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5 Yoga Poses That Will Open Your Heart & Mind

5 Yoga Poses That Will Open Your Heart & Mind

Try these five heart-opening yoga valentine poses with children this Valentine holiday. These heart-opening exercises are especially beneficial for kids and adults who spend the majority of their day slouched in desks at school and work or with their heads bent over screens and books.

These exercises take only minutes and will help improve posture and release back and neck tension as well as create openness in your body and mind.

All of these heart-opening yoga poses can be found in our Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards that are available for immediate download and on Amazon.

5 Heart Opening Yoga Poses

  1. Cat to Cow Pose: Begin on your hands and knees. Next round your back and tuck your chin into your chest as if you are a cat. Then look up, arch your back and open your chest into Cow Pose. This is a great way to strengthen your spine and begin to feel your heart-opening.
  2. Updog Pose: Lie on your tummy. Place the palms of your hands next to your shoulders and lookup. Slowly straighten your arms and open your chest. It is okay to keep arms bent as well.

  3. Bridge or Wheel Pose: Kids love trying to get into Wheel Pose, but this huge heart opener is not easily accessible for all. For an easier but still effective heart opener, try Bridge Pose. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Rest your arms alongside your body, tuck your chin into your chest, and lift your back to create a bridge.
  4. Camel Pose: Take this pose slowly and feel your heart open. Get on your knees, lean back slowly, and place your hands on your lower back or ankles. Tilt your head back, open your chest, and breathe.
  5. Bow Pose: Lie on your tummy, bend your knees, and lift your chest. Reach your arms back toward your toes and hold onto your feet. Let your heart shine!
bow pose yoga

Bow Pose becomes easier to try after practicing with The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose

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The Best of Kids Yoga

The Best of Kids Yoga

Happy New Year! It has been a wonderful year for Go Go Yoga for Kids. We have loved bringing the joy and fun of yoga to thousands of others through our Kids Yoga Lesson Plan Books, Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards, App, and most importantly our online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training. We have now certified over 3500 people from all over the world and are sharing the love and joy of kids yoga with others.

I have always loved reflecting on the year and thinking about how we can help even more others in the next year. I am also such a fan of “Year-End Reviews” and “Best of” Lists. So without much further ado…

Here are your Top Kids Yoga Favorite Posts from this year:

5. Kids Need Yoga! Don’t Miss These 7 Super Benefits of Yoga for Children

4. Simple Ways to Get Children to Listen (that you haven’t tried)

3. Mini Yoga Brain Breaks for Kids

kids yoga class
“The Light in Me Sees the Light in You. Namaste” at a recent kids yoga class

2. How to Create an Epic Kids Yoga Obstacle Course

1.The Top 5 Secrets to Teaching Yoga to Kids

yoga game
Children Love Practicing Their Poses with Yoga Games

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The Most Common Mistake Every Kids Yoga Teacher Makes

5 Fun Yoga Games to Play with Your Child

How to Keep Your Yoga Students Engaged Throughout Class

Kids Yoga Teacher Training Black Friday Sale

Kids Yoga Teacher Training Black Friday Sale

Do Not Miss Our Biggest Sale of the Year!

ALL OF OUR ONLINE KIDS YOGA  TEACHER TRAININGS ARE 30% OFF

black friday sale

Online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training

 USE CODE BLACKFRIDAYNOW AT CHECKOUT

 

kids yoga teacher introduction training

Kids Yoga Teacher Introduction Training

Use code BLACKFRIDAYNOW at checkout to save 30%

NOThis means you get your Kids Yoga & Mindfulness training, personal certification, lesson plans, lifetime access to the training PLUS personalized support at our lowest price. This is such an amazing opportunity for our comprehensive and complete kids yoga trainings. All online and completed at your pace with my support every step of the way!

Your Choice of 2 Complete Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings

Use code BLACKFRIDAYNOW to Save 30% off your Enrollment

 

If you have ever even thought about teaching yoga to children, then this is definitely the perfect opportunity!

Yes, it is true! Now I know you are thinking…what an incredible deal and I really do want to begin making a difference with kids, but this is a busy time for me right now.

I totally get that! The best news is that you can begin this training anytime you want right from the comfort of your couch or bed (my preference!).

🏁 I guarantee that within a week of just starting our Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training, you will be making a positive difference in the lives of the children you love and care about!

⭐ Bonus: When you enroll you also receive access to our all-new Live Kids Yoga Class Examples from beginning to end!

I remember when I first started teaching yoga to children. All I wanted to see was actual teaching and kids yoga in action! Now you can view an early childhood class, a school-age class, and an engaging tween & teen yoga class.

Enjoy this opportunity, It won’t last long, grab this opportunity and start making a difference in the lives of the children you care about!

Remember to use BLACKFRIDAYNOW at checkout to save 30% off your enrollment.

Compete in the Kids Yoga Winter Olympics Lesson Plan

Compete in the Kids Yoga Winter Olympics Lesson Plan

Over the next few week elite athletes try their best and go for the gold. Have some family fun with these Winter Olympics yoga poses.

The Winter Olympics are here! Over the next few weeks, millions of people will tune in from all over the world to watch elite athletes try their best and go for the gold. Have some family fun with these Winter Olympics yoga poses.

