Side Hustle Series: Teach Yoga to Kids

One of the things I’m always stressing for scientists is how important it is to have a side hustle.

This will help supplement your income, because we all know that most science jobs pay you in peanuts and well-wishes (unless you can get a gig with Elon Musk; in which case taaaake me with youuuuu). It’ll also help bridge the gap if you lose your job due to stupid government restrictions or funding running out.

Today, I’d like to bring to you the perfect side hustle if you’re an active person who likes kids: the Pretzel Kids yoga program.

This program provides all the training you need to start up your own side business teaching yoga to kids. It’s completely flexible on your own terms, and while it is branded, it’s none of this silly MLM business. You run the business on your terms; Pretzel Kids only provides the training, and a membership support community if you choose.

I was curious to learn more about the Pretzel Kids program. I wanted to know how it works, who’s the ideal candidate, and what the training consists of. That’s why I invited Robyn Parets to come on and answer a bunch of questions about it. I hope you enjoy learning about this cool side hustle as much as I did!

How did you get involved with teaching yoga to children?

I started when my own boys were about 3 and 6 (they are now young adults!) At the time, I owned a yoga studio in suburban Boston (opened it in 2004 and sold it in 2016 to focus on Pretzel Kids).

I was asked to teach kids classes in the community. I learned a ton in those first classes. Although I taught adult yoga classes and worked with my own kids, teaching kids yoga to 10-20 kids was a whole different ballgame.

I couldn’t just teach the same way I taught adults yoga, so I spent a year creating a kids yoga curriculum that was applicable to ages 3 and up. That eventually became the Pretzel Kids yoga methodology and the basis of our teaching certification program for others wishing to teach Pretzel Kids yoga classes.

What are the benefits of teaching yoga to children?

• Improving strength and posture
• Enhancing flexibility and balance
• Improving coordination
• Developing stronger focus
• Learning to cope with school and emotional pressures
• Gaining an appreciation for health and fitness
• Sharing
• Becoming more accepting of others
• Learning to relax
• Developing breathing techniques
• Enhancing positive self-esteem
• Having Fun!!!

What kind of person would be an ideal candidate for the Pretzel Kids program? Do you need to have a very outgoing personality, for example, or be a yoga enthusiast yourself?

So, we specifically developed a certification course that anyone can take – so long as you want to teach kids yoga and like being around kids.

Knowing a bit about yoga is certainly helpful but not absolutely necessary. We teach you all the tools to structure and manage a class, as well as what should go into the actual class – such as breathing techniques, yoga games, meditations etc.

Our teachers come from all walks of life. Many of them are moms, school teachers, and fitness enthusiasts. Still others are college students, grandparents or nannies looking for a fun, affordable and meaningful way to earn extra money.

How does teaching yoga to children differ from teaching yoga to adults? Do the kids ever get bored, or unruly? (you can tell how much experience I have working with kids, haha)

Too funny. The fact that teaching kids is so different from teaching adults is the very reason why our Pretzel Kids training course was developed in the first place. A curriculum is absolutely necessary when teaching kids yoga classes.

For example, almost every school teacher walks into teach a 3rd grade class with a lesson plan for the day. Teaching Pretzel Kids yoga is no different. Whereas in an adult yoga class your students listen to you and they are there because they want to be, kids don’t always want to be in your kids yoga class. Other times, they are tired or out of sorts. So, a lesson plan really helps give them the structure and guidance they need to stay engaged.

How does a children’s yoga business model work? Do you need to invest in anything, such as yoga mats, blocks, insurance, or a studio rental? How do you market your business and find children to teach? How do you charge people?

To become a Pretzel Kids yoga teacher and start your own Pretzel Kids business, there are 2 main steps:

1) Take our certification course either live or online ($298 online – so super affordable).

2) Then, sign up for our membership community, thus becoming a licensed Pretzel Kids teacher.

This is brand new and gives our certified teachers a way to immediately build a business using our logos, branding, marketing power, and web platform. We also provide them with lesson plans, monthly themes, “Ask Me Anything” office hours, and business-in-a-box tools with guidance on everything from how much to charge for classes, to how to market yourself. to where to find jobs, to how much you can expect to earn. Our low introductory price is $19 a month and you simply can’t beat it as we give you a way to immediate launch a Pretzel Kids branded business with no additional start-up costs!

Think: Kiss those MLMs good-bye!

We do recommend that our teachers purchase liability insurance and we provide them with a 20% off discount code (works out to $125 a year). Beyond that, any other expenses are totally optional.

What are the biggest challenges in starting a children’s yoga business, and what tips do you have for people to overcome them? Do you provide any type of support for people after they’ve purchased your training program?

The biggest challenge is having a kids yoga curriculum that schools and other facilities can trust. This is why Pretzel Kids is in such high demand.

We’ve been around since 2005 and our program WORKS. Most of the time, independent adult yoga teachers have a hard time running successful kids yoga classes. So, taking a kids yoga training course is key. But from there, most newly trained kids yoga teachers don’t know how to start and grow a business or side hustle. Pretzel Kids addresses this need and provides our teachers with a kick-asana training and a business-in-a-box.

Our membership community provides ongoing resources, webinars, teaching tools, a way to find and get jobs, and more. So yes, our job is to help our licensed Pretzel Kids teachers succeed!

How much money can someone reasonable expect to make starting out? How about once they’ve established themselves after a couple of years or so?

We actually provide this information as part of our membership/licensing program. Without giving away the farm, a part-time teacher can easily earn $75,000 a year. Of course, this takes effort and hard work – not unlike any other type of new career. We love to see our Pretzel Kids teachers succeed!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Pretzel Kids has big plans for our teachers in the coming year. Those who join the membership program will be able to take advantage of a brand new website. This will include a way to get booked for classes, events, parties and more. Stay-tuned!

What was your biggest takeaway from the Pretzel Kids program? Do you think this is something you’d be interested in trying? Leave a comment below!