Smiling Monkey Yoga at the Center for Living Peace

At the Center for Living Peace, bright-orange mats unfurl amid orchids, grasses, and rays of sunlight in preparation for Smiling Monkey Yoga, in which kids unwind with deep breaths, joyful movements, and mind-centering exercises. To help kids build strength and flexibility, the studio's founders and teachers, Patrice Simon and Amy MacConnell, intersperse traditional yoga poses such as wheels, locusts, and trees with games that hone social skills and coordination. Deep inhalations and exhalations direct kids inward, where they unlock wisdom about themselves and their relationships with others. In addition to fueling self-exploration, these breaths can be applied in their daily lives to help them cope with conflict and defuse stressful encounters with teachers, bullies, or the Boogey Man and his big scary dog. Children aged 3 and younger may experience yoga during Baby and Me classes, where parents melt tension and forge friendships through a series of relaxing poses.