The Program:
Yoga for children is moving beyond the yoga studio. Today, kids' yoga can be found in homes, schools, and youth programs across the country as innovative yoga teachers help parents, educators, and youth workers understand that teaching yoga to kids helps them to release stress and develop self-confidence, promotes healthy growth, improves test scores, and reduces disruptive behavior. 

Focus Areas:
Integrative Yoga for Children will provide participants with practical teaching skills and techniques for working with toddlers, middle childhood, ‘tweens’ and teens within the framework of yoga philosophy and psychology.  Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of key physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth benchmarks for each age
• Learn how to incorporate these benchmarks in planning for classes and private sessions
• Incorporate all aspects of yoga (mudra, pranayama, guided imagery, and meditation, as well as asana) into childrens' classes and private sessions
• Work with additional time-tested techniques appropriate for children of various age groups: creative activities, stories, songs, and games
• Learn how to recognize and utilize “teachable moments’” for life skills development
• Learn about current research on the value of yoga to children and how to use it to promote your services to parents, schools, and other provider agencies
• Understand the most common conditions and challenges being faced by children and youth today

The Teachers:

	Beth Gibbs is executive director of Camp Courant, a summer day camp program for inner-city children that has implemented a successful yoga program to improve concentration and conflict management in children. She holds a masters degree from Leslie University in Yoga Therapy and Mind/Body Health. Beth has an active yoga therapy practice in Connecticut and is also the director of IYT's Professional Yoga Therapist Internship Program.
	Mira Binzen, founder of Global Family Yoga, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1991 with a degree in child psychology. She received her teacher training certificate from Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram in India in 1999. She is certified to teach both children and adults, and is registered at the 500-hour level with Yoga Alliance. Before moving to Chicago, Mira was a yoga therapist with the Integrative Medicine Program at Minneapolis Childrens' Hospital, and has been teaching classes to children, families, and adults for many years.
	Laura Magnussen, CYKF, RYT, is certified in Hatha Yoga by Ruth Bender (1980), Sun Do Taoist Yoga (1994), and 500 hour Kripalu Professional Level (2003). She is also a Certified YogaKids® Facilitator (2002). She has taught children since 1998 and has led over 300 children's classes from pre-schoolers to teens. She developed a yoga curriculum and badge program for the Greater Hartford Girl Scout Council.

DaySpring Conference Center:

		DaySpring is one of the country's finest camp and conference centers. Owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, it is conveniently located on the north bank of the Manatee River near Bradenton, little more than an hour's drive from all the major metropolitan areas of West Central Florida.
DaySpring offers guests an unparalleled opportunity to experience peace and tranquility, stunning natural beauty, and a sacred place where spirits are renewed, refreshed, and made ready to re-enter the world. A friendly staff and delicious vegetarian meals support your training experience.

Tuition and Accommodations:
The tuition for this program is $895. Accommodations are $868 in private rooms with private bath, $616 in double rooms with bath, $420 in the dormitory, including all meals. Area commuters may attend for a $266 meal and facilities use fee, along with tuition. A $295 non-refundable deposit holds your space. Register on line, or call us at (800) 750-9642 or (415) 670-9642 for telephone registration or information.

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