What if yoga could help kids build resilience, emotional regulation, and confidence, without needing perfection, pressure, or performance?
In this episode, Wendy sits down with Lauren Chaitoff, founder of Yogi Beans, to talk about how yoga practices can support kids through big feelings, hard moments, and the everyday challenges of growing up.
Lauren shares how yoga helps children connect with their breath, bodies, emotions, and inner world in a way that builds self-awareness from the inside out. From holding a pose for one more breath to learning that โyoga is a practice, not a perfect,โ this conversation is full of simple, doable ways to help kids grow resilience, self-compassion, and emotional steadiness.
If youโve ever wished your child had more tools to calm their body, move through discomfort, or believe in themselves when something feels hard, this episode will feel like such a breath of fresh air.
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Episode Highlights:
- Yoga helps kids build resilience by practicing how to stay present when something feels challenging.
- Growth mindset comes alive when kids learn that yoga is a practice, not a perfect.
- Breathwork gives children a simple, body-based tool to support emotional regulation.
- Movement can help kids process big feelings, especially when sitting still feels impossible.
- Yoga teaches kids to listen to their bodies with curiosity instead of judgment.
- Small, playful yoga practices can be sprinkled into family life, classrooms, calming corners, and everyday routines.
Resources Mentioned:
Follow Lauren’s Yogi Beans account on Instagram
Grab a copy of Lauren’s book 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids: Stomp Like a Dinosaur, Flutter Like a Butterfly, Breathe Like the Sun
Lauren’s website
Unable to listen, or prefer to read along? Here’s the transcript!
Wendy:
Well, hey there families, and welcome back to a new episode. Iโm your host, Wendy Snyder, positive parenting educator and family life coach. Iโm so excited to be here today with Lauren Chaitoff. Thanks for being on the show, Lauren.
Lauren:
Itโs so great to see you again. Iโm really happy to be here. Thanks for having me.
Wendy:
Heck yes. Today weโre talking about growth mindset and big feelings, and how yoga can support kids through both. Lauren, youโve built such an incredible organization around yoga for children, and I canโt wait to dive into that.
But first, tell us a little about your story. Where do you live, how many kids do you have, and what led you to this work?
Lauren:
Iโd love to. I started my company, Yogi Beans, back in 2007, before I was a mom. Even then, I could see how overscheduled and stressed kids were, especially living in New York City.
When I went through my yoga teacher training, I remember getting feedback that I had โa lot of energyโ and should probably tone it down. And I thought, no. This is who I am. Yoga is about authenticity. So instead of changing myself, I leaned into it and realized this energy would be perfect for working with kids.
I had a background in theater and had always loved being around children, so it felt like a natural fit. Fast forward 18 years, and Yogi Beans has grown into a full company, which still amazes me.
What really stands out now is how much more important this work has become. Back then, kids were busy and stressed. Now, with social media and constant digital input, itโs on another level. Teaching kids how to connect with themselves, their breath, and their inner world feels more essential than ever.
Wendy:
I love that so much. And youโre still in New York?
Lauren:
Yes. I started in the city, but now I live on Long Island with my two daughters. Theyโre nine and twelve, so not so little anymore.
Wendy:
Theyโre growing up.
Lauren:
They really are. We moved out of the city for more space, and honestly, Iโve come to love it. Being near the water and nature has been really special.
Wendy:
Thatโs beautiful. Tell us what Yogi Beans looks like day to day. Youโre mainly in schools now, right?
Lauren:
Yes, mostly. We work with private and public schools, after-school programs, nonprofits, and even the New York City Parks Department. On any given day, we might have ten classes happening across the tri-state area.
We also train adults. We offer a 95-hour childrenโs yoga certification for people who want to teach, plus professional development for teachers. A lot of schools bring us in for staff wellness days too, because teachers are incredibly stretched.
And honestly, Iโm especially excited to talk to parents more now. As a mom, I see how powerful it is to just โsprinkleโ yoga into daily life. No one needs to do a full 45-minute class with their kid. Itโs about small, doable moments.
Wendy:
I love that. And I remember when I first learned about your work, I just thought, if every school had this, it would change everything.
We were lucky in Southern California. My kids had emotional literacy, growth mindset teaching, and even yoga as part of their school experience when they were younger. It gave them such a strong foundation.
And I saw something you wrote recently about sentience that really stuck with me. This idea that our ability to feel is what makes us human, and that yoga helps children stay connected to that in a world thatโs becoming more and more digital. It was so powerful.
Lauren:
Thank you. Thatโs really at the heart of it. Yoga helps kids connect to their minds, their bodies, their hearts, and how they relate to others. Itโs not just movement. Itโs how they experience life.
Wendy:
Okay, letโs dive into one of the biggest benefits, resilience.
Yoga teaches kids to stay with discomfort, like holding a pose or trying something new. How do you see that play out?
Lauren:
Itโs huge. We teach kids to notice the difference between discomfort and pain, and then breathe through it.
One of our affirmations is, โYoga is a practice, not a perfect.โ That idea helps them understand they donโt have to get it right. They just keep trying.
And itโs especially powerful for kids who donโt thrive in competitive environments. Yoga gives them a space to move and grow without pressure.
Wendy:
Yes. And that idea of working through discomfort is so life-changing. Itโs something so many adults are still learning.
Lauren:
Exactly. Yoga gives kids a safe way to experience that early. They learn they can stay, breathe, and move through hard things.
Wendy:
Letโs talk about growth mindset too. How does yoga help kids see progress over time?
Lauren:
It brings them into the present. Instead of focusing on an end goal, they learn to appreciate where they are today.
Some days feel easier than others, and thatโs okay. We teach them not to judge it, just to notice.
And when they do improve, it comes from a place of curiosity and pride, not comparison.
Wendy:
Thatโs so powerful. Especially when so many of us were raised to believe our value came from achievement.
Lauren:
Yes. Yoga helps shift that. Itโs not about performing. Itโs about being with yourself.
Wendy:
And then thereโs the breath. This is such a big one.
Lauren:
It really is. Breath is one of the most important tools we can give kids.
We teach them that how they breathe can change how they feel. But we do it in fun ways, like lionโs breath or playful exercises, so it sticks.
Because in a hard moment, they wonโt respond to โtake a deep breath.โ But if theyโve practiced it, theyโll know how to use it.
Wendy:
Yes. Thatโs the difference. It becomes part of them.
Lauren:
Exactly. It becomes embodied, not just something theyโre told to do.
Wendy:
Before we wrap up, how can parents bring this into their homes or schools?
Lauren:
Start small. Ask your school about yoga programs or after-school options.
For home, I have a book called 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids. Itโs very visual and easy for kids to explore on their own.
We also offer a Kids Yoga Blueprint course, which teaches parents and educators how to incorporate yoga in simple ways.
And honestly, even just volunteering at your childโs school and leading a short session can make a big impact.
Wendy:
I love that so much. Lauren, you are such a gift. Thank you for the work youโre doing and for being here today.
Lauren:
Thank you. It was so great to be here with you.
