A comprehensive certification program for teaching yoga and mindfulness to children and youth ages 3 to 18. Available online and in person.
Explore the benefits of embodied mindfulness practices and learn how they help build resilience, support learning and cultivate healthy communities.
Learn more about the research in the field, and the work we’re doing with our school partners to evaluate our programming.
We have 31 incredible team members teaching kids, training adults, supporting operations, and more. Come get to know us.
Hear directly from students about what mindfulness and yoga mean to them in daily life.
Virtual programming available nationwide (livestreaming or recorded content). In-person programming in select locations.
Chair and mat-based yoga and mindfulness classes for youth ages 3-18 right in the classroom.
Professional Development workshops for school staff + video resources for students, to help build yoga and mindfulness in-house culture and capacity.
Support for the physical, social, emotional, and professional well-being of all school employees, teachers, paraprofessionals, clinicians, and administrators.
Hear directly from schools we’ve worked with to better understand how yoga and mindfulness can support your students, teachers, and larger community.
Explore our comprehensive teacher certification program, and learn to support and grow the inner resources of kids 3-18.
We are currently offering our full certification in an online format, and will return to in-person trainings when we are certain we can do so safely.
We’re excited to be offering our Level One Children’s Yoga + Mindfulness Training online for the first time with partner organization Yoga International!!
This is a self-paced course, that you can begin at any time. Take it as a stand alone workshop, or combine with our other courses for certification.
Join Little Flower Yoga founder Jennifer Cohen Harper for this self-paced online course, created in collaboration with Omega Institute, that gives caregivers, educators, and others tools and insights to help kids feel more powerful and competent in the face of anxiety.
Accessible webinars (from 90 minutes to 6 hours) taught by the LFY Team and some wonderful guest faculty on topics such as trauma informed teaching, working with teens, building resilience, chair yoga, and much more.
In an effort to protect our students and teachers, all in-person programming has been suspended until further notice.
We’ve added significant online offerings including teacher training (both self-paced and livestream) to our calendar, and hope they meet your needs at the moment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Explore our comprehensive certification program, and learn to support and grow the inner resources of kids 3-18.
Weekend workshop for parents, educators, health care providers. Learn a new framework for relating to anxiety, along with concrete practices to help your children thrive.
Join us for interactive online learning experiences with a wide variety of guest teachers.
In an effort to protect our students and teachers, all in-person programming has been suspended until further notice.
We’ve added significant online offerings including teacher training (both self-paced and livestream) to our calendar, and hope they meet your needs at the moment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Tools to Help Families Raise Resilient Kids, including practice videos, books and card decks, workshops, and articles.
Easy to use resources for families, educators, clinicans and children + teens themselves.
Explore searchable content from our teaching and learning community, including activities and practices.
COMING SOON
It’s a wide and wonderful world out there, and we think you should get to know these folks doing allied work in the field.
A comprehensive certification program for teaching yoga and mindfulness to children and youth ages 3 to 18. Available online and in person.
LFY Teacher Training is a comprehensive certification program in yoga and mindfulness practices for children and youth ages 3 to 18. Certified by Yoga Alliance, and offering up to 6 graduate level credits (through our accredited partner University of the Pacific) the training focuses on the complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of students.
The foundation of the training is rooted in building your own self-awareness and deepening personal practice—after all, we can’t teach what we don’t know. From there, we equip you with a wide range of activities that you can immediately implement with the kids you work with.
Our work is research-based and centered on healing and resilience building. Trauma-informed teaching practices are integrated into all of our programs. As practitioners and educators ourselves, we are immersed in the latest developments in the field and update our curriculum regularly.
You can train with us online or in-person in locations around the world.
The LFY training program is an inclusive, professional, caring, empowering experience with top-notch trainers who bring out the best in all its participants. I look forward to bringing my new-found wisdom and practice out into the world!
Christine P.
Through an innovative combination of in-person and online workshops,
as well as one-on-one mentorship, you will:
You will return home with a deeper understanding of child development, the capacity and confidence to create lesson plans that meet children’s needs, and the knowledge to teach in a safe, engaging, and compassionate way.
This was the most comprehensive, well-planned, and creatively structured children's yoga course I have ever attended...I now feel much more confident in working with children in my yoga studio
Cassandra P.
People from a diverse array of backgrounds and experiences attend our Training Programs. What they share is a desire to give kids tools to embrace joy and build resilience, regardless of their circumstances.
Note: You do not need to be a yoga teacher or an advanced practitioner to attend this training. If you’re not sure training is for you don’t hesitate to call or email.
I can’t say enough about what I took away from this program. Not only do I feel totally prepared to teach yoga to children, but I’m a better teacher and a better person.
Karen E.
There are two ways to participate in the workshops and courses offered through the LFY Teacher Training Program.
Some of our classes are available to take as stand alone learning experiences based on your interests and needs (or for continuing education). The Level 1 course (Foundations of Children’s Yoga + Mindfulness: Creating Safe and Engaging Mind-Body Experiences), Chair Yoga for Children and Adolescents, and Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices are open to anyone at any time.
We also offer online programs and webinars that have no prerequisites. If you find yourself inspired and want to learn more, you might consider getting certified.
Our Core Curriculum consisting of Level 1, Level 2, Level 3; Three Online Courses (6 content hours each) addressing trauma, chair yoga, and special needs; Two Integration + Implementation programs that include curriculum development and a mentorship matching you with a teacher for personalized feedback.
Given the current circumstances, we are offering our entire certification online.
There is no required time frame for completion—you can work toward certification at your own pace. See more about each course and how they fit together below.
Learn to share yoga and mindfulness with children and teens ages 3 to 18. Take an in-depth look at the relationship between the brain, the body, and the nervous system. Explore our 5 Element framework —connect, breathe, move, focus and relax. Learn to create developmentally appropriate lesson plans.
Explore the physical, emotional, and social aspects of youth development. Refine your teaching skills, with an emphasis on connect element practices. Learn a compassionate approach to classroom and behavior management, with a focus on how to handle challenging behavior mindfully and effectively.
Gain the tools you need to effectively create curricula and teach from your own authentic presence. Explore the challenges and opportunities of working with adolescents. Learn strategies to best support students with specific needs. Practice teach and refine your skills in supportive community.
While our entire training is trauma informed, in this advanced workshop you’ll gain a greater understanding of the physiological and neurological effects of trauma, the relationship between trauma and behavior, and learn how yoga and mindfulness practices can support healing and boost protective factors.
Chair yoga reduces barriers to participation and creates a more accessible practice for students. It’s an ideal style of yoga for children to practice in school without the need for mats or open space, which are often in short supply, and it is useful for healthcare professionals and others who would like to incorporate practice in short increments during other services.
Join long time Occupational Therapist and Yoga instructor Allison Morgan for this three-part online course. Learn to bring the practices of yoga and mindfulness safely and effectively to students with a variety of special needs.
Develop a customized yoga and mindfulness curriculum that meets the needs of your students. Learn to assess need, create structures that support learning, embed key questions and learning elements into lessons, make deliberate choices about activities, and evaluate student progress as you go.
Mentorship is an essential part of your training, and an opportunity to put what you have learned into context and practice teaching in a supportive and intentional way. Most LFY students participate in our online mentorship program, designed to fit into your life regardless of schedule or location. We have a limited number of live mentorships available as well in select locations.
I have been an educator for 30+ years and this was one of THE best trainings I have ever attended. The presenters are impassioned individuals who have deep respect for children and their development and share their passion, tools and resources with grace, intelligence and humor. They created a safe space for us to learn, experiment, ask questions and make mistakes. They also facilitated time for us to reflect, collaborate and nurture ourselves. TOP NOTCH!!!
Laurie M.
Educator for 30+ Years
We all need ongoing support to integrate our learning, continuing growing as educators, and to chat with likeminded folks about the many challenging (and funny) scenarios that arise during teaching. Graduates of the LFY Teacher Training are eligible to join the LFY Member Teacher Program. This community of support is designed to offer you both tangible resources to support your career, and and a built in group of colleagues. Benefits include:
In addition to our Member Teacher program, graduates can join our private Facebook Group at no cost. You can continue to learn from and tap into the wisdom of your colleagues in this vibrant and active community of educators, yoga teachers, mental health care providers, coaches, parents and many others. We’ve got about 850 members of this group so far, and the generosity of spirit and advice freely offered is helpful and inspiring.
Our graduates take their certification into the world in a wide variety of ways, from teaching full time in schools, to integrating learning into their current service oriented careers, to starting innovative programs of their own.
Police officer & founder of LEAP community policing program
Founder of the non-profit Center for Resilience in Providence RI
Children’s Program Director Alluem Yoga, founder of Embody Love Camp
Tuition from $695-$795 per level. See individual events for details and early registration prices.
*Flexible payment plans are available starting at $57/month for in-person trainings, and for L2 and L3 livestream trainings.
The requirements for our chair, trauma, and special needs courses can be met through online options at $145 per 6 hour course. Live workshops on these topics are occasionally available and tuition varies by location.
