Making themed kids yoga classes fun, sustainable and profitable

Using a theme for kids yoga classes and workshops can be a lot of fun.
It can also be a sure way to spend lots of money on a one-time class!
Take it from someone who has done this.

Today I’d like to share with you some things to consider about theming classes. I hope that you find these thoughts useful.

I have definitely had times when I have worked out that after I had spent money on resources for a particular class or workshop, particularly themed ones, I didn’t have much profit at the end of it.

It might sound a bit ‘icky’ to be talking in the way and using words like ‘profit’ might not feel comfortable for you. I know that I didn’t say that I had a business for a really long time, but as my own business mentor said to me, the fact is, if you aren’t making a profit, you haven’t got a business, and if that is the case then really what you have is a hobby. 

This is lovely if you can afford this, but if you- like me, need to earn money teaching kids yoga, then you need to consider where your money is going and for me- themed classes was a big one!

So today, I’ll be talking about some ideas that you might like to try to keep costs down and also reduce the impact of our business on the environment too.

Instead of this…
Buying lots of props that are specific to that particular theme
It can be tempting to buy a class set of soft toy hearts for valentines day, or lots of toy pancakes for pancake day (yes, toy pancakes are a thing and yes, at one point I almost bought some!). But before you pay lots of money for something, consider how much use you are likely to get out of it. If you can envisage lots of uses and you feel excited and inspired with lots of creative uses- then go for it.

If you can only really think of a couple of times that you would use it - or ways that you could use it- then consider alternatives.

Try  this…
Make your own, or get the kids to make their own
Children are so creative and they love using their imaginations. Kids love novelty, they aren’t bothered that a new thing has been home made. Instead of buying pancakes, make some paper or card ones. Instead of buying soft toy hearts, stick some paper hearts onto some bean bags or on soft toys that you already have. Even better, involve the children in some way.

Use props that you already have in creative ways,
Using your props in different ways is a great way to foster this creativity and imagination. It also saves space in your storage and also saves you money. 

For example:
Some simple artificial petals can be: blossom from trees, snowflakes, fireworks, flowers on the ground, clouds etc. That are fairly inexpensive but can be used in different ways.


Pose Cards
It can be tempting to buy themed pose cards for a particular class- there are many beautiful ones out there and I can definitely see the draw to these. In fact, my seasonal bundles have themed pose cards in them!

You can also use cards for multiple purposes. This is why I created my nameless pose cards which are included in the Captivate with Cards resource and training bundle. They can be used time and time again to represent whatever your theme is. The children can even pick out the pose to suit their ideas.
You don’t necessarily need these cards to do this, you could pop a new name over the original name of pose cards that you already have.

Picture Cards
Creating your own theme cards that you keep and use again in future is a low cost and sustainable way to add a bit of novelty. I have a cheap laminator and it has been really useful for me to laminate cards that I use for theme classes. 

Instead of ….
Buying/ using a book for every theme
Using a book can often make us feel organised and like we have a structure to stick to. It can be comforting to use and kids yoga teachers often use books to build their class around.

However, using a book every single time can sometimes miss the mark. The kids might not really like the story, they may think that it is beneath their age range, or they might find the structure rigid and boring. I’m not saying never use books, but you may like to consider mixing it up sometimes.

Consider….
Creating an adventure with the children around the theme. This could look like picking pictures or toys out of a bag that link to the theme and creating an adventure together. Co-creation is something that Rainbow Kids Yoga talk about in their trainings and I love the freedom and creativity that comes with this type of class. Allowing the kids to take ownership of the session/ class or workshop adds in an extra bit of magic and there will be things that come out of it that you could never have planned to achieve.

Instead of …
Single use craft activities
Surely I can’t be the only kids yoga teacher who has spent a small fortune on craft supplies?
I know how it goes, we want the children to take something with them, or we see a really cute craft in The Works or Hobby Craft and it’s reduced! It might be a bargain for one but when we are buying for a whole class it suddenly becomes less than cheap! I’m not saying never do this, but I am saying consider if there is a cheaper more sustainable alternative.

Consider…
Re-using, repurposing, recycling
Some of the most engaging activities that I’ve done in workshops have been the cheapest and simplest. 

Here are some ideas you might like to try:

• Decorating donated glass jars in a number of different ways -for example glass pens or tissue paper using them as a candle holder,  pen jar or memory jar.
• Decorating cardboard flower pots and planting a seed in them.
• Making mandalas that can be photographed, then taken apart.
• Making decorations that can be laminated and kept.
  
  

There are many more ideas included in my seasonal bundles to support you to make your classes more sustainable and profitable for you. So if you struggle to think of ideas, these are a great place to start.

It is important to remember why we are doing what we are doing. 
Why are you giving children this experience? Is it so that it looks picture perfect on Instagram? Or is it so that the children enjoy an experience that feels good within. 
Because if it is for the second reason, we don’t need lots of expensive props for that.

If you are interested in using props effectively in your classes, you might find the training Props like a Pro useful, or this free video or this free guide.

Thanks for watching this video. I’d love to know how you make your themed classes sustainable and fun.