5th Anniversary Summer Excitement!

I am so excited about this summer season of yoga offerings through the City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation. First off, I am celebrating my 5th year with the City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation. I have had the privilege of teaching prenatal yoga through this wonderful community center since 2010, and this would not be possible without all of the wonderful students who have joined us throughout the years. Thank you so very much for your patronage, your referrals, and your beautiful practice!

To celebrate this 5th anniversary, I have several special announcements with regards to this season’s classes.

Toddler/Preschool Family Yoga

First off, Toddler/Preschool Family Yoga is back! It’s been on hiatus for the past two years, and I am thrilled to be offering it through the Parks and Recreation. A few items to note:

• Classes are held once a month: This is on purpose, so that busy families can fit a family yoga class into their summer schedule. It is held on the second Saturday of the month. 
• The first class is on May 9th. Are you signed up yet? Here are 5 EZ Ways to sign up for classes. 
• Class price is per family: yes, that’s right! Per family. $14 drop-in or $43 for all FOUR classes. Remember they are once a month, so this covers you through August! 
• Family: You might ask “what constitutes a family for registration purposes?” Well, exactly what that means a family. Better yet – your family! A typical family is two parents, a toddler/preschooler, and an older or younger sibling, but your family is your family. Perhaps, grandma wants to come or you have four kiddos – bring them! You just need to register your toddler/preschooler through ActiveNet.    

Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga

Prenatal Yoga got a bit of a title overhaul. We have officially expanded our yoga offerings to include postnatal yoga. I have always welcomed postnatal mamas to join class and this makes it official. In addition here are a few things to note:

• Partners/birth providers: register together, and they will receive a 20% discount on their enrollment package. It is beautiful way for partners to actively engage with the expectant mama. This offer extends to the expectant mama’s birth providers, and includes doulas, midwives, etc.
• Punch card: the city is now providing an opportunity for a five-class punch card. This replaces the drop-in format, but gives students the opportunity to come to classes whenever it works for their schedule. The punch card does expire at the end of the summer (8/31/15). 
• Six-week sessions: this year’s summer sessions are in a six-week format, unlike this past season’s five-week format. I point this out because the total cost per session is a bit more due to the extra class. The price-per-class remains the same.
• Specials: On the newly updated webpage, specials are indicated under the classes, so that students can navigate the various opportunities that that city allows like the “First class FREE!” 

Well, that’s just been a mouthful of great yogic fun to rock the summer. I hope you love all the additions and changes to the classes. The Parks and Recreation’s summer season kicks off on May 1st, and runs through August 31st, and there are 5 EZ ways to sign up for class.

It’s always been a privilege and honor to work with each and every one of you, so thank you for five wonderful years.

Lisa

5 Easy Ways to Register for Classes

The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation has created 5 Easy Ways to register for enrichment classes. 

1. ONLINE: at www.san-marcos.net/register Online registration is available 24 hours a day for most programs. First time registrants will need to create a log-in. 

2. IN-PERSON: Visit the Community Center at 3 Civic Center Drive, Monday through Friday from 8:00AM – 7:00PM. 

3. FAX: Fax to 760-752-1328. Registration form can be found at www.san-marcos.net/classes. 

4. EMAIL: Email to sanmarcosrec@san-marcos.net. Registration form can be found at www.san-marcos.net/classes. 

5. MAIL: mail to City of San Marcos, 3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos CA 92069. Registration form can be found at www.san-marcos.net/classes. 

Processing fees are included in all advertised class prices. These non-refundable fees apply to online and in-office transactions. 

My Daddy is a Pretzel - book recap

I purchased this book to read to my toddler yogis as a follow up to the yoga pretzel cards made by the same publisher. I like to read this book in yoga class when I have mostly preschool aged children (3-5 yrs). The pace and tempo of this book is much more in line with the 3-5 year olds rather than the younger toddlers. There are several sentences per page before the pose instruction, and requires a patient child who can sit for a bit between poses.

