Go Go Yoga Kids is the only resource you will need to inspire children in a healthy and lifelong way.
In today’s interview I have caught up with Sara Weis, the author of the ‘Go Go Yoga Kids: Empower Kids for Life Through Yoga’. Sara, thank you for joining me today.
Your book ‘Go Go Yoga Kids’ is a how to guide of getting kids into yoga and provides a multitude of advice including lesson plans, games, tips, and ways to use yoga. What drove you to create such a thorough resource for others?
I am an elementary teacher and certified kids yoga instructor. I have always loved being active with kids and creating different games and challenges for them to strengthen their bodies and minds. With recess and PE times being decreased in schools and screen time increased out of school, it is apparent that kids need to move their bodies in healthy and lifelong ways. I love taking favorite childhood games and ideas and recreating them into yoga themes, games and lesson plans.
It’s wonderful that you’ve taken all of your experiences educating and tried to tackle the challenge of this new environment where movement of kids has really decreased. Was tackling this challenge the most powerful reward for you to write this book?
This is the resource that I wish I had years ago when I first started using yoga with kids. I looked everywhere and was unable to find exactly what I wanted with creativity, engagement and fun for kids and yoga. I decided to write my own lesson plans and create my own games. I have personally used these ideas with thousands of kids myself and I really wanted to be able to reach out and help others feel confident and successful in using yoga with kids.
So you were really driven by creating something that adults and children could use to create positive experiences in movement and exercise for kids. Did you use try and use events from your own life to colour these positive experiences?
I have been around and loved kids all my life. I drew from memories and experiences as a child myself, a babysitter, camp counselor, a mom, a teacher and many other roles I have played in my life. It is fascinating how all these life experiences big or small took a part in the writing of Go Go Yoga Kids.
Did it take you long to compile all of these big and small experiences and with your teaching knowledge into a single resource?
I have wanted to write Go Go Yoga Kids for several years. I first began with developing my fun themed lesson plans such as Welcome to the Jungle, Off to the Zoo, Lego Yoga, Superheroes and many more. I wanted to be able to use them with kids and tweak as needed. I also developed many yoga games based on childhood favorites such as Duck Duck Goose, Red Light Green Light and many more. I turned those into yoga games so the children would be able to practice the poses in fun and memorable way.
Lego Yoga, now that sounds like fun. Where did some of these ideas come from?
I am constantly getting ideas from my students and my own children. They keep me laughing, inspired and on my toes.
Did you find yourself also on your toes when you’d gotten your first review?
It was amazing! It made it feel very real, like Go Go Yoga Kids was actually helping others.
And what helped you when you were writing? Do you have any top tips for other authors like yourself?
Join a self publishing group! I am a part of Chandler Bolt’s Self Publishing School and it is wonderful to be in the same boat as others to provide feedback, motivation and ideas.
That’s a great strategy. Now your book cover is pretty neat. Can I ask for designed it?
Create Space and Arch Angel were wonderful in helping me get the cover that I wanted.
Now, finally I’ve put it off for as longer as possible but as you are a yoga instructor I have to ask, can you stand on your hands unassisted?
Yes! For a short time and with a wall nearby for assistance.
Sara, thanks so much for giving us your time today. Good luck with the promotion of this book, and I hope that you make new connections to help give kids cool new ways to keep fit.
Want to connect with Sara? You can find her here: