As a father of two young boys (ages 2 and 4), my wife and I are constantly seeking children's venues and local New York City program activities that would appeal to them (and us). Yogi Beans is, hands down, the most incredibly unique children's venue, and kids' yoga program, in New York. My wife and I are so pleased with the consistent class engagement displayed by our two boys and the knowledge they take with them week after week.
Yogi Beans was a referral from a friend, and I must say I was personally quite skeptical of yoga for kids (I was thinking my boys were going to be asked to stand on their heads or chant in a circle)! But what sets this program apart from any other popular and respected children's venue is the originality of its dynamic and diverse yoga-based content for kids, and the seemingly magical delivery that really does keep children of all ages focused and completely in tune with their senses, abilities and feelings. In a single class, my kids' bodies and brains are more stimulated than any singular activity such as soccer (for my boys), and so much better than simply dropping them off in a frenzied room to run around for an hour. And it sticks: my kids have an absolute blast at Yogi Beans' classes, and they show me and my wife new things they learned to do with their bodies or what they "saw in yoga" that day.
From what I see, the keys to this high-quality program are twofold: tremendous, well-trained and empathetic instructors, and an extremely thoughtful yoga curriculum customized to and designed for specific aged children. I just recently learned Yogi Beans is offered as a daytime program in schools. I personally think this program could add much positive value to children and teens during the school day, and I'm actually working with our local public school board to make this happen.
The studio space itself has been designed to engage children's curious appetites while appealing to the conveniences and comfortable surroundings parents should expect (which is not always the case at these kids' venues).
Way to go Yogi Beans for seriously raising the bar in children's programming! read more