First, warm up your body from the inside with an Olympic breathing exercise. Athletes need to have a strong breath to compete at this level. Since it is the Winter Olympics, you need to breathe in deeply and raise your arms above your head in the shape of an O (for Olympics). Then, lower your arms and exhale strongly as if you are trying to see your breath in this winter weather. Repeat several times.

Now that your bodies are good and warm, it is time for snowboarding. Move into Warrior 2 Pose with your feet wide apart.

Warrior 2

Bend your front knee and extend your arms so they are parallel to the ground. For an extra challenge try to complete a 180-degree turn.  Jump midair in this position as you switch lead legs. Try to have some “hang time!

Next, it is time to go skiing. Move into Chair Pose as you bend your knees and bring your arms up overhead. Breathe deeply as you move your arms up and down as if you are skiing down a hill. Try to lift up on the balls of your feet and lower them as your arms move as well.

chair pose

Hop into your bobsled with Boat Pose. Begin seated with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your spine straight as you raise your legs and bring your body into a “V” shape. Sway a little right and left as if you were on a sled.

Boat Pose

Our last event is Ice Skating in Airplane Pose. Place your weight onto your right leg. Next, extend your left leg straight and strong behind you. Work toward lifting your arms in front of you. Breathe deeply as if you are gliding on the ice. Switch legs and continue practicing.

Find all of these Olympic Winter Yoga Poses and more in our newly updated Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

 

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards

 

Have fun bringing the Winter Olympics to your home, classroom, or studio with these themed yoga poses.

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Take the Yoga Challenge: Fun & Beneficial for All Ages

Take the Yoga Challenge: Fun & Beneficial for All Ages

Are you ready for a positive and engaging challenge that will improve balance, flexibility, mindfulness and more? The Yoga Pose Challenge is kid and adult friendly and fun for all ages.

The Kids Yoga Challenge

I have worked with children for over 20 years and know that kids love to have a challenge! They feel like they have a goal to work toward and something tangible to accomplish. When completed, they definitely feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

A physical challenge that can easily be done with yoga poses and was the motivation behind the creation of  The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

You do not need to have the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards to participate in The Yoga Challenge, but it is helpful to understand how challenges can motivate kids intrinsically and extrinsically. Combine this with yoga poses which are so beneficial physically and mentally that it is a win-win all around!

The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards challenge participants with balance, flexibility, mindfulness, and more. Our yoga card deck includes 40 poses. Each pose includes a starred level of difficulty.

How to Be Part of The Yoga Challenge

Each of the yoga poses are given a star rating for difficulty. For example starred Level 1 Poses would include Cat Pose or Mountain Pose while Level 2 Poses would be Horse Pose or a Partner Pose.  Find some of our favorite Partner Poses that kids love to show off here. All of the Partner Poses are included in the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.

It is important to use some kind of yoga pose visual when working with kids especially when working through the Yoga Challenge. You can find downloadable yoga pose posters, other pose cards, or our Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards Digital Deck. Simply assign a starred level rating to each pose for the kids to practice and work through progressively.

By practicing the yoga poses regularly, the Level 5 Poses such as Crow Pose, Wheel Pose and Lotus Pose will become easier.

Go Slowly

It is important for children (and adults) to understand that they are not expected to master all of the Yoga Challenge immediately. 

Yoga is a practice and not something that is ever perfected. By practicing a sequence of poses over time, they will become familiar in your body. This means that your body will become more fluid and flexible. The more challenging yoga poses will then come with greater ease.

yoga is not about perfection

 

Ease Up on the Alignment

Demonstrate the pose yourself or with yoga pose cards. But be aware that if you spend a majority of time making sure every child has a perfect complete 90 degrees with their leg in Warrior 1 or that their Plank Pose includes a perfectly flat back, you will lose the attention and enthusiasm of the kids.

Yoga is a continued practice. Children, like adults, will continue to learn and grow with the poses and their practice.

More YOGA CHALLENGE OPTIONS:

1. Balance Poses:

Select a single balance yoga pose for the children to work on. This could be Airplane Pose, Dancer Pose, Tree Pose or may others. We like to use The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards to help provide a visual. When placed on the floor, they also provide a wonderful focal point.

Kids love to work on balance in yoga class because it is fun and challenging. They often don’t realize that they are acquiring a skill that improves each time they practice. This is good news because studies have shown that our balance decreases as we age beginning at age 7. With practice, we can maintain this balance.

2. Inversions:

I understand that Inversions can sound scary to try…especially with kids. The great news is that Inversions do not need to be difficult to do and the benefits are enormous. Find out how to practice our favorite Kids Yoga Inversions here.

yoga headstand

3. Partner Yoga Poses:

Kids love partner yoga poses! Partner yoga poses help teach children the importance of teamwork and working together plus they are fun to do and build trust and community with one another. Check out our all-time favorite Kids Yoga Partner Poses here.

4. Group Yoga Challenge:

This type of yoga challenges are some of my favorites. Do not overthink this, it can be anything from standing in a circle and passing a hula hoop without letting go of hands. It can also be a Group Tree Pose or a Down Dog Tunnel. The point is to get the children working together to achieve a goal while having fun!

Down Dog Tunnel
Down Dog Tunnels are always a hit for The Yoga Challenge.

Conclusion:

No matter how you go about it, have fun with the Yoga Challenge! There are many variations to get children interested and engaged so have fun trying them all.

If you are interested in learning more about being a Kids Yoga Teacher, I would love to tell you more about our popular online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training.