Curriculum development course is $145, and includes 6 hours of content with added assignments. Online, one-on-one mentorship is $350.
Register for all components of our certification at a discount of $565. Bundled price is $2750 and registration also allows you to access our payment plan program, which you can select at checkout ($500 deposit and monthly payments of $195). Learn more.
You may optionally register for graduate level credit for our training through our partner University of the Pacific. Up to 6 credits are available for full certification, at a rate of $62/credit payable directly to the University.
Because we wish to make these practices available to as many children and youth as possible, we are pleased to be able to offer a limited number of full and 50% tuition scholarships for our trainings. Scholarships are based on need, and we receive more applications than we can fulfill. Thank you for your understanding.
Full tuition assistance is available through the Omega Institute for our “Navigating Anxiety in Children” weekend workshop with LFY founder Jennifer Cohen Harper. This program requires a separate scholarship application.
Learn from leaders in the field with a wide range of experiences and expertise.
In an effort to protect our students and teachers during this challenging time, we are now offering our entire certification online allowing students from around the world to train with us.
Definitely not. This is a comprehensive training that is appropriate for anyone who is interested in helping children become the best versions of themselves. Each training session contains a diverse group of yoga teachers, classroom teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, counselors, parents and many more.
You don’t have to be able to do advanced yoga poses for training, but general familiarity with the practice is important. The best thing to do is to just participate in classes at a local yoga studio before our training, and, if possible, take a beginners yoga workshop in preparation.
No. Some people register for Level One and find that they have the tools they need to introduce yoga to the children in their lives. Most participants do eventually participate in all three levels, but there is no timeline for completion and no requirement to take all 3 levels unless you are hoping to become certified.
LFY Trainings are accredited through the University of the Pacific for graduate level credit. Each L1-L3 course is eligible for 1 credit, and full certification is eligible for 6 credits.
Payment for these credits is made directly to the University, at the rate of $62 per credit.
View this link for registration details and process
Here is some additional information:
The University of the Pacific is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the state of California. The Graduate-Level Professional Development semester credit provided by the University of the Pacific is accepted by school districts nationwide. The University of the Pacific is fully accredited with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The credits offered are post-baccalaureate, graded, graduate-level semester credits, provided directly through the University of the Pacific, University College. They are specifically designed to meet the needs of educators for Salary Advancement and Recertification.
The credits are acceptable where local districts approve and applicable to state licensing where authorized. We always encourage teachers to check with their employer for acceptability of these credits. All participants are responsible to determine acceptability of these credits for their intended use.
It is under the discretion of individual universities as to whether or not they will accept some or all of these graduate-level professional development units towards attainment of specialty credentials or masters degrees with them.
Teachers are advised to verify with their school district or state licensing bureau acceptance of such graduate-level professional development semester units/credits prior to registration for unit credit.
Each district has different guidelines and deadlines for salary advancement and licensing requirements. We always encourage participants to familiarize themselves with their own policies prior to enrolling.
The credits offered are post-baccalaureate, graded, graduate-level semester credits, provided directly through the University of the Pacific.
They are specifically designed to meet the needs of Educators for Salary Advancement and Recertification, however participants are fully responsible for determining the acceptability of these courses for their intended use.
These courses are not applicable for a degree at Pacific but can be transferred at the discretion of your institution. An official transcript is available from Pacific upon successful completion of coursework. While it may be possible for the credits earned in these courses to be used for salary advancement and state licensing requirements, we do not provide assurance that any state licensing board or school district will accept these credits for those purposes. Individuals seeking credits for those purposes are advised to check with the appropriate agencies and gain approval prior to registering. Accredited by The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Yes. Yoga Alliance certification requires that you participate in all our core curriculum, consisting of Level 1, Level 2, Level 3; Three Online Courses (6 content hours each) addressing trauma, chair yoga, and special needs; Two Integration + Implementation programs that include curriculum development and a mentorship matching you with a teacher for personalized feedback.
We work with each teacher to adapt the mentorship to the demands of busy schedules. If you participate in live mentorship (usually greater NYC area only) we require 18 hours of class participation, and many people choose to attend once a week for two back to back classes, and complete the program in 9 weeks. Most folks participate in our web based mentor program, which takes 6-12 weeks based on your pace.
Yes. All of our School Yoga Project teachers are LFY certified, and we only hire teachers who have completed our training. Participation is not a guarantee of hire, but we are adding new school programs every semester and regularly need new teachers and subs in NY. We also receive regular requests for teachers around the country and do our best to refer those opportuntities to member teachers and training graduates.