Today we’d like to introduce you to Jayme Vetz
Jayme, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was student teaching 1st grade in 2010, I wanted to give students life-skill tools to help them feel more empowered, so I decided to complete my first kid’s yoga training in Park City, Utah. This training inspired me to bring these resources into the classroom to help students improve their overall well-being. My mentor teacher at the time saw how excited I was about using yoga and mindfulness tools, and she arranged for me to teach 1st-4th graders yoga in the mornings before school started. Shortly after completing my student teaching, I began teaching kindergarten in a public school classroom, which led to seven years of teaching kindergarten in Nevada and Idaho. I wanted students to enjoy their learning experiences in the classroom, and I thought it would be beneficial to teach them small amounts of yoga, movement, and mindfulness interspersed with the grade-level curriculum. I incorporated mini-yoga lessons into my instruction by telling stories or reading books that I could connect to playful yoga poses. Adding the movement component into my instruction enhanced students’ interest in the content. I would teach students different breathing techniques and fun mindfulness games to ground their bodies so they could experience the benefits of these valuable practices in the hope that they would someday use these mindfulness tools as part of their daily routines. In 2018, my husband and I moved to Utah for family reasons, and we had our oldest daughter. I decided not to return to teaching in the classroom to spend more time with my daughter. After having my youngest daughter in 2020, I soon realized the importance of incorporating daily mindfulness and yoga techniques into my life to show up as my best self for myself, my family, and the community. I started teaching kids yoga ages 6-10 at Mountain Yoga Sandy in 2021. In 2022, I completed my RYT 200 through Mountain Yoga Sandy and my RCYT through Yoginos: Yoga for Youth. Since then, I have taught mindfulness and yoga practices in preschools, daycares, library branches, autism academy centers, recreation centers, homes, parks, and yoga studios. I established Emerald Kids Yoga in June 2024 to help children and families gain awareness of the connection between their mind, body, and breath while creating spaces for them to feel seen, valued, and empowered.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Many people who reside in Utah are familiar with adult yoga, but kids yoga is a relatively new and unique activity that many folks have yet to learn about. Therefore, marketing Emerald Kids Yoga will be a constant job until more people know about the existence and benefits of kids yoga and mindfulness practices. One of the biggest struggles with teaching kids yoga is the need for more time and money to host classes in different schools and locations throughout the community. Most U.S. public schools have yet to add yoga to the public education curriculum for students despite all the benefits of regular yoga and mindfulness practices. School educators do far more than what shows up in their job descriptions, and many classrooms are filled with busy-bodied students who sometimes struggle with regulating their emotions and completing their schoolwork. In addition to teaching students how to be kind, compassionate, and solve problems, school teachers worry about fitting the curriculum into an overloaded schedule. Emerald Kids Yoga is here to support students in the classroom setting and teachers in managing the everyday stress of their jobs and learning about actionable mindfulness and yoga tools that they can use quickly and effectively in their classrooms. Emerald Kids Yoga is also here to support families and children in the community so they can find joy and value in mindfulness and yoga practices on and off the yoga mat.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a certified elementary school teacher, secondary health teacher, yoga teacher, and kids yoga teacher who completed a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. My background as a certified elementary teacher and diverse teaching experiences sets me apart from other yoga teachers. I have experience managing and engaging large classrooms with thirty-plus students and small group sizes. Also, I enjoy creating an inclusive environment that is mindful of different learning styles, strengths, and cultures, and I have experience teaching special needs students while coordinating IEPs. I’m known for possessing a calm demeanor and a positive “can do” attitude towards all tasks. I also have a passion and high energy for learning that is passed on to students, parents, and teachers across the community. I am proud that Emerald Kids Yoga is bringing wisdom to children and families in fun, creative ways that help them feel seen, valued, and empowered while building toolboxes for peace and self-regulation.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I started doing Olympic-distance triathlons with my mom when I was eleven. One of my favorite memories was getting up at 5:30 AM and meeting friends to swim a mile in the Snake River. I loved the smell of the water, how refreshed I felt when getting out of the river, and the sense of community when completing something challenging together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emeraldkidsyoga.com
- Instagram: @emeraldkidsyoga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldkidsyoga
