Kids Yoga?Your Child is Different from Every other Child.
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Kids doing yoga? Most parents feel the same way. But, when they see their kids doing better in school because of it, they become yoginis themselves. Yoga gives your children a centeredness. It opens their minds, instilling the know-how of listening to their bodies.
Kids yoga teaches them:
- Coordination and discipline
- To focus better on any given activity or task
- How to build strength and flexibility
- To take responsibility for their overall health
As you do the kids yoga poses, consider...
1. Where you feel stretching taking place vs. where you feel muscles strengthening?
2. Are you breathing through your mouth or your nose?
3. Are you listening to your body? Do you push through tight spots with a loud exhale? (Like you should). Do you know when to ease your way gently into a stretch?
4. Are you engaging your abdominals to stabilize you in balance poses? (Yes! Even 4 year olds can say "abdominals" and point to its location on their body after practicing kids yoga)
5. Are you keeping your focus on one thing or are you looking around?
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Go on...
...take 5 minutes and try the poses. Kids yoga benefits people young and old alike.
Now show your child the poses and have fun. First time through, have them learn the name of the kids yoga pose, then they’ll “see” what the pose FEELS like. Wal-lah. Kids practice focus, get some exercise, and also bond with you. Allow them to be the teachers after you have showed them the pose. The can verbally teach you as they show you (kids LOVE this!)1. Arrow
Technique: Stand with wide feet. Turn right foot 3 o'clock, left foot 12:00. Bend knee and make sure it's directly on top of ankle. Right elbow rests on right thigh and left arm reaches diagonally overhead. Fingers and thumbs together, eyes up to "watch the arrows leave the hand". Hold 3-5 breaths. Repeat on other side.
Benefit: Tones and improves every muscle in the body. Strengthens the vertebrae. Firms legs and muscles in the upper back.
2. Monkey Pose (from the front & side)
Technique: Kids stand feet together. Press belly against thighs forward. With fingertips on floor, kids look up trying to keep their back straight and their "tail" lifted high. Hold 3-5 breaths.
Benefit: Stretches lower back and backs of legs. Massages digestive organs and increases digestive fluids.
3. Warrior Pose
Technique: Same lower body angle as arrow. Kids straighten arms out parallel to the floor, palms down. Release shoulders down to their "back pockets" and continue to gain depth in the lunge while keeping their spine tall and lifted. Hold 3-5 breaths. Repeat on other side.
Benefit: Works on improving every muscle, tendon, and joint in the body. Firms thighs, hips, and buttocks. Revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues.
4. Tree Pose
Technique: Shift weight to one foot and keep it straight (no bending in the knee). Place other foot at the ankle, knee, or inner thigh. Arms raise up by the ears or in prayer position in front of the heart. Stand tall and press shoulders down to the earth. Hold 3-5 breaths. Repeat on other side.
Benefit: Improves posture, balance, and gives sense of poise. Increases strength in ankles and flexibility to the knees and hip joint.
5. Flower
Technique: Sit on the floor and pull the feet in towards the "tail", let the knees fall to the side. Hands reach in and under the legs, palms up.
Benefit: Kids balance on their "tails" forcing them to use their abdominals. Offers a sense of centeredness practicing balance and focus. Helps spinal flexion.
