Get Started with Yoga as a PE Unit

PE class is the perfect place to share the benefits of yoga with your students! With yoga as part of your curriculum, your students will gain the physical, mental, emotional and social benefits yoga can provide. To help you get started, we’ve put together a little checklist to make sure you have the most important pieces in place to successfully bring yoga to your PE class.

1. Find a Curriculum that Fits

Yoga for children and teens is different than yoga for adults. For your students’ safety as well as optimizing engagement, it is vital that you take the time to find a curriculum that is created for the grade you are teaching to help you create effective lesson plans for your students.

2. Create a Yoga Space

You don’t need a yoga studio at your school to practice yoga. Your gym, classroom or outdoor space are great places to hold a yoga class. Take the time before the students arrive to make sure the floors are clean and the lights are low. Maybe even spray a little lavender and turn on soft music to help students arrive and tune in for yoga class.

3. Yoga Mats

Yoga mats help students find and stay in their own space during class while practicing a range of postures from sitting, standing, to balancing. Don’t have yoga mats in your budget? Beach towels or tape on the floor can also work in place of yoga mats. Just remember to use discretion given your chosen terrain.

4. Comfortable Clothing to Move In

Make sure that your students wear clothing that will keep them covered and allow a full range of motion, so they can take on poses with full confidence.

5. Hydration

Especially for beginners, yoga works muscle groups students may not be familiar with. It’s important to make sure that water is readily available for your students so stay hydrated throughout yoga class.

6. Positive Vibes Only

When your students feel good, the overall classroom environment naturally improves. Make your PE classroom a generator of positive energy by leaving your students with positive thoughts and intentions at the end of class so they can continue to feel good after they have rolled up their yoga mats and leave the classroom.