Methodology

Seattle Kids Yoga classes are inclusive, developmentally-appropriate, child-directed, educational, and filled with the sound 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 is a former school-based occupational therapist, a longtime trainer of Kids Yoga teachers, and the author of Yoga for Little Kids and KIDS YOGA: A Complete Practice. A lover of all things yoga and mindfulness, she has been teaching yoga to children and families since 2002 and is widely regarded as a leader in the Kids Yoga industry.

Nicole began teaching yoga to children as a brand-new OT at a Special Education Collaborative in Massachusetts. After moving to Seattle in 2004, her work expanded beyond therapy sessions into studio and school classes, summer camps, Family Yoga retreats in Costa Rica and Hawaii, teacher trainings, and international travel to share her knowledge. In 2014, she transitioned out of her OT role with Seattle Public Schools to focus on increasing access to Kids Yoga in schools and communities.

In 2018, Nicole founded Seattle Kids Yoga, building upon her long-established Kids Yoga programs. She now manages SKY classes and a team of instructors, facilitates SKY Teacher Trainings, mentors and coaches Kids Yoga teachers, and continues to teach weekly classes. Nicole approaches each class as an opportunity for shared growth, not just for children and families, but for herself as well. Children remain her greatest source of inspiration, continually guiding her with their insightfulness, creativity, and ability to live fully in the moment.