Guest Post: Children’s Yoga Practice

Get Active Challenge: Yoga Practice by Sunny Skies Yoga owner/director Elizabeth Kocan

When people hear that I teach yoga to children, I get all kinds of responses! A yoga class that is designed for kids does not have the same look and feel of an adult class. Kids like to play, as well as be expressive and inventive. So, I invite you to accept today’s Get Active Challenge and try a short “child-centered” yoga practice with your kids. Before you begin, remind yourself that this is a time to enjoy being creative with your child(ren). Strive for fun, not perfection. Also, be ready to practice with them—doing the poses together will be fun for everyone.

Begin with downward facing dog. Have your child start on his/her hands and knees; turn the toes under; push the hips toward the ceiling and straighten the legs. From here you can hold the pose (count to 3); you can encourage your child to sound like a dog; to walk around the room in the pose—if you are walking, mix it up and have them freeze or change directions; have the kids crawl under your downward dog. When everyone is done with the pose, bend the knees and place the hands and knees on the mat/floor.

Frog pose. Keeping your hands and knees on the floor, turn the toes under. Push off of the knees and step the feet to the outside of the hands, so you are in a squat (with your hands between your bent legs). Again, you can hold the pose (count to 3); encourage your child to hop from his/her mat to yours; jump and catch an imaginary insect for lunch; see if it is possible to balance on just the feet with the hands together and in front of the chest.

Butterfly pose. From frog pose, sit down with knees bent (pointing toward the ceiling) and feet flat on the mat/floor. Open the legs so the soles of the feet are touching each other. Place the hands on top of the feet or use the hands to open the feet (as if reading a book). Hold this pose (count to 3); gently flap your “wings;” grab the sole of one foot and straighten the leg out in front and slightly off to the side–then try the other foot—or see if it is possible to hold both feet up and out to either side while balancing. (If you roll back, it is just part of the fun.)

For an extra challenge here, try to connect all three poses. Begin in downward facing dog. Jump the feet to the outside of the hands for frog pose. Sit down and find butterfly pose. Now try it in reverse order.

Breathe and sigh. Sit down and encourage your child to take a deep breath in through the nose and sigh (audibly) out the mouth. The more you can exaggerate for little kids the more fun it is for them. Try 3 breaths.

Relax together. Spend a little time snuggling or relaxing next to each other. Be sure to praise your child for their efforts and tell them your favorite pose that they did. J

Namaste!

The benefits that yoga can offer to children (and adults as well) are significant (for example, improved concentration, higher self-confidence, increased strength and coordination, the list goes on and on).

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