I love introducing yoga to children and have been thrilled that Go Go Yoga for Kids has gotten to be a part of many fun family events as well as author events this past year.
I feel uncomfortable just sitting behind a table, and I would much rather interact with the children and introduce them to yoga through a variety of ways.
Often when Go Go Yoga for Kids does an event, I will teach a kids yoga class, or offer mini yoga sessions so the children can get an opportunity to try yoga in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
This past weekend we had an event at a zoo so I was ready with zoo animal yoga poses and our popular Off the Zoo Kids Yoga Lesson Plan.
A new favorite kids yoga game to play is the Yoga Dice Game. For this game you need a giant dice. I found a fun inexpensive blow up one on Amazon.
Use packing tape or clear tape to attach the poses to the dice.
I also printed out labels for the poses. This step isn’t necessary as the pose cards already have the names of the poses on them.
Each player takes a turn to roll the dice. Whatever pose comes up, the player does that pose.
Continue rolling the dice until all of the poses are mastered.
See another fun way to play the Kids Yoga Dice Game here.
For the Zoo Kids Yoga Event, I had animal stickers to give the children when they tried the pose. It is not necessary, however, as the kids just had fun rolling the giant dice.
I also love that you can continue changing the poses on the dice so the game continues to be fresh and fun. It also works great for all ages. Have fun playing the Yoga Dice Game!
Kids can do yoga too! One of my passions is teaching yoga to kids and helping others learn how to use yoga with kids in fun and engaging ways. Kids yoga doesn’t need to be overly complicated or time-consuming. You just need a sense of humor and willingness to have fun!
You don’t need to have many supplies or materials to teach yoga to kids, but being knowledgeable of some different items and having a few tricks up your sleeves, helps with keeping the interest level high with kids. Shorter sessions and having a few props that accompany the poses are very beneficial. Child size equipment is also useful for children practicing yoga, and child size mats, balance balls, and accessories will enhance their practice.
I always enjoy highlighting a few favorite props and resources that I use while teaching yoga to kids including a breathing ball and great read aloud books that inspire yoga poses and movement with kids.
I am also a new fan of grippy socks or sticky socks for kids. These inexpensive little accessories help with balance, stability and allow young yogis to practice anywhere–even without a mat.
When I teach my kids yoga classes, I always have the students remove their shoes and socks. Normal socks are slippery and make it difficult to hold poses. It can sometimes be a slow process of helping preschool aged children put on their socks again after class, but if they had these yoga socks it would definitely go faster because they could leave them on for the whole class.
Celebrate the Spring Equinox with this Free Spring Mandala. Download your kid and adult Spring Mandala, take it outside and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of this wonderful season.
Next practice these Spring Kids Yoga Poses. I love this yoga sequence as it helps show the transformation that is happening all around us.
Caterpillar to Butterfly Yoga Sequence
Begin in Cobra Pose. Pretend to be a hungry caterpillar, lifting your head to munch on a leaf as you raise in Cobra Pose.
Move into Plank Pose. This is the caterpillar on a branch, getting ready to form a cocoon.
Lower into child’s pose and become a safe little cocoon. Be still. Breathe deeply and get ready for an exciting change to happen!
Finally become butterflies! Practice Butterfly Pose and flutter your wings. Talk with the children about what color of wings their butterflies have and where they would fly to. How fast or slow can they flap their wings?
Egg to Tadpole to Frog Yoga Sequence
Begin in child’s pose as that represents the tiny egg.
Slowly inch onto your stomach and “swim” while moving your arms and leg up and down to be the tadpole.
Then take Frog Pose (Malasana), with your feet on the floor and your legs in a deep squat. See if you can try out your new frog legs with frog hops on your mat.
Seed to Flower Yoga Sequence
Begin in Child’s Pose and pretend to be a tiny seed in the ground.
Lift one arm as you imagine a tiny stem beginning to poke through the Earth.
Sit up straight and tall inn Lotus (flower) Pose with your legs crossed. Raise your arms up into a flower shape toward the sun. Can you sway in the breeze?
Have fun with these spring yoga kid ideas. See if your children can come up with any other changes that happen in the spring such as weather, animals or plants. The possibilities are endless and putting these springtime changes into yoga postures makes them all the more memorable.
Join Go Go Yoga for Kids on a magical time at Barnes and Noble where over 50 young princes and princesses took off on their magic yoga mats for some Disney yoga for kids themed fun!
After warming up with some Darth Vader deep breathing, We became brave Pocahontas standing on our cliff and ready to dive forward for Sun Salutations.
Soon we were strong Warriors like Princess Mulan. Ready to stand up for what we believe in and what is right.
Peter Pan is ready to fly over the city. What will he see? This Peter Pan Pose is great for back strength.
Of course, we remembered our new Princess Moana in Boat Pose. We rowed our boats slowly and then quickly.
After meeting Princess Ariel on a rock in mermaid pose, it was almost time to end our yoga session.
The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards will challenge you and children with balance, flexibility, mindfulness, and more. This card deck includes 40 poses including partner poses, confidence-building pose mantras, and fun games to play together using these cards.
The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards include:
40 progressive yoga poses including partner poses
Empowering pose mantras for beginners and meditation
Poses rated from 1-5 stars based on difficulty
Easy to follow poses to create many original yoga flow
15 Bonus Games to play using these pose cards
Tested and proven yoga poses to bring most mental and physical benefit
Takes only minutes each day to gain lifelong skills and health benefits
The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards come in a strudy burlap drawstring bag and are printed in the USA.
Once in a while I like to use mandalas in my kids yoga classes. Kids just love coloring these circular and symmetrical designs. They find them calming and relaxing.
I play quiet background music and have sit everyone in a circle when we get ready to work on our Mandalas. I also like to have the option to use markers or colored pencils. It is important to stress to the children that it is supposed to take a long time to color a heart Mandala and to not rush. I love how this also naturally opens up a conversation in my upper elementary, tweens, and teen kids yoga classes. They tend to be less self-conscious in a group while they are actively doing something with their hands such as coloring.
When I do this with children as part of a regular 45-minute class, I only allow about 10 minutes for it at the end of the class (before or after Savsana). I encourage the children to take it home and finish it or bring it back the next class. If I am leading a kids yoga camp or club where I seeing the children often, then I will hang on to the Mandalas and we will pull them out to work on as we have time. A great time is at the beginning of class while waiting for everyone to arrive.
There is something special about working thoughtfully, mindfully, and bringing the mandala to completion. It is a meditative process for many children and adults.
If the students are older, it is fun to try to create our own mandalas by using their bodies.
I love how they also naturally open up conversation in my upper elementary, tweens, and teen kids yoga classes. They tend to be less self-conscious in a group while they are actively doing something with their hands such as coloring.
