Yoga for Children

3 year old Kye, taking a rest at the end of his Children's Yoga and Creative Movement class at Vega Yoga. Tuesdays at 9:30am and Saturdays at 11:30am.

3 year old Kye, taking a rest at the end of his Children's Yoga and Creative Movement class at Vega Yoga. Tuesdays at 9:30am and Saturdays at 11:30am.

The mommies working a shoulder stretch in the Infant-Friendly Yoga class at Vega Yoga. Tuesdays at 9:30am.

The mommies working a shoulder stretch in the Infant-Friendly Yoga class at Vega Yoga. Tuesdays at 9:30am.

"Yoga to Go" at the Children's House Child Care Center in Springfield. With Debra's guidance, 3-5 year olds stretch to their toes.

Debra Vega (RCYP, level 1), program director

Offering the areas ONLY simultaneous Children’s/Adult yoga classes, where parents practice in the main space, while their children practice in a smaller adjacent space.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

CHILDREN’S YOGA AND CREATIVE MOVEMENT (ages 3-5) *No prior yoga or dance movement experience needed.
A lively yoga and creative movement class designed for young children. Working on focus, flexibility and motor skills, all while singing songs, learning poses and most importantly, having fun!

CHILDREN’S YOGA (ages 6-11) *No prior yoga experience needed. A fun and lively first look at postures. Working on strength, flexibility and coordination, while using music and exercises geared toward this age group.

INFANT-FRIENDLY YOGA FOR PARENTS *Open level. Not to be confused with Baby-Mommy Yoga, this is a Yoga class for parents where babies from 4 weeks to pre-crawlers are welcome.

CHILDREN'S YOGA TO GO:

Need Children's Yoga to come to you? 

One-time classes or 4, 6, or 8 week series available.

Ages 3-5, 6-11, and Teen classes available. 

COST: $10 per child, per class

*non-profit and educational program rates available (see OUTREACH PROGRAMS on our "Yoga to Go" page)

Call 413-519-4966 for more details.  

VEGA YOGA FAMILY PHILOSOPHY:

When opening Vega Yoga & Movement Art’s back in April of 2008, it was very important to Aaron and Debra to provide a family-friendly atmosphere, where children and parents could practice together, while maintaining a separate personal yoga practice.

We strongly feel families who practice together create strong bonds that transfer into everyday family life. All of the same physical, mental and de-stressing benefits which yoga provides to adults are also very important to children, especially in this fast-paced world we live in. Yoga is a gift that children can carry with them into the rest of their childhood and the rest of their lives.

DEBRA’S JOURNEY TO CHILDREN’S YOGA:

Debra Vega’s journey to yoga first began with a background in dance. Starting at the age of 4, she innocently started taking tap dance lessons, but little did she know it would lead her to a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Performance and a career of professional performing, choreography, and instruction in dance. Her introduction to yoga came later in her career as a supplement to her dance training, which would later turn into a way of life.

In her performing career, she has traveled the United States and Europe in National and European Tours, danced on Broadway and at Regional Theatres across the country, and even performed as a “Radio City Rockette” for 4 seasons in New York. Her Choreography career is ongoing, as she choreographs professional AEA Musical Theatre productions, Platinum award winning dance competition routines, and even “1st Wedding Dances” for local weddings.

Debra’s teaching career began as she taught her first pre-ballet class at the age of 15. She’s been teaching dance ever since, now for over 20 years. She taught all through her performing career, in and around New York City. She even traveled to Seoul, South Korea in late 2007 to help open a new performing arts school, The Institute of Creative Arts (ICA). It is through all of this rewarding work that she has done with children, which has brought her to unite her two passions of dance and yoga together.

Debra received her Children’s Yoga Certification from the Radiant Child Yoga Program (RCYP) for children and teens, offered at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. In her Vega Yoga Children’s Program, she has taken this training and combined it with her dance background by offering dance and creative movement to her younger students. For Debra’s older students, she treats the class more like an adult yoga class, but in using all of her teaching experience, is able to offer a kid-friendly twist.

With the help and support of her husband, Aaron, Debra is thrilled to be able to offer her Vega Yoga Children’s Yoga Program at their studio, enabling the joy of yoga to be spread to yogi’s both young and young at heart!