The pandemic has been hard for everyone, but it’s especially challenging for kids, who need socialization and a way to channel their frustration and energy. For that reason, Mindful Play Yoga (MPY), which teaches mindfulness and yoga classes in Jersey City after-school programs, has been offering online group and private sessions for kids since March, and will offer a Zoom yoga series this fall.

“Kids and everyone they come in contact with benefit when they connect to their mind, body and emotions through yoga,” says MPY’s creator Jamie Wilson-Murray.

Children benefit several ways from taking Zoom yoga classes, Wilson-Murray says. While some students previously had to travel for classes, the virtual format is convenient and safe, and lets kids bring yoga into their homes to share with their families. Children also tend to be more “present” without in-person distractions.

“Yoga gives them an opportunity to express big feelings,” she says. “Creating mantras—like ‘Let us be free’—gives young yogis focus to process their emotions safely.”

With the pandemic still a concern, going back to school this fall won’t look the same, with traditional after-school programs, so MPY’s Zoom fall yoga series will help bridge the gap, Wilson-Murray says. “Cultivating connection with yogis through technology keeps the relationship strong and healthy.”