I love to get my sun salutation on. I live for a good vinyassa flow. So on Sunday, I bundled up my 5-year-old twins and took them to a family class at Mia Yoga in Montclair. While I don’t expect them to visit the ashram with me anytime soon, I do think we could boost our zen.
Like good yogis, we arrived on time for the Family Yoga class that takes place every Sunday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Owner/instructor Carissa Olivi (see left) provided colorful mats. Moms, dads and kids ages 1 through 5 filled her warm, new studio.
Adult yoga classes tend to be serene, hush-hush affairs with groovy music in the background. Meanwhile, family-child yoga has the ambiance of lunch at Ikea.
Carissa was not phased. Over the preschool giggles and wiggles, she led our group through breathing exercises. Within five minutes, kids became quiet and chanted, “Om.
I didn’t know how our instructor would keep her young audience engaged for 90 minutes. But she organized the class into three parts: gentle exercise, yogic story-telling and games. We made geometric shapes out of our bodies; we listened to a tale about the treasure of the mountain; we adults made a downward dog tunnel for our kids to crawl though. Before I had a chance to check my watch, it was already time to go.
“Yoga techniques are very helpful in managing everyday life,” Carissa said. “The teachings support health and happiness. I wanted as many children as possible to have these tools to use throughout their lives.”
Carissa grew up in Montclair but lived and studied in California for years. She’s a former kindergarten and preschool teacher and also the mother of a 3-year-old. She said the idea for a children’s yoga studio was a natural fit for her. Throughout the week, she teaches several classes–many child only–for young yogis ages 0 through 12. Most classes cost around $10. But on the first Sunday of every month, family yoga is free.