I hope to give you some clear pointers of what it can be like to bring a child to the camp. I set up these camps because I wanted somewhere clear and wonderful to bring my children so we could enjoy living yoga together. I have two boys and a girl and the joy for them at the camps is the children’s world they create with their friends at the camp. They enjoy the organised activities for kids, and sometimes I accompany them to these, but most of the time they have created their own special world and we just meet up for meals and devotional song or if and when we need to. They come and find me as and when in the yoga sessions if I am teaching or learning.

With children at the camp, there are some variables, and some not-so variables:

• • Your child is ultimately your responsibility at all times.
  • We do not offer creche or childcare facilities
  • We do offer classes where you and your children can do yoga together – family class each day, laughter yoga, and art workshops etc.
  • We also offer children’s yoga classes scheduled at the same time as adult yoga classes, often in neighbouring structures so lots of parents find if there child enjoys the class for the kids, at the same time they can enjoy the adult class.
  • We also offer arts and crafts activities in the afternoons and many parents find that if school age children are enjoying these sessions, then the parents can enjoy their own yoga in the neighbouring tents.
  • We also have a very pro family friendly feel so loads of people make friends with each other and take turns to mind the children – e,g by joining in with the kids activities while their parents go to the class – this seems to work very well
  • We create a very safe space for children so that we find on the whole site many children enjoy to play outside the yoga tents or to help out with the crew’s work (e.g in the welcome tent, or at the water facilities while their parents are doing yoga). So long as the child is happily occupied and knows exactly where their parent is if they need them then this works out very nicely for everyone – and the children get freedom to play, whilst being ‘held’ in a conscious space by the wider community of grown ups around.

In practice, we find that the parents and children who feel that they all get to enjoy what they like doing most are the ones where the children either bring along a friend to play with, or make friends at the camp and the parents also make friends with other parents and share responsibility for minding the children. Also there are lots of events you can enjoy together like the singing at the fire, the laughter yoga and the art workshops. Many teachers are also parents and/or experienced kids yoga teachers so are happy to admit children to any of the sessions on the schedule – so that’s an informal way to join the adult classes too. Please be sure to check with the teacher first.