Yoga Littles, big impact: Mark Robinson’s mission to build mindful kids

Your child doesn't have to be a yogi or athlete to enjoy PCYC's Yoga Littles class with Mark, just open to a non-competitive and creative experience of mindfulness, flexibility, and movement. Photo: Park City Yoga Collective.

PARK CITY, Utah — For 21 years now, Mark Robinson has practiced yoga. Father of four- and six-year-old boys, the Yoga Littles instructor admitted that part of the reason he wanted to teach was to spend more time with his sons. The Littles Yoga class at Park City Yoga Collective is for kids of any and all levels, 5-12 years old, designed for fun with age-appropriate games, stories, animal sounds and creativity. The Yoga Littles class is held every Friday at 1 p.m. on PCYC’s B-Side, while in the Hot Room, there is a 1 p.m. Hot Power, perfect for a simultaneous adult and child class.

Like sneaking vegetables into your children’s meals, Robinson sneaks in skills that have life-long benefits.

“Breath is probably the most important one you can learn, because if you’re anxious, you can breathe. If you’re mad, you can breathe. If you’re sad, you can breathe. Having and developing small skills like breath are so valuable. Yoga is one of the many tools we can use in life.”

Whether your child is into jiu jitsu or skateboarding, yoga can increase fine motor control, reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus, and help regulate emotions. “Name me a sport where you don’t need good balance,” he asked.

“The children like the fact that we structure the classes so they’re fun number one. And then number two, what can we learn? I’m trying to give them one extra skill, so when their brother or sister, mom or dad is frustrated or happy or whatever, they’re grounded in reality.”

Robinson’s approach to class with young kids is not to take anything, especially yoga, too seriously. He structures classes in ten 5-minute sections to capitalize on students’ attention spans. The first section is always breath-work, followed by moves and poses, and bookended by breath-work and a story. He spoke of not adhering to specific plans because, as those familiar with children know, you just have to go with the flow.

“I did my yoga teacher training in 2022 but I had no desire really to teach until I met Jenn [Armstrong-Solomon],” Robinson said. “She was just terrific for me. In the 200 hour yoga teacher training, she gave me another layer to ground myself and think what’s next to develop personally, yoga was secondary. I hope that I can teach that to other children as well. Because I’m a better dad for it, I’m a better teacher, skier, brother and son for it.”

In a previous life, Robinson was a medical executive working in endoscopy. His work took him around the world to Australia, Asia and South America. Now, he is busy teaching Yoga Littles, coaching his sons in soccer, coaching skiing, school pick-ups and drop-offs, and managing his company, Powder Hounds Coffee.

“I have to prelude that, I have a partner that has let me build my coffee company, teach yoga, and raise our sons. She got promoted and I said, why don’t step back and I’ll help raise the children more, and you go dominate the world that you’re obviously incredible at doing.”

Your child doesn’t have to be a yogi or athlete to enjoy PCYC’s Yoga Littles class with Mark, just open to a non-competitive and creative experience of mindfulness, flexibility, and movement.

Meet Powder Hounds Coffee, the new Park City-brand for skiers, by skiers