Families show gratitude to teacher-turned-business-owner offering yoga and mindfulness to young people
Families continue to show their gratitude to a former teacher turned business owner with a passion for offering yoga and mindfulness to young people aged two to 18 in Northampton.
The Little Yoga Company was launched by Sarah Willis in September 2024, with the aim of helping children connect to their bodies and with their peers through yoga.
Sarah’s aim is to help raise balanced, emotionally stable and healthy children into the world, having worked as a primary school teacher for 18 years before launching her business.
The founder does not believe the education system fully equips children to process the modern world, complex emotions and how to deal with them, which she strives to tackle with The Little Yoga Company.
Sarah has practiced yoga for the past 15 years ago and trained in mindfulness and child yoga over the two years before she left her former career as a teacher.
The child and teen yoga sessions are designed to help build resilience, emotional intelligence and understand how to process emotions.
The offering at The Little Yoga Company also includes one-to-ones with young people, and sessions with mums and their children – which is a big focus for Sarah moving forward.
Reflecting on the past six months since she last spoke to the Chronicle & Echo in March, Sarah said: “It’s been really lovely and I’ve gained a couple of extra schools.
“I’m diversifying and there’s lots coming for mums and daughters. It’s gorgeous meeting everybody and the business is growing steadily.”
After school clubs are “thriving” for the business and parents have seen the benefits at home. Young people are keen to share what they have learnt, including yoga poses, breathwork and how to process emotions.
“I’m seeing the highest number of rebookings than I ever have,” said Sarah. “Parents have also really loved the holiday clubs I’ve offered.
“There have been whole days of yoga, arts, crafts and dream boarding during the summer holidays. Children are calmer but motivated and enthusiastic, and parents show their gratitude.
“A couple of teens I’m working with – parents say they are starting to open up more about their thoughts and feelings. They can see the benefits of regular practice as their mindset changes and they are more open, calmer and balanced.”
Sarah’s proudest achievement of the year so far is the impact of her holiday clubs, and she believes children walk in one person and walk out somebody completely different.
“We live in a world where everything has to be go, go, go and our immune systems aren’t set up for that,” said Sarah. “We’re creating a future generation that needs technology and something else to keep fuelling them.
“These influences can be quite detrimental and when you allow children to be children, it gives them the opportunity to understand their bodies and emotions. With new techniques, the difference is phenomenal and it makes home life so much better for everybody.”
All of Sarah’s work aims to help everyone feel happier, more supported, nourished, valued and empowered.
Sarah is also passionate about encouraging bonding and connecting on a deeper level with mother and daughter yoga sessions. As she has a daughter herself, Sarah knows it can be a tricky but beautiful relationship to manage.
The business owner encourages everyone to keep an eye out on the development of this offering over the next six months, as there are exciting additions in the pipeline.