.com

Bija Kids
Classes include yoga poses, breathing activities, guided meditation, story time, bubbles, music, games, and more. Designed to be developmentally aware, Bija Kids yoga is an active and joyful interpretation of yoga that can improve flexibility, strength, and balance. Classes for students ages 0-3 are with parents or caregivers while classes for all other ages are drop-off. Clinton Hill, Brooklyn; bijakids.com

Bread and Yoga
In their kids’ yoga classes, children learn to stretch, breathe deeply, relax, and concentrate. They start touching on concepts like peace, being healthy and strong, and just having fun. They also offer special prenatal yoga classes focusing on helping women adjust to the changes their body goes through during pregnancy and Mommy/Baby yoga classes designed to support and nurture bonding and build community between mothers. Inwood; breadandyoga.com 

 Harlem Yoga Studio
Their kids’ classes utilize songs, games, and discussion, to introduce yoga and mindfulness, while helping children become comfortable with how they feel and how their bodies move through space. Balance, flexibility, and coordination are explored as poses are practiced. Conscious breathing is introduced to focus the mind and feel peaceful. Family yoga, prenatal, and post-natal classes are also offered. Harlem; harlemyogastudio.com

Karma Kids Yoga
Karma Kids Yoga

Karma Kids Yoga
Karma Kids Yoga is New York’s only yoga studio dedicated to kids and families. Offering yoga for babies, toddlers, kids, teens, and families, as well as circus yoga, prenatal yoga and pilates, special events, and yoga birthday parties. Give your child the tools they need to build confidence, self-esteem, concentration, and focus, and to find their inner-peace. West Village; karmakidsyoga.com

Lil Yogi’s NYC
Lil Yogi’s NYC offers fun-filled introductory yoga classes and yoga hip-hop classes for children ages 1-10. Children will be introduced to yoga through songs, adventures, games, and stories. Students will also enhance their flexibility, coordination, and fine and gross motor skills through yoga stretches and imaginative play. Expect lots of music, props, and age-appropriate exercises. Upper West Side; lilyogisnyc.com

New York Yoga
New York Yoga’s prenatal yoga classes are designed to give mamas-to-be the strength they’ll need to go through pregnancy and labor. They work on alleviating common (and unusual) pregnancy-specific side effects, such as lower back pain, night-time leg cramps, and shortness of breath. Every mama deserves to move, breathe, and—most importantly—have fun during pregnancy. Yorkville & Upper East Side; newyorkyoga.com

Next Generation Yoga
Next Generation Yoga engages children in creatively moving their bodies with the influence of traditional yoga. NGY ‘s Katy Mason teaches yoga to children in schools, as well as group and private classes throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Multiple locations;Pure Yop nextgenerationyoga.com

Prenatal Yoga Center
The PYC is the first yoga center in NYC to focus on moms and moms-to-be. Offering pre- and post-natal yoga, mommy and me classes, and workshops for moms and families, PYC strives to educate moms through this most excellent and life-changing period. Through community building, childbirth education, and specialized yoga practice, they provide moms with the tools to help make their labor and birth the best experiences they can possibly be. Multiple locations; prenatalyogacenter.com

Pure Yoga
Pure Yoga offers a variety of pre- and post-natal classes including Baby and Me Yoga, Momma Core, and Prenatal Yoga. With an emphasis on the core, Baby and Me Yoga is a multi-level yoga flow class designed to strengthen a parent’s body as they practice yoga with their baby. Momma Core is a multi-level Anusara Yoga class to help new moms feel strong and centered as they resume their yoga practice during the postpartum months. In prenatal yoga, moms learn to safely strengthen their abdominals to maintain postural integrity during pregnancy and labor. Upper West Side & Upper East Side; pureyoga.com

The Sivananda Yoga Center
The Sivananda Yoga Center offers one prenatal class once a week. The traditional yoga focuses not only on postures but also on deep relaxation and serenity of mind. The Center also runs popular meditation and positive thinking courses, which help mothers alleviate anxiety before and after giving birth. All stages of pregnancy are welcome. Chelsea; sivananda.org/ny

Yoga For Two
Yoga For Two—developed by Mary Barnes—offers a variety of yoga classes for moms, babies, and couples at Pure Yoga East and West, the JCC, and the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy in NYC. Prenatal Yoga is an invigorating class that helps women gain and maintain strength and flexibility during pregnancy, as well as teaching them to use yoga during childbirth. Baby and Me Yoga is specifically designed to strengthen a woman’s body after giving birth, while practicing yoga in the presence of her baby. This flowing yoga class focuses on strengthening abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Baby Yoga, massage, and songs are included (babies are newborn until crawling). Momma Core Yoga is an invigorating postpartum yoga class for moms only. Multiple locations; yogafortwo.com

Yogi Beans
Founded in 2007, Yogi Beans is an educational and engaging yoga-for-kids company. Yogi Beans’ mission is to introduce children of all ages to a healthy, life-long yoga practice that is non-competitive, physically challenging, and a ton of fun. Professionally-trained, caring Yogi Beans instructors develop children’s abilities to focus, stand up straight, move with control and grace, and find inner strength and self-confidence. Upper East Side; yogibeans.com

