Boston Magazine

DOING OM WORK

“Young people are natural yogis,” says Mariam Gates, cofounder of Pow Wow Yoga for Kids. Gates, who has taught youngsters-in a Dorchester school and at the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute-such moves as “peeing dog” (a favorite among the under-3-foot set), will introduce yoga to fourth graders in Lexington schools this month. “Schools ar looking at the overall wellness of children,” she says. “They’re starting to see the connection between a relaxed mind and a deeper level of learning.” Pow Wow classes also start back up this month at the Baptiste studios in the South End and Cambridge.

Do the pintsized fancy Pow Wow? Apparently so. It’s filled with music, stories, and games that encourage imagination and build self-esteem. Gates tells of one boy who likes it so much he sleeps with his yoga mat next to his bed. Another five-year-old apparently took balance and tranquility to heart when she instructed her harried mother to “just breathe.”

< Back