( and now, yoga for the little ones )

and now, yoga for the little ones
by jennifer hetrick

boyertown’s corner gallery and studio known as clayote will be hosting children’s yoga classes this fall through the freshly named building blocks yoga.

jill wentzel, who runs building blocks yoga, first took an interest in the stress-reducing endeavor for herself while still in college, at the suggestion of her sister.
    
“i really enjoyed the whole experience of it being about me,” wentzel said. “it’s my body, my poses, and my breath, so i can take those to whichever level i feel i’m at that day.”
    
wentzel said the personal aspect of it is what she appreciates most about yoga, with the stress-relieving benefits as a part of that.
    
“everyone thinks it’s all about twisting yourself into a knot,” wentzel said. “so i had those ideas at first—i never thought it would be as powerful and invigorating as it is now.”
    
taking yoga classes at final results fitness in gilbertsville, wentzel was eventually asked to teach classes at the gym. she then transitioned into teaching body combat, body flow, step, yoga, and budakon classes.
    
wentzel described budakon as a mix of martial arts and yoga which, when blended, makes for a stronger martial arts practice and said she’d like to someday teach a version for kids with building blocks yoga.
    
she still instructs yoga classes for adults at the gym but is now focusing more specifically on children.

wentzel teaches art at willow creek elementary school in the fleetwood area school district. in the recent academic year, wentzel ran experimental yoga classes offered to any of her k-5 students who signed up for the after-school activity.
   
last fall at her school, the first session of  wentzel’s yoga for children involved two classes of 15 students each. in the spring, 60 students participated. she split the students into several groups over a span of days.

    

knowing how her school students enjoyed the yoga classes, wentzel said she wanted to bring something positive to the children who are growing up where she too grew up, in the boyertown area.

   

in march, wentzel completed her childlight yoga training through the yogalife institute in wayne. by april, the idea of creating yoga classes geared just toward children came to her. and by late june, building blocks yoga had its first class of yogis stretching up a storm of fun at hard bean café in boyertown.

 ( all photos and images are courtesy of jill wentzel. )

new six-week sessions for children ages 2-6 and 7-12 are starting up soon at clayote.

    

the children who have taken her yoga classes become calmer over time, wentzel observed.

    

“after they come out of relaxation, they’re sitting up tall, there’s a glow about them, and they seem happier,” wentzel said. “it will help them to instill the qualities that they need to reduce the stress of an adult life as they grow—all the things they have to face through school, the tests they have to take.”

    

“students are losing their imagination and creativity because of all the academic work they have to do,” wentzel added. “they don’t get to play as much, so it’s really neat to be able to see them play and create again.”

    

wentzel noticed that the kids in her yoga classes are shy at first and not sure if they will like what comes next, but within five minutes, they’re adjusted and enthusiastic.

    

an example of how wentzel makes her classes stress-relieving and yet playful is in one theme based around a backyard scene. using a magic mist (the calming, relaxing ingredient of lavender oil mixed with water), the kids frolic, delving into their imaginations, picturing clouds and birds, and coming up with their own ideas of what such scenery might entail.

    

“many people think yoga is for adults, and you have to stay still, breathe, and concentrate,” wentzel said, “whereas with kids, it’s more active play, games, moving, having fun, being silly, and laughing.”

    

with sports being a mostly competitive physical activity children are encouraged to try out, wentzel likes that yoga is more personal for kids while also adding in the advantages of helping them to find balance and self-reliance in learning to relax and de-stress.

    

in realizing practicing yoga regularly helped her to connect with her own emotions, wentzel believes her classes will be something ultimately positive for her little yogis as well as their parents.

    

when not in class, wentzel said she hopes her yoga students teach their skills, poses, and breath practices to their siblings at home, diving into a world all their own when they need time away, or when they are excited to embrace the stirrings of their imagination.

 

( freebie alert ! comment on this story online to enter for a chance to win half-off one full six-week session. that's a $60.00 session for $30.00 with building blocks yoga. please include your e-mail address in the comment. this contest ends the 3rd of september. good luck ! )