That being said, I love this book! I love having a yoga book that isn’t to babyish for the preschoolers. It is sweet how it uses parent occupations and then relates it to yoga. The book is written in the voice of a child whose father is a yogi. For instance, one parent is an oceanographer, but this child’s parent is a fish. The book, then, demonstrates step by step on how to do a fish pose. Brilliant!

This is a great book for teachers and is a great book for parents to read to their children. I love sharing this with my little one. The yoga pretzel cards (future post coming) compliment this book and as a teacher I use them both in class.

Sleepy Little Yoga - toddler yoga book recap

This is my second favorite toddler yoga book. It is the follow up to Little Yoga: a toddler's first book of yoga by Rebecca Whitford. She follows the same format as the first book making it accessible for the youngest of yogis and easily read by their parents. Sleep Little Yoga has yoga poses geared for nighttime needs, and, yes, there are yoga poses to help us sleep at night. Whitford always incorporates breathing poses into her books, which is the key element to yoga!

I use this book in my toddler yoga class with lots of success, and the families always enjoy it. My daughter absolutely loved it for bedtime reading. Again this book is on the affordable side, but it is difficult to find locally in a bookstore. Buy both of the books as a gift set with a toddler yoga mat, and you have a little yogi in the making.  Enjoy!

Yoga Teapot

No toddler/family yoga on Jan 29. In its place is this fun video. Enjoy.

This video is of a young yogi who took class the day before this video was taken. She retained both the sun saluation and the teapot triangle pose even though she spent most of the class running around. There is even a small expression of tree, too. The lesson is that the toddlers do take away from yoga class even if the don't paricipate during class. BTW-this is my child.

Help Support K-12 Arts Program

Center Artes-Storytime Fundraiser
Barnes and Noble, Oceanside
December 11 & 12
FREE

Center Artes, a K-12 arts program, is hosting a childrens storytime all day December 11 & 12 at Barnes and Noble Oceanside. They will earn a percentage of the weekend's sales, so come out and do some holiday shopping while supporting this great program.

FREE Toddler Yoga Demo: Dec 11 at 12:30 PM
I will be reading a book and hosting a toddler yoga demonstration for Center Artes. Come and join me! 

Family Yoga Schedule Change

The class scheduled for October 23 has been rescheduled for October 30.

Next 3-week session begins on November 6.

Free Yoga October 16

Babies in Bloom is hosting a Birth and Baby Fair this Saturday, October 16, and I will be hosting the Toddler/Family Yoga class at 10:15 AM for FREE! There will be several other free classes offered that day as well as lots of giveaways. Come and join us for this awesome event!

Daily Insight -- Family Meditation

Ever thought about a meditative practice? While not make it a family affair? This article is a great resource to begin a family meditative practice. Enjoy the calming effects of mediation with your family! Daily Insight -- Family Meditation

Help Your Children Chill Out

Help Your Children Chill Out
I found this article from Tri-City Hospital's wellness library, and it really spoke to me. I hope you find it as enlightening as I did, and can help with your own parenting. Specifically, reminding parents to incorporate active play into their everyday lifestyle. Enjoy!

Daily Insight -- A Family Affair

credit: mkp images

Daily Insight -- A Family Affair: Yoga Journal provides these daily insights into yoga and how you can bring them into your everyday practice. This article talks about making yoga a family affair. They note how parents should encourage breathwork and to check in with your child during the practice. There is also a link for a home practice for parent and child. Enjoy!

Toddler Yoga/Family Yoga Fall Schedule

I am excited to announce that the Fall Schedule for the Toddler Yoga/Family Yoga is now set! There are two 3-week sessions that are being offered.

Session 1: September 18, October 2 & 9, 2010
Session 2: November 6, 13, & 20, 2010

Please visit the Toddler/Family Yoga page for complete information! I look forward to seeing you and your family on the mat!

Great Toddler Yoga Book!

