“Would you be up for teaching a group of Year 6s next week instead of your usual preschool class?”
Your stomach flips a little. You smile and say, “Sure!”—but inside, the questions are already bubbling up:
How different can it be? Do I need to change everything? Will they even enjoy yoga stories?
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common worries shared in our Cosmic Kids teacher community on Facebook.
Whether you’re used to tiny toddlers or energetic tweens, being asked to step outside your comfort zone can feel like a big leap. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to reinvent your teaching style – you just need to adjust how you connect, guide, and engage.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to adapt your kids’ yoga classes for different age groups, with practical tips, real-world examples, and plenty of encouragement along the way.
✨ And if classroom management is an area you’d love to feel even more confident in, our dedicated course—Conquering Class Management—dives deep into all of this and more. You can even preview the course with our intro video below.
Skip ahead if you prefer! In this post:
- Teaching Toddlers (Ages 2–4)
- Teaching Young Kids (Ages 5–7)
- Teaching Tweens (Ages 8–11+)
- Mixed Age Classes
- How to Keep Kids Engaged at Any Age
- Should I Teach All Ages?
👶 Teaching Toddlers (Ages 2–4)
Toddlers are explorers. They learn through repetition, movement, and joy – but they’re also figuring out how to be in a group and how to manage their big feelings in tiny bodies.
Picture this: You’re starting class, and a child is rolling on the mat pretending to be a dinosaur, another is showing you their snack, and one hasn’t made it past the door yet. This is completely normal!
What works:
- Short, simple stories with 1–2 themes
- Animal poses with fun sounds and actions to make it more than just about the movement & pose
- Predictable transitions and simple repetition
- Props, songs, and tactile play
- Gentle encouragement and zero pressure
💡 Cosmic Tip: Focus on participation, not perfection. If they’re wiggling with joy pretending to be a starfish, you’re winning!
Try this:
Start with a welcome song and a few core animal poses (e.g. Dog, Cat, Cow), then let the story flow from those shapes. End with a simple breathing moment using bubbles or scarves.
Common pitfall: Expecting toddlers to follow a full class plan. Keep it flexible!
👧 Teaching Young Kids (Ages 5–7)
This age group brings imagination, curiosity, and full-body energy. They love stories, thrive with structure, and are beginning to grasp emotional tools.
You might see: A room full of enthusiasm – kids mimicking characters, offering plot twists, and starting to regulate their own energy (with reminders!).
What works:
- Adventure-style storytelling with clear arcs
- Roleplay and opportunities to lead
- Breathing and mindful transitions
- Games that connect kids and reward focus
Try this:
Set up your adventure like a movie plot—“We’re travelling to the jungle!”—with 3 acts: warm-up, journey, and return. End with a Zen Den or Peace Out moment.
Common pitfall: Letting the energy spiral up without providing calm transitions. Plan for soft landings.
👦 Teaching Tweens (Ages 8–11+)
Older kids are more self-aware and sometimes more self-conscious. They may be balancing school pressures, friendships, and big developmental shifts.
What you’ll notice: Some are still playful, others want clarity and control. You’ll need to shift your tone to feel more peer-like, without losing leadership.
What works:
- A relaxed, inclusive tone—less “storytime,” more shared journey
- Language focused on strength, balance, and self-awareness
- Journaling, breathwork, and partner poses
- Choice-led flows and class involvement
💡 Cosmic Tip: Give tweens autonomy. “Would you like to try Tree Pose or Warrior?” A simple choice builds trust and engagement.
Try this:
Structure the class like a self-care toolkit: Start with energising flows, then introduce breathwork and a reflection prompt like “One thing I’m proud of today…”
Common pitfall: Talking down to them. They’ll switch off. Be authentic and respectful.
👪 Mixed Age Classes
Many kids yoga teachers find themselves with a group of 4–10 year olds in one room. That’s okay—and totally doable!
What helps:
- Open-ended storytelling: Let kids embody poses at their own level
- Layered instructions: “Stand tall like a tree… or try closing your eyes for a challenge”
- Flexible expectations: Celebrate engagement in all its forms—movement, stillness, or imagination
💡 Cosmic Tip: Think of mixed age classes like a family hike. Some kids will run ahead, others stop to admire the trees – both are part of the journey.
🔄 How to Keep Kids Engaged at Any Age
No matter how old your students are, one thing never changes – you’re in a constant dance between attention and distraction.
Here are a few universal engagement strategies we swear by:
- Change the energy every few minutes—move, pause, play
- Use your voice like a soundtrack—whispers, silly sounds, dramatic pauses
- Watch their cues: if focus is fading, shift gears or sprinkle in a surprise
- Keep a few “secret weapons” in your bag—props, partner poses, or a game in your pocket
Even seasoned teachers lose a group sometimes—it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present, adaptable, and willing to try again with love and curiosity.
❓ Should I Teach All Ages?
You can—and many Cosmic Kids teachers do. But it’s also completely okay to find your sweet spot and stick with it if that’s where you shine.
Maybe you thrive on the big energy of preschoolers, or you love guiding mindful moments with tweens. The important thing is: you get to choose. Your time, your energy, your teaching style—all matter. Teaching what brings you joy often leads to better experiences for the kids too.
We talk about this a lot in our Making a Living as a Kids Yoga Teacher course:
Just because someone asks you to do something, doesn’t mean you have to say yes.
Whether it’s running extra classes, teaching a totally new age group, or adjusting your offer to please everyone—you’re allowed to protect your energy and define your role clearly.
That includes those slightly awkward moments when a parent asks if their older (or younger) sibling can join the class.
It’s perfectly okay to say something like:
“This class is really designed for 4–7 year olds. I want everyone to feel included and engaged, so I keep the age range tight to make sure it works for all the kids.”
Setting expectations like that isn’t exclusion—it’s professionalism.
If you’re curious about working with a new age group, try a one-off taster class or team up with another teacher to learn more. But you never have to stretch yourself thin to prove you’re flexible.
✨ Teaching all ages can be beautiful—but so is owning your niche with confidence.
💬 Final Thought
No class will ever be perfectly tailored to every child in the room—and that’s OK.
The magic is in showing up, staying tuned in, and maximising each child’s experience.
If you’d like more support adapting your teaching for different age groups, our Cosmic Kids Teacher Training covers just that—plus real-world demos, planning templates, and playful tools to build your confidence.
