Why should children practice kids yoga? There are so many reasons to introduce kids to yoga and the benefits keep rolling in! Be sure to check out our previous Fab Four Benefits of Yoga for Kids. Here are even more that you don’t want to miss.
1. Yoga Boosts Confidence
Yoga makes you feel good which increases confidence. I see this all the time in my kid yoga classes when a child is able to master a pose they have been working on or see their flexibility and balance improve, it is amazing what it does to their confidence. You can literally see them step out of the kids yoga class, standing up straighter and more self-assured. They are also more calm, poised, and self-assured in their abilities for not only in the next class but throughout their daily activities. The more you practice yoga, the better you feel.
2. Promotes Health and Stress Management
Yoga is a physical activity that releases happy endorphins. When you leave a yoga class you feel good inside and out, and you want to maintain that feeling. Yoga also improves your digestive system with the twisting, moving, inverting, and holding poses. Breathing exercises also help calm kids which gives them the tools to use when they are feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. Instead of kids logging more hours in front of a screen yoga promotes health and positive activity.
3. Builds Positive Peer and Social Interactions
Everyone is unique and special in their own way, and we all come from different places and backgrounds. No yoga pose looks the same from person to person, child or adult. With yoga, we celebrate and respect the differences as we try new postures and poses. Kids enjoy working with each other in partner and group poses and achieving success together. Yoga is also about encouraging one another and promoting acceptance, trust, kindness and empathy.
4. Sparks Creativity and Expression
Yoga Kids classes are fun and engaging as we move in and out of games, stories, and songs while learning new poses and practicing as a group. Often yoga kids classes are centered on a theme to help them learn about new places and concepts. Yoga also helps kids be free, creative, and express themselves. Not only is this fun, but yoga also encourages kids to use their imaginations to try new things in a safe environment and to not take themselves too seriously.
If you are already teaching kids yoga or even if you are just beginning to learn some yoga poses, you have probably already experienced, read or heard about the benefits of yoga for all ages. Why wouldn’t you want to introduce it those you care about most? Your family and loved ones need to know about this!
I love how yoga actually lets you connect with your child and is something you can actually do with them as opposed to being a spectator to such as soccer games, dance recitals, piano recitals, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love cheering my kids on at any of their sporting events or competitions, but the memories are made when you actually do something with them.
It doesn’t need to be a big orchestrated event, just get down on the floor and be engaged. They will love it!
Easy Ways to do Yoga At Home With Your Kids
Make it a Routine: Doing some yoga poses together does not need to take long. Incorporate some little ways to use yoga at the same time every day. It could be first thing in the morning or by doing some bedtime calming stretches each night. These are good places to start!
Use Props: Grab some beach towels or yoga mats to lay out and sit on. Kids love having their own space and this will give them boundaries and a sense of ownership. Include your child’s favorite stuffed animal and have it participate along with you.
Pick a Card: I love these Yoga Pose Cards and they are great for providing a visual. Let them pick 3-5 yoga pose cards at a time to learn, practice and have fun with. Make sure that you participate as well and gain all of the benefits too.
Teaching kids yoga at home doesn’t need to take long. Just have fun with yoga together and make it a part of your life. There is no right or wrong way, but the simple fact that you are together, learning and moving will create lasting memories with your children!
For more ways to teach yoga to your kids visit here.
When kids come to their first yoga class, I often ask them what they know or have heard about yoga. There are always a few who immediately sit on their mat cross legged, place their middle fingers and thumbs together, shut their eyes and let out a deep, “ommmmmm.” This is how many kids (and adults!) view yoga. They see it as a serious meditative process that deeply awakens the inner spirit.
I do believe that perception is changing throughout our society, and people are realizing that yoga is so much more. Yes, yoga is mindful and meditative, but it is also active, involved and encompasses not only the mind, but definitely the whole body.
Thank you for stopping by Go Go Yoga Kids! Visit us again and continue learning how easy it is to get children engaged and involved. Yoga teaches lifelong skills that are beneficial to instill in all growing kids! See you again soon!
Beach ball pass with a twist! This is a great teamwork effort, core workout and fun for the kids as well! Sit in a circle and pass the beach ball with your feet. See if the ball can be passed with feet without using hands in the circle. Time the students and see if they can beat their record. Try not to let the ball touch the ground!
Then: With a permanent marker write down summer yoga poses such as shark, boat, mermaid, sunflower, starfish etc. Get your list of “beach themed” yoga poses below.
Next: Assemble all willing and excited participants in a seated circle. I like to start out seated because it gives an opportunity to time how fast we can pass the beach ball in a circle. This also eliminates frustration from the child that is having a hard time focusing on the game because they “have not gotten to touch the beach ball yet.”
Finally: Stand up and toss the beach ball across the circle. The person catches it and looks to see what pose their right thumb is near. Everyone practices the summer yoga poses. Play continues until every pose has been introduced and practiced.
You, your breath, and your yoga mat. Is that all you need for yoga?! Unlike other sports and activities, there are very few materials that your child really needs to practice and have fun with yoga.
Do kids really need kid yoga mats? Not necessarily, but they definitely do help kids feel like they are “officially doing yoga.”
Give Kids Their Own Space
It is, important to give kids their own space while practicing yoga
They thrive on having their own area to move, bend and explore.
Having their own space helps give them confidence in practicing their poses and gives them a perimeter in which to work in.
“Having their own space is” especially wonderful for younger ages or children with special needs.
Where to Find Kids Yoga Mats
You don’t need, to spend too much on yoga mats for kids and they definitely do not need the full adult-sized yoga mats. Those can be too big, bulky, and harder for kids to handle.
You can find discounted yoga mats online. My favorite place is YogaOutlet.com
Yoga Outlet has a Mat Roll if you are going to need several yoga mats for a yoga-themed party and for camps or classes.
A Mat Roll is an easy way to get several perfectly sized kid yoga mats!
Mat Rolls are wonderful because you can individually cut them into 15-18 kid-sized mats. Remember kids are smaller than adults so they do not have to be as long! You can also choose the thickness of the kid yoga mats.
Here we are having a little fun before cutting our yoga mat roll to create yoga mats for kids.
I have also had success with using beach towels for preschool classes, outdoor yoga classes, and birthday parties. Just be careful not to use those on slippery floor surfaces!
No matter what you use, it is fun to just be able to take your yoga to go- anywhere! It is fun to encourage them to take their mats on the go- outside in the backyard, park or to the beach! Just have fun with yoga!
Why should children practice kids yoga? There are so many reasons to introduce kids to yoga and the benefits keep rolling in! Be sure to check out our previous Fab Four Benefits of Yoga for Kids. Here are even more that you don’t want to miss.
If you are already teaching kids yoga or even if you are just beginning to learn some yoga poses, you have probably already experienced, read or heard about the benefits of yoga for all ages. Why wouldn’t you want to introduce it those you care about most? Your family and loved ones need to know about this!
When kids come to their first yoga class, I often ask them what they know or have heard about yoga. There are always a few who immediately sit on their mat cross legged, place their middle fingers and thumbs together, shut their eyes and let out a deep, “ommmmmm.” This is how many kids (and adults!) view yoga. They see it as a serious meditative process that deeply awakens the inner spirit.
GROUP YOGA CHALLENGE:
