Cynthia Margolis

CYKT Master Mentor

Cindy, Owner and Lead Instructor of Kids Yoga & Mindful Movement, is a Certified YogaKids Teacher and has an RYT-200 Power Yoga certification.  She has been teaching kids yoga classes since 2010.  She also has a MA degree in Early Childhood Special Education from University of St. Thomas and has been teaching at Wayzata Community Church Nursery School since 2004. Cindy has been an avid yoga practitioner since 2003 and in her spare time, plays golf and spends time with family and friends.

5 Questions for Cynthia!

What does yoga mean to you?

Yoga has been a game changer for me.  I started practicing yoga in 2003 as a form of exercise and am more into the fitness types of yoga (yoga with weights, hot yoga, power yoga).  I enjoy the meditative qualities as well and find that when I don’t practice I’m much more scattered and feel sluggish.

How has yoga (and YogaKids) changed your life?

Yoga has brought a sense of calm and well being into my life.  As a preschool teacher, I wanted to bring yoga into the classroom with the kids that I work with.  Going through the YogaKids certification program gave me the tools to start my own kids yoga business.

What life lessons have you learned from the kids you’ve taught?

Life lessons I’ve learned from teaching yoga to young children are patience and if something I’m doing isn’t working, change things up.  Always have a “Plan B” in your lessons.

What is your favorite YogaKids pose andy why? Your favorite Element?

My favorite YogaKids pose is Tarzan Thymus Tap.  I try to include that in all my classes as the kids really love it and it stirs up good energy.  My favorite Element is Reading Comes Alive with Yoga.  I enjoy looking at children’s books and figuring out how I can incorporate them into my yoga classes.

What is your biggest challenge as a YogaKids Teacher — and what resources help you with it?

The biggest challenge for me is behavior management.  Since I mostly teach ages 3-5, this age group has a very limited attention span.  I try to keep things moving at a fast pace and include lots of physical activities (obstacle courses, freeze & flow, movement songs) so the kids don’t get distracted. Sometimes figuring out what works with a certain child is like solving a puzzle. 

Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA