Here’s a sneak peak of the video:

The band members are a close-knit group of friends, and one summer they were all camp counselors together at Gywnn Valley Camp. What came out of this experience was a wonderful CD filled with children’s camp songs and their voices. I use it all the time in my yoga classes, and my students love it. So will yours!

Songs include:

1 Good Morning, Gwynn Valley
2 It’s a Beautiful Day
3 Don Gato
4 Love Grows One-by-One
5 Circle Song #1
6 Alice the Camel
7 Circular Circus
8 Inch by Inch / Garden Song
9 If All the Raindrops
10 Automobile
11 Simple Joys
12 Goin’ Back to Carolina
13 Turn the World Around
14 Linger
15 Irish Blessing
16 Sheep May Softly Graze

For several reasons… First, red is my favorite color, and these mats are a beautiful, rich, deep color of red. Also, red is the color of the first energy center (or “chakra”) in the body, and it is associated with groundedness and safety. I believe these red yoga mats create safe spaces for children to explore yoga. Finally, RedYogaMat.com is a “one-woman show”, so I’m starting off small with a few high quality items with the hopes of expanding soon.

Why do you sell Jade Harmony mats?

These mats are fantastic for lots of reasons:

1. They are made in the USA!
2. They are made of natural rubber (not synthetic rubber OR PVC).
3. They are non-slip.
4. They are cushy.
5. Jade Harmony plants a tree for every yoga mat sold through Trees for the Future.

Kira Willey is my absolute favorite kids yoga music, and I’m certain it will be your too! Each song is written with yoga poses in mind, and the CD booklet includes pictures of the poses that go along with each song. There are two versions of each song, one with just music, and one with instructional cues from Kira teaching in a yoga class. The style of music ranges from jazz to doowop, tribal to bluegrass. Kids love these songs, and you will too! Songs include:

1 Dance For the Sun
2 Let’s Go to Work
3 Black Dog in the River
4 The Shimmy
5 The Dancing Mountain
6 Midnight Moonlight
7 Caterpillar Caterpillar
8 Big Brown Bear
9 Colors
10 Surfer Mama
11 The Sound I Found
12 Making Pie
13 Namaste Song
14 Banile
15 Welcome to Fireflies
16 Dance For the Sun (yoga track)
17 Let’s Go to Work (yoga track)
18 Black Dog in the River (yoga track)
19 The Shimmy (yoga track)
20 The Dancing Mountain (yoga track)
21 Midnight Moonlight (yoga track)
22 Caterpillar Caterpillar (yoga track)
23 Big Brown Bear (yoga track)
24 Colors (yoga track)
25 Surfer Mama (yoga track)
26 The Sound I Found (yoga track)
27 Making Pie (yoga track)
28 Namaste Song (yoga track)
29 Peace & Joy

Here’s a review I wrote for this CD for YogaKids International in June 2007:

I have a confession to make. For the last few months I’ve been driving around in my car listening to a children’s CD and singing my heart out. I don’t have kids, and there haven’t been any kids in the car, but I still can’t stop listening to this CD, Dance for the Sun: Yoga Songs for Kids by Kira Willey. I’m addicted to Kira’s beautiful voice and various music styles, which include: jazz, bluegrass, acoustic guitar, and even African tribal drums.

I highly recommend Dance for the Sun because all the songs were specifically written for children’s yoga classes! The CD includes 13 great songs you can use in your classes, and some of them have kids singing backup vocals. While most are geared for younger kids, some are definitely appropriate for older kids (and adults too!). The second half of the CD, “Fireflies Live,” is a recording of Kira teaching yoga to each of the songs. This section of the CD is wonderful to listen to because you can hear exactly how she cues the poses along with the music and you can hear reactions from the kids. It is also inspiring to hear how joyfully she teaches. The CD includes an instructional booklet with the lyrics and pictures of the yoga poses to do along with the music. I would suggest purchasing the CD (instead of the digital version on iTunes) so that you receive this booklet that comes along with the CD.

Here are some of the songs and how I’ve used them in classes. Have fun!

Songs and Descriptions:

Dance For the Sun

A song about Sun Salutations. Gives you time to free dance, and then walks through all the poses in a Sun Salutations.

Let’s Go to Work

A catchy little song about going to work with mom and dad. Fun to use Driving My Car, Train, and Chair Pose sitting at a desk.

Black Dog in the River

A blues song about a dog that loves to swim in a river. Fun to act out being the dog, throwing sticks to the dog, swimming in the water, etc.

The Shimmy

A fun song with a great drum beat and a great rhyme that leads you through stretches.

The Dancing Mountain

An instrumental bluegrass song that could be used for lots of different things. Fun to use for Freeze and Flow or as a Dancing Mountain using the choreography in the booklet.

Midnight Moonlight

Jazzy song about dancing in the moonlight. You can use Crescent Moon, Half Moon Pose, Owl, Moon Salutations.

Caterpillar Caterpillar

This song has been stuck in my head for weeks! Fun song for Worm, Locust, Snake, and any other poses where you lie on your belly.

Big Brown Bear

Cute song. I use the choreography in the booklet, which includes a walking downward dog (bear walking).

Colors

A beautiful song about being different colors and their associated emotions. Could be used with My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss. I put this song on when we color (Mandalas, drawing what you visualized, etc.). Would be great for a Chakra theme. (And I’m listening to it right now as I write!)

Surfer Mama

Fun song about a Mom who surfs. I use it for Warrior II “surfing.” Would be great for a Mother’s Day theme.

The Sound I Found

A song about different animals and the sounds that they make. Lion, Bumblebee, Cobra are all poses to use with this song.

Making Pie

A fun song about how an apple begins as a seed. Growing from seed to Tree. Cooking a pie. Fun to use with How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World.

Namaste Song

A beautiful song about “Namaste”. Very simple and sweet with only a guitar.