Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, food and being thankful. Go Go Yoga for Kids shows fun Thanksgiving yoga poses that can be done to prepare your mind and body for the holiday.
First is our fun Turkey Breathing that will help get your mind and breath connected. Next we lead you into our Planksgiving Challenge. Enjoy!
Ready for more? Get our free Let’s Give Thanks Kids Yoga Lesson Plan
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This mindfulness and thankfulness activity for the classroom.
First, brainstorm with the students about positive qualities that they see in themselves. For example being kind, honest, hardworking, caring, strong, etc. Write these qualities on the board.
Next, the students took the “hand template” and wrote qualities that described themselves. They did this by writing around the hand template.
Finally, the students were able to put the yoga poses and mantras for success together to practice and perform. This absolutely made the lesson even more memorable as it ties together so many different types of student learning such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning.
Summer is in full swing. If you’re looking for something different to do with your kids this summer, skip the pool for once and try some yoga poses instead. They will love it.
Kids yoga is on the move! Washington’s Lifestyle news has excellent ideas on how to enjoy some summer yoga with your kids. They will get fit and have fun!
“Yoga has become increasingly popular among children. According to a survey from the National Institutes of Health, 1.7 million American youth practiced yoga in 2012 (that’s up 429,000 from 2007). Research has shown that yoga can improve mental and physical health in children, and because of this, more schools are introducing elements of the ancient practice in their classrooms.
“One of the main benefits is that it increases their focus and concentration … holding those yoga poses really helps them get that laser focus,” said Teresa Anne Power, an internationally recognized children’s yoga expert and author of “The ABCs of Yoga for Kids.”
Yoga also helps strengthen fine and gross motor skills in children, while increasing body awareness and self-control.
Want to introduce your little ones to yoga? Power says there’s no better time than the summer, since the activity can be done indoors on hot days, in the backyard on cooler nights and even on the beach during a family vacation. Here are her top tips for familiarizing your family with yoga”
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.
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.
What is one of my favorite things about teaching yoga for kids? There are so many fun and creative ways to introduce poses! Beachball Yoga is one of my favorite games to use with all ages of children… especially in the summer.
Buy an inexpensive blow-up beach ball. I got mine from the Dollar Store. With different colored permanent markers write a variety of yoga poses on the beachball. I like to make my poses summer and ocean theme related.
Pose Examples to Write on the Beach Ball:
Shark (Shark Pose)
Iguana (Plank)
Swimmer (Superman Pose)
Dolphin (Dolphin Pose)
Mermaid (up dog)
Sunflower (bend at waist, hold opposite elbow, and circle up and around while holding elbows)
Beach chair (Chair Pose)
Crab (Crab walks)
Sand castle (Down Dog)
Palm tree (Tree Pose)
Surfer (Warrior 2)
Fish (Fish Pose)
Jellyfish (bend at waist and let arms hang down)
Turtle (Turtle Pose)
Starfish (Savasana)
How to Play
Toss the beach ball around the circle. When a child catches it, have them read the pose nearest their thumb. Introduce that pose to the class and everyone can practice it. Then have the ball be tossed again to another student and go again. This is such a fun way to learn lots of different poses!
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!
GROUP YOGA CHALLENGE:
What is one of my favorite things about teaching yoga for kids? There are so many fun and creative ways to introduce poses! Beachball Yoga is one of my favorite games to use with all ages of children… especially in the summer.
