Kids love yoga!! And why not? It is fun to twist your body into shapes, turn upside down, do poses with funny animal names and be silly! Yoga also helps them develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination.
Children are quick learners, and about age 5 they are able to really "do" the poses. But whatever age, they will enjoy "their" version of the poses, and you can encourage that. Here is a playful series of exercises appropriate for all ages (including mommy and daddy). It is best to move through the poses in the order given, but feel free to add any other poses you, or your children, would like to do. The series should take about 1/2 hour.
Mountain Pose (not pictured)
Stand tall with your arms by your sides. Feel your feet firmly on the floor. Imagine your have roots on the soles of your feet and they are growing deep into the ground. At the same time, feel invisible threads lifting your head up to the sky. Feel grounded and as strong as a mountain.
Tree Pose
From mountain pose, bring your hands together in front of your heart.
Turn one foot out, and slide it up the inside of your leg as far as you can. Balance is easier if you find a point to focus on at eye-level. If you are unsteady, put one arm on a wall for balance. Then do the pose with the other leg. Don't be surprised if your balance is different from one side to the other.
Leg Stretch Pose
From mountain pose, make sure your knees are soft (a little bit bent).
Interlace your fingers together behind your back and bend forward from the waist. See how far overhead you can gently stretch your arms.
Spider Pose
From mountain pose, step your feet a little wider (about hip distance), and go into a squat. Try to keep your heels on the floor. You can turn your feet out to do this. Lift your hips and place your hands (fingers forward) on the floor keeping your arms straight. Feel like a spider!
Washing Machine Pose
Sit down cross legged on the floor. Try to keep your back straight (the same feeling you had in mountain pose, except sitting). Stretch your arms straight out to the sides with your palms up. Bend your arms, and lightly rest your fingers on your shoulders. Begin to twist your torso from side-to-side. Be sure to twist your whole upper body (twist from the waist). If you'd like to include your breath, breathe out as you twist to the right, and breathe in as you twist to the left. Increase or decrease the speed as you like.
Cow Pose & Cat Pose
Start on your hands and knees with your wrists in line with your shoulders, your knees in line with your hips and your back in a neutral position (parallel with the floor). Take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, drop your head and round your back up above your head. Press your hands into the earth and keep spreading your fingers (but don't lock your elbows). Moo like a cow! As you breathe in again, move your back through neutral to an arch with your tummy closer to the floor. Lift your head up and back, trying to keep your neck long. Feel wide across your chest, and feel like you are a Halloween cat! Go back and forth from cow to cat for as many breaths as you like.
Down Dog Pose
From Cat and Cow, bring your back into a neutral pose. From here, lift your bottom up to the sky. This is one of the most well-known and helpful of all yoga poses, giving strength and flexibility to all parts of your body. As you can see from the picture, any version of this pose is great!
Cobra Pose
Lie on your tummy (if this hurts your hips, you can put a blanket down for extra padding). Bend your arms and put your hands, fingers forward, about in line with your chest. As you breathe in, begin to straighten your arms, coming up into hissing cobra pose. Be sure not to lock your elbows; it is more important to keep length in your spine as you arch your back rather than getting your arms straight. Look up to the sky. If you like, stick out your tongue and hiss!
Child's Pose
Slowly come down from cobra pose. Keep your hands where they are and lift your hips up and back until your bottom is resting on your heels. Let your forehead be soft and resting on the floor. You can keep your arms stretching out long in front of you and feel the stretch in your back, or your can rest them by your sides.
Half-wheel Pose
Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and your palms on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor about hip's width apart. Press your hands into the earth and begin to lift your hips up to the sky. Stay here for a few breaths trying to lift your hips as high up as you can. (Again from the picture you can see that any version of this is great!).
Final Resting Pose (not pictured)
From wheel pose, slowly roll your spine down to the floor and stretch your legs long. Keep your arms long and move them a little away from your sides. Turn your palms up, close your eyes, and let your whole body relax! It is important to do a final resting pose anytime you do yoga, even if just for a few minutes, to calm your body and mind.
Remember to always have fun!
-Lisa is the devoted aunt to Whitney and Ethan, pictured above, and she credits all of her awareness and compassion for the
animals & the environment to her mother, the kindest and most
sensitive person she has ever known.
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