Methodology

Seattle Kids Yoga classes are inclusive, developmentally-appropriate, child-directed, educational, and filled with a lot of laughter! In addition to yoga and mindfulness, we use music, books, creative movement, educational facts, props, and non-competitive games to make the experience relatable and enjoyable for children. Seattle Kids Yoga teachers are committed to upholding the traditional cultural aspects of a yoga practice while making it accessible for all children.

Mission

Our mission is to bring joy, inspiration, personal power, and awareness of oneself and others into children’s lives through yoga and mindfulness. We believe in planting the seeds of yoga and mindfulness at an early age so that they can grow into a lifelong practice. Seattle Kids Yoga is committed to diversity, equity, inclusivity, and anti-racism in our classes, trainings, staff, curriculum, business practices, and in the children’s yoga community as a whole.

Vision

Our vision is that children of all races, abilities, socioeconomic classes, genders, orientations, and backgrounds have access to yoga and mindfulness.

Values

Our core values are inclusivity, playfulness, creativity, collaboration, and professionalism. These 5 qualities are the foundation of everything we do, from teaching to hiring to communicating to decision-making to marketing. This is what you can expect from us and what we will always do our best to deliver.

About Nicole Koleshis (she/her), OTR/L
SKY Founder & Director

Nicole has been teaching yoga to children for two decades, as well as inspiring and educating others on their Kids Yoga teaching path. Her Kids Yoga teaching journey began in 2002 when she was brand-new Occupational Therapist working at a Special Education Collaborative north of Boston. Inspired by her personal yoga practice, Nicole began to explore bringing yoga into her therapy sessions. In 2004 Nicole moved to Seattle and began working for Seattle Public Schools, she was delighted by the overall increased receptiveness and knowledge of Kids Yoga on the west coast and yoga became her go-to OT intervention strategy. From 1:1 sessions to teaching entire classrooms to incorporating yoga poses and breathing exercises into sensory diets to staff in-services to Kids Yoga Summer Camps to teaching at local yoga studios (shoutout to Lotus Yoga, Shakti, Kula Movement, Be Luminous, and many other beloved Seattle yoga studios), Nicole expanded her offerings as she furthered her personal yoga education, eventually starting her own Kids Yoga business.

Through the practice of yoga and mindfulness, children receiving OT services from Nicole showed significant motor skill and sensory integration progress, increased confidence and regulation, the ability to relax, and most importantly, they had fun. There was laughter, joy, the creation of hilarious poses, and the funniest comments, such as “Even though yoga with Nicole doesn’t make me go back to class like a wet noodle or a pair of pants with no one in them, her yoga is great!” - Thomas, age 9. Many of the children on her caseload thought of her more as their yoga teacher than their OT. It is easily said that sharing yoga in the public education setting was the highlight of Nicole’s 12 year career as a pediatric school-based OT.

Since 2002, Nicole has taught yoga and mindfulness to thousands of children and families, facilitated teacher trainings in the US and internationally, led family yoga retreats in Costa Rica and Hawaii, developed courses, wrote curriculum, including hundreds of lesson plans; and recently authored Yoga for Little Kids.

Nicole is committed to honoring the roots of yoga and making it accessible, relatable, and enjoyable for all children. She views each class not only as a fun and growth opportunity for children and families, but also for herself as a teacher and human being. Children are her greatest source of inspiration and learning, and she is endlessly guided by their insightfulness, creativity, and ability to live in the moment.