by sara | Aug 10, 2016 | Kids Yoga Lesson Plan
Back to school is such an exciting and new discovery time for kids. All of the changes and schedule adjustments can sometimes bring on uncertainty and anxiety.
Helping your kids learn some breathing and stress coping mechanisms will help them handle any anxiety and nervousness in healthy ways. Here is a relaxing sequence for kids to do with your children.
Help Kids Bring Calm and Focus With These Yoga Poses:
Child’s Pose: Take your forehead to the mat or floor for this very centering pose.
Knee-to-Chest Pose: Hug your k
nees into your chest. This is a great back tension release. It is fun to them turn this into a rock and roll.
Legs Up the Wall: This pose is very calming for the nervous system and quiets the mind.
The good news is that by incorporating some breathing exercises, mindfulness practice, and simple stress-reducing happy poses, kids will become more focused and attentive and will develop greater empathy toward one another. Yoga may help create that classroom environment that we all want for children.
Yoga for kids is becoming more common in schools and a few moments each day can help kids achieve the benefits that yoga provides. Children need active brain breaks throughout the day to learn best.
TAKE MINI YOGA BREAKS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
- Practice breathing techniques to reduce stress and help focus before a test or activity that you know will require concentration and focus. Go Go Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide to Yoga with Kids and Go Go Yoga for Kids: Yoga Lessons for Children has hundreds of ideas on how to teach and use this.
- Work with a partner or small group to practice partner poses and achieve a goal together You can find many partner ideas and illustrations here.
- Introduce a new yoga pose each week. Make it fun! For example, pick a certain word such as your school’s name. When you say that word everyone will stop what they are doing and hold that pose. Find yoga poses and ideas here with The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards
- Count by fives and 10s while holding a balance pose.
- Take a One Minute Vacation and allow students to shut their eyes, breathe, and visualize themselves in their favorite place.
You May Also Enjoy:
7 Family Yoga Ideas to Help Children and Parents Practice Together
Yoga and Mindfulness Tips for Your Family
Family Fun Day with Go Go Yoga for Kids
by sara | Aug 7, 2016 | Kids Yoga Lesson Plan
I love reading aloud to kids. Whether it is to my own children, my students at school or during my kids yoga classes, there is just something about using literature with kids that can be calming, engaging or enlightening.
Depending on which book you are reading aloud can bring forth all sorts of teachable opportunities or memorable moments.
The Go Go Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide to Using Yoga with Kids resource includes an extensive quality yoga read aloud list and lesson ideas to use with these books
Let the book come alive by reading with enthusiasm and emotion! I have found the illustrations help children visualize or pretend to become that animal or feel as if they are in the story. When you add movement, the kids will remember the poses and the story even more as they anticipate what comes next.
Two Favorite Yoga Read Aloud Books (and Free Kids Yoga Lesson)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: Begin as Caterpillar and end as a beautiful butterfly: Kids can transition through the different stages of becoming a butterfly through yoga poses. See how with Go Go Yoga Kids FREE Springtime Transformation lesson here.
Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh: Is a fun choice to practice mouse and snake poses with this book. You can be used to introduce the concept of being “quiet as a mouse” for Savasana.
See many more book resources and lessons at Go Go Yoga Kids Resources.
by sara | Aug 3, 2016 | Benefits, Kids Yoga Lesson Plan
“Yoga is gaining in popularity all over the United States in yoga studios, gyms, YMCAs, fitness centers, and in schools. Yes, schools. Teachers, administrators, and students are discovering the power of yoga and pranayama (breathing exercises) to calm, focus, and inspire students. excitement, and energy…”
“Yoga taught to youngsters is fun for all involved and creates a connection between body and mind that will serve the kids for a lifetime…Not surprisingly, yoga classes for kids don’t look exactly like the yoga for adults. ”
Read more here by Carol Rinehard, kids yoga instructor at The Family Tree Yoga and Massage.
Need one complete resource to have confidence and success in introducing kids to yoga? Go Go Yoga Kids: Empower Kids for Life has complete lesson plans, games and activities for using yoga with kids of all ages. Get your FREE copy here!
