About YoKid

Children and youth who learn yoga and mindfulness techniques have the tools to lower stress in their lives, and thus to increase their own resiliency in school, social situations, and life.  They have the ability to respond mindfully to life, instead of reacting to it.  They feel positive and empowered to make choices for their physical, mental, academic, social, and emotional health and well-being.  They employ yoga and mindfulness as  tools for inner stability, resiliency, and positive outer impact. Yoga and mindfulness students support themselves, create a positive environment, and contribute constructively to their school and community.

About yoga for kids, for teens, for parents, for teachers.

From 2008-2018, YoKid brought yoga and mindfulness directly to children in classrooms across the DC metro area through schools, afterschool programs, community organizations, and yoga studios. We trained hundreds of children’s and youth yoga instructors and taught thousands of classes. By 2015, YoKid had trained 276 instructors and taught 7,014 classes.

Since YoKid began in 2006 (incorporated in 2008), the landscape of yoga for children has changed dramatically with many more programs offering classes and school teachers incorporating yoga in the classroom day. YoKid gradually began to shift focus from teaching children directly to teaching teachers. In 2014, YoKid launched the National Kids Yoga Conference.

In 2020-2021, that conference and community of teachers from around the world is the primary program for YoKid.

Our Organization

YoKid is a 501(c)3 educational nonprofit organization incorporated in Virginia.

Learn about our founders.

 

Our Team

Board of Directors

(updates coming soon)

Jennifer Mueller, Executive Director

Jen comes to YoKid as a former volunteer teaching kids yoga to underserved communities in DC.

Jen has been teaching yoga to families and children since 2008. Before turning her attention to yoga full time by founding Breathing Space on Capitol Hill, Jen spent more than a decade working with non profit organizations in everything from daily operations, event and volunteer management, and finance to national policy advocacy and media relations. Jen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts and a Master in Public Management degree from the University of Maryland.

She has trained with Budding Yogis, ChildLight Yoga, Yoga 4 Classrooms, Cosmic Kids Yoga, and YoKid to offer classes to families and children of all ages. Jen’s work with children inspired her to complete adult yoga teacher training at Willow Street Yoga in 2010 and train in Prenatal Yoga with Janice Clarfield.

Jen is a Yoga Alliance® Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RTY 200) and Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (RCTY).  She was a children’s yoga teacher trainer with Childlight Education Company for 8 years and co-created their Yoga for Babies & Toddlers training. She is also a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) through Infant Massage USA and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

Lindsay Paul, Program Manager

Lindsay previously volunteered as a kids yoga teacher with YoKid and later worked for YoKid managing school programs in 2017.

She has experience as a kids yoga teacher and coordinating school programs. As a registered children’s yoga teacher and registered yoga teacher, she’s taught yoga to kids ranging from toddlers to teens both inside and outside of school settings.

She’s trained and taken continuing education courses with Radiant Child Yoga, Little Flower Yoga, and YoKid. She received her 200-hour yoga teacher training from Radiance Yoga in Alexandria, Virginia.

Lindsay also has 10 years of experience at an educational nonprofit where she focused on building relationships and enhanced support services.