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Review

    (written for Parentography LLC, http://www.parentography.com/ - site no longer online)

    Yoga: Ohms for the Family

    Nestled among the trees in the San Francisco Presidio, the It's Yoga Kids studio is a unique destination for busy city parents looking to relax and have fun with their kids. Opened in 2006, the studio is designed specifically for families and offers a wide range of classes including: family yoga; pre- and post-natal yoga; toddler yoga; preschooler yoga; teen yoga; and special needs yoga.

    Each class develops the mind and body -- breathing, strength, balance, and concentration -- using a format which encourages fun and creativity. In our class, "Itsy Bitsy Yoga" -- a class for one child (age 2 - 4) with one parent -- we sang a welcome song and practiced breathing, explored animal poses like "cat", "cow" and "fish", and pretended to be a "mountain", "tree", "boat", and other fun things. Each 45-minute session ended with the two of us relaxing on a yoga bolster while the teacher read a story book. From start to finish, it was a truly engaging session every time.

    Space-wise, the It's Yoga Studio is small compared to a health club but a decent size for a yoga space. The majority of their footage went to the sleek, bamboo-floored classroom, which sports high ceilings and abundant natural light. The waiting area is small, but has cubbies for storing your gear and enough *clean* toys and books to keep your kids entertained for hours.

    Class registration is easy. Just sign up with a credit card over the phone. The studio will follow-up with an email receipt. Be prepared to purchase a child membership in order to enroll her in classes, currently $50 per child, for life (comes with a kid size It's Yoga Kids t-shirt and yoga mat).

    Lastly, the staff was courteous, open, and showed a genuine love for their work. If that isn't enough to convince you to check it out, then consider the ample parking right in front of the building (credit card meters, $1.00 / hr). Rejuvenating yoga classes and stress-free parking -- now that's a great find in San Francisco.

    It's Yoga Kids
    569 Ruger Street
    The Presidio
    San Francisco, CA
    415-561-0900
    http://www.itsyoga.com/kids/index.html

    Stars: 4 out of 5 / Price: moderate

copyright

    Review of It's Yoga Kids, "Yoga: Ohms for the Family," copyright 2007, Anne L. Francis. All Rights Reserved.