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Young Actors at Strasberg

<p>Young Actors at Strasberg offers a comprehensive array of acting programs for students in grades 2 – 12. Classes provide kids and teens with a foundation in Lee Strasberg's Method Acting and the tools to succeed in the professional industry – all while maintaining a fun and playful environment. Programs are tailored to encompass students at all levels, from those just beginning their acting journey to Broadway veterans and professional child actors. Young Actors at Strasberg alumni include Lady Gaga, Sophia Lillis, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson!</p> <p>Young Actors Programs are available online and in-person at our New York Campus, located in Union Square. Saturday, After-School and Online classes are offered during the traditional school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Monday through Friday day camps and intensives are held in July and August.</p> <p><strong>About The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute:</strong></p> <p>Founded in 1969 by Lee and Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg's work in its complete and authentic form. The Institute's goal is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. LSTFI is proud to have award-winning alumni from around the world working as writers, directors, and actors in all mediums.</p>

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp

<p>Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp offers five daily rotating activities such as swimming, ice skating gymnastics, rock climbing, parkour, indoor/outdoor turf, and courts plus more in its ample 175,000 sq. ft. facility and 35-acre outdoor area. Aviator Summer Camp also offers off-site and on-site field trips such as a day at Green Meadows Farm, Launch Trampoline Park, and a Brooklyn Cyclones game. The summer camp runs from 9 am-5 pm with early drop off and late stay available. Bus transportation is also available throughout Brooklyn. Lunch and an afternoon snack are included. Sign up by February 28th to receive up to $300 off camp with early bird discounts.</p>

Child's Play NY Virtual Classes

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0d8558c-7fff-41d5-daea-321d9ce61efc" style="white-space: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child's Play NY is a Brooklyn-based company founded in 2009, committed to offering a diverse array of theater arts classes for children. They believe studying the art of acting encourages kids to be even more creative, collaborative and compassionate human beings. Since its inception, Child's Play NY has touched the lives of hundreds of students, worked inside dozens of schools and is consistently ranked as among the top theater arts programs. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the 2019 winner of Brooklyn Family's Choice award for Best Performing Arts Class.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall/Winter 2020-21 Virtual Class Guide</span><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a Movie Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Experience creative fulfillment and movie magic with Child’s Play NY! Kids get to make and star in their own film, with professional actors, directors and designers. From development to design to editing choices too, kids can take ownership over the creative process. Their friends and family get to celebrate their accomplishments at a final watch party premiere! Deep project-based learning and peer-connection is at the heart of this 9-week experience which can be done remotely or in-person.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall and Winter Virtual Classes</span></strong></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-left: 36pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong>Hogwarts School (grades 1-3)</strong>: Come get sorted into your favorite house, jump on your Firebolt and let’s make some magic! Class culminates in a movie montage featuring our original scripted work from the session.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Your Own Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make your own custom group to support social-emotional growth and play. Child’s Play NY provides a dynamic teacher and their lauded curriculum that puts peer-interaction at the front and center. Custom classes are a special way to nurture what your child loves most and share that excitement with their friends, in-person or online.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Playwriting (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students will use their creativity, compassion and confidence to build a story they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Individually, each student will craft a play, and together they will workshop their scenes, exercising their acting, directing, and most importantly, imagination skills. Over the course of the sessions, students will learn the basics of playwriting and be able to present any and all parts of their theatrical story. All classes will include individual assignments and collaborative opportunities. Each day will be structured so that all participants have the chance to learn and study other writers’ work, write for 10-15 minutes and share their words with each other. By the end of the semester they will have used their bodies, intellect and imagination to come up with an original play. By being confident, vulnerable and creative with each other and actively supporting and encouraging each other’s work, students will emerge with meaningful connections to each other and a strong sense of their writing and collaborative abilities.<br />Class culminates in a montage and packet of students’ original work.<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Musical Theater Lab (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn how to be a triple threat in this dynamic class for budding performers with Child’s Play NY. Students focus on songs, dances and characters from Broadway’s most celebrated and kid-friendly shows. They work alongside professional performers with years of experience bringing their passion to children. Class culminates in a movie showcase of scenes and songs.<br />Join for the full session, or enroll as a drop-in!<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Shakespeare Scene Study (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young people become confident with Shakespeare’s world, language and characters as they learn how to interpret a role with technique and courage. Classically trained professional actors assist the players in their physical, vocal and emotional transformations. All Shakespeare teaching artists are classically trained professional actors and have performed Shakespeare both on and off Broadway and in regional theaters across the country.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students jump into the worlds of Shakespeare in this robust mash-up of improvisation and classic text scene study class. After learning the plot and characters from several plays, they rehearse and memorize scenes from the original text. New material, devised by the cast, adds a contemporary through-line to their show and highlights the universality of Shakespeare’s themes.<br />Class culminates in a movie showcasing their work.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Big Twist: A New Musical (Grade 1-4)</strong></div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this acting class, students get to perform a brand new musical based on The Wizard of Oz.<br />The Wicked Witch of the South wants to return Oz to a time when WITCHES reigned supreme, and all was evil. Summoning a dark magic Tornado, the Wicked Witch of the South sends Oz hurtling into an alternate Oz. With the Yellow Brick road destroyed, the Wizard left powerless, and the citizens of Oz scattered to the Wind, our heroes are forced into unlikely partnerships to stop the Witch and restore the world to order. The Wizard of Oz meets The Tempest.  Class culminates in a premiere of a movie starring the students, filmed over the last few days of the session.</div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"> </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-57c50323-7fff-79ce-175a-5e25408c0e29"></span></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-84ebe141-7fff-03c2-24cf-fead86e88df2"></span></p>