Little Yoga: A toddler's first book of yoga is by far my most favorite book to use when I teach my Toddler/Family yoga class. It has wonderful illustrations, simple descriptions, and toddlers love it! My daughter loves to have me read it to her at bedtime, and my students are always excited to try the poses. It is by far my best tool in my yoga class.

This book is hard to find in stores, and the parents from my class are always asking about it. Here is a link to amazon and it qualifies for free shipping! It is an affordable book that is a great way to introduce yoga to your family. No yoga experience necessary to enjoy!

7/31 Toddler Yoga; Summer Session 2 still room!

I am confirming that we will have class this Saturday, July 31 and next Saturday August 7 for those families who would like to drop-in or use their Flex plan. Please confirm your attendance no later than Friday evening of each week. This helps me plan accordingly for the class.

Summer Session 2 still has room if your family would like to attend all three classes. See my toddler page for registration information.

I hope you have had a wonderful week and your little yogi is discovering the world with you!

No Toddler-Family Yoga 7/17

We will not be hosting class this coming Saturday, July 17 as part of our regularly scheduled 'dark days.' This allows Rochelle at Babies In Bloom to have special events. This weekend they will be hosting Birth Stories Event with Natural Baby Pros. 

Classes resume again on July 24 and we are now offering 3 week sessions. Sign up early for the next session!

Now Enrolling Summer Sessions

NOW ENROLLING Toddler Family Yoga
Summer Special $40 (reg. $45)*
Session 1: July 24, July 31 & Aug 7, 2010
Session 2: Aug 21, Aug 28 & Sep 4, 2010

Come meet other like-minded parents and toddlers (ages 18 mos-5 years).
For registration information:
Visit the Toddler Family Yoga page on this blog.

No Toddler/Family Yoga 6/19

Toddler/Family Yoga class on June 19, 2010 has been cancelled.

The class will resume on June 26, 2010. Thank you!

Two Great Events This Weekend: Jun 5 & 6

June 5, 2010: is the Escondido's Children's Museum's Flapjack Fundraiser from 8:00-10:00AM at Applebee's. $5 of each $10 ticket goes directly to the museum. My friend and ECM board member is selling tickets, so please email me if you would like to support this wonderful event. My family and I will be attending, and then working it off at Toddler/Family Yoga at 10:30AM at Babies in Bloom.

June 6, 2010: is the Open House event hosted by Yoga Branch Studios and the Shadowridge Jazzercise. This event will be hosting free classes and demonstrations ALL DAY from 7:00AM:00PM. Bring your family and friends-there is a class for everyone!

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
7:00 am BODY SCULPTING Heidi
8:00 am JAZZERCISE Heidi
9:00 am INTRO. TO YOGA Kathleen

10:30 am RAW FOOD presentation

12:00 pm FAMILY YOGA—kids up to 5yrs Lisa B.

1:00 pm YOGA FOR ATHLETES Monica

2:30 pm RESTORATIVE YOGA Debra

4:30 pm JAZZERCISE TBD

5:30 pm BEGINNERS ACTIVE YOGA Lisa B.

6:45pm CHAI TEA RECEPTION
NOTE: All of the Jazzercise classes are one hour. All yoga classes/events are 1 hour & 15 minutes with a 15-minute gap between most classes/events.

I hope to see you this weekend!

No Class May 22

This is a reminder that there is no Toddler/Family Yoga this coming Saturday, May 22. This happens every 6-8 weeks to allow Rochelle at Babies In Bloom time and space to host special events. I think this weekend is the Ju Ju Be trunk show. I have and love my Ju Ju Be diaper backpack, so this will be a great event to attend.

Yoga Begins on May 29
This is a reminder that Toddler/Family Yoga will be held on Saturday, May 29 (Memorial Day Weekend). I have three families who have confirmed attendance, so please let me know if you plan to attend.

Regular Class Schedule Returns

This is a reminder that my regular class schedule has returned. Please see the schedule listed above and note that there is no Toddler/Family Yoga on May 22.

I look forward to seeing you on the mat!