A creative, trauma-sensitive on-demand course for yoga teachers, families and educators
with Melanie Cooper and Ayala Homossany
An on-demand course for yoga teachers, families, carers, and professionals.
In a world where children’s lives are often busy and full of stimulation, the need for simple practices that nurture calm, resilience, and inner peace has never been greater.
Enchanted Rest offers a simple, creative, and trauma-sensitive way to support calm, resilience, and connection.
Through videos, audio practices, and a comprehensive manual, you’ll learn how to share Yoga Nidra in a child-friendly, empowering way.
Accessible anytime, at your own pace
Launch date 21st September 2025
If you’d like us to let you know when it’s available join our list of interest by clicking the button below
Cost
Regular Price £150
VIP price £100
Use code ENCHANTED to get your VIP discount
(You can get the VIP price if you’ve done a course before with Melanie or Ayala)
This is a pre-recorded course aimed at anyone who cares for children up to the age of around 10 years old. It is inclusive and invitational and trauma sensitive.
You will receive
6 hours of pre-recorded video and audio content
A comprehensive science based manual (117 pages)
A shorter manual covering the basics (10 pages)
25 Pre-written scripts for all ages up to around 10 years old
Pre-recorded practices
Lots of ideas to help YOU be present and calm
Lots of ideas to help your child into the Nidra state
A certificate of completion
YACEP hours for Yoga Alliance US
We would love to answer any question you might have, so please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to ayala@ayalayoga.com or info@melaniecooper.co.uk. We hope to meet you on one of our courses.
Welcome to Enchanted Rest – Yoga Nidra for Children.
This course was born from our heartfelt wish to make the deeply healing and restorative practice of Yoga Nidra accessible to children. In a world where children’s lives are often busy and full of stimulation, the need for simple practices that nurture calm, resilience, and inner peace has never been greater.
Our hope is that Enchanted Rest will support parents, caregivers, educators, yoga teachers, and therapists in weaving the gentle practice of Yoga Nidra into the lives of children – meeting them where they are and helping them grow into their natural wellbeing.
Let this journey be one of kindness, creativity, and connection.
Our Story – How This Course Began
We first met at the Life Centre in Islington, London. Melanie was teaching early morning Ashtanga Yoga, and Ayala would arrive soon after to run the Parents and Toddlers yoga class.
One day, Melanie offered to stay on and assist Ayala with the session – and that was the beginning of a beautiful connection. For about a year, we shared yoga with parents, carers, and toddlers, exploring ways of bringing movement, stillness, and presence into everyday life.
Years later, our paths naturally came back together. We found ourselves in deep conversation about the growing need for rest, not only for children but also for the adults who support them. That’s where the idea for Enchanted Rest took root.
We began building the course in 2022, while COVID was still very present. Our first recording session took place in Cornwall by the sea, later continuing in North London. Over three years, through friendship, collaboration, and many conversations, this course came to life.
The Heart of Enchanted Rest
At the heart of Enchanted Rest lies co-creation. The practice itself is only one part – equally important is the way children and adults collaborate in shaping the Nidra together.
For the child, it is empowering: a tool they can carry with them through life, and one that may later inspire them to create their own Nidra.
For the adult, it becomes a gift of reciprocity: when you give, you also receive.
This spirit of connection and collaboration guided us in every step of creating this program.
Why We Chose the Name Enchanted Rest
It wasn’t until the end of our process that we realised what we had created was not simply a Yoga Nidra adapted for children, but a new way of offering Nidra.
We intentionally chose the word rest rather than sleep. While Yoga Nidra is often translated as “yogic sleep,” sleep can sometimes feel off-putting to children, who may resist it. Rest, on the other hand, is a gentle, welcoming invitation.
The word enchanted reflects the openness, imagination, and sense of wonder we hope to awaken. Together, Enchanted Rest offers children and families a simple yet profound way to pause, explore curiosity, and discover new ways of being at ease.
Because this is a trauma-sensitive program, the practices are always invitational – tapping into curiosity, imagination, and collaboration – so that children feel safe, empowered, and free to explore.
Who This Course Is For?
Enchanted Rest is designed for anyone who cares for or works with children:
Parents and grandparents
Carers and educators
Yoga teachers and therapists
Professionals in schools or therapeutic settings
Anyone interested in children’s wellbeing and resilience
No prior experience is needed – only openness and curiosity.
What’s Included in the Course
A comprehensive manual full of guidance, scripts, and trauma-sensitive practices
On-demand video modules you can watch anytime, at your own pace
Audio recordings of Enchanted Rest practices for children of different ages
Creative tools for preparing, guiding, and integrating rest into daily life
Tips for co-creating Nidra with children so the practice becomes empowering and enjoyable
Ongoing Support
As part of this course we offer you membership of our private Facebook group. This is a space where you can join our community, ask questions, share experiences and continue to learn.
Meet Your Teachers
Melanie Cooper
Melanie has been teaching yoga for nearly 30 years and Yoga Nidra to adults for most of that time. Over the past five years, she has also been training teachers in this deeply transformative practice.
Her journey with chronic fatigue and the changing rhythms of life has shaped an approach that is gentle, inclusive, and rooted in compassion. Melanie offers a space where each person is welcomed exactly as they are, with no judgement or expectation.
She believes Yoga Nidra is healing, adaptable, and able to meet the needs of each child and carer in every moment.
Ayala Homossany
Ayala’s journey with yoga began over two decades ago, rooted in a curiosity about how movement, breath, and rest can support children, teens, and families.
As a yoga therapist, children’s yoga teacher trainer, and visual communication designer, Ayala brings a creative, trauma-informed approach to everything she offers. Yoga Nidra has become a quiet thread running through her work, softening and surprising at every stage.
She is the creator of the Enchanted Wonders A to Z Cards and co-author of Yoga Therapy for Complex Trauma (Singing Dragon). She lives her work through co-regulation, imagination, and safety – always guided by the needs of the child in front of her.
Why Choose Enchanted Rest?
On-demand flexibility – access anytime, at your own pace
Creative and playful – engaging for children, practical for adults
Evidence-informed – rooted in trauma-sensitive yoga therapy
Heart-led – created with warmth, friendship, and care
Bring the gift of calm, creativity, and connection into your home, classroom, or therapy sessions.
Certification & Accreditation
Upon full participation, which means watching all the videos, you will receive an Enchanted Rest Certificate of Completion detailing CPD hours eligible as YACEP for Yoga Alliance US.
We would love to answer any question you might have, so please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to ayala@ayalayoga.com or info@melaniecooper.co.uk. We hope to meet you on one of our courses.
