Educate your little ones about health & fitness through kids yoga. From different types of poses to benefits and reasons for the child to indulge in yoga, get to know everything here!
I never practiced yoga until I was in my late teens but now I feel that I should have started earlier, too. As it would have helped me build stamina, flexibility and resistance from an early age. But fitness experts are definitely recommending it for the little ones for a healthy future. Yoga for kids can be fun and playful. The beauty of kids yoga is it doesn’t look like a fitness session but it is more relaxing where the kid can enjoy and practice the poses too!
Kids Yoga Poses
These are the basic yoga poses for kids that are fun and help in stretching all the body parts too. It is okay if children fall down, tip over, or don’t hold the pose perfectly. Allow the kids to move their bodies freely and within their comfort range. Also, it is not advisable to have long yoga sessions for kids as they would get tired and bored easily. So start with 20 minutes and keep going until the child is enjoying.
1. Candle Pose
This is also known as prayer pose. It is the first yoga pose for kids in which the child stands on the knees folding the hands, takes a deep breath and chants the prayer with peace of mind.
2. Cow Pose
In this pose, kids are supposed to pose like a cow. Kneel down and put both your palms on the floor. Inhale and move your head up, exhale and down. Continue for 10 counts. You can also make like kids sound like a cow to add more fun to the yoga session.
3. Dog Pose
Put the toes together, stretch the legs and look down at the legs. Stay in this pose for 10 seconds.
4. Flamingo Pose
Steady with standing on one leg just like the flamingo! Hold on to it for 10 seconds. Do it with the other leg too!
5. Tree Pose
Teach the kids to stand upright like a tree no matter what the situations are! In standing position, fold one leg and place the foot on the other knee and stand straight with both the hands folded. Switch to the other leg and stay for 7 seconds.
6. Snake Pose
Lie on the tummy with the palms on the yoga mat and lift the upper body posing like a snake.
You can also let your kids make hissing noises to add more fun to the yoga pose.
7. Rocking Horse Pose
Kids are gonna love this pose as this is their favorite posture while playing. Balance on the tummy by lifting the upper body and lower body and keep rolling like a rocking horse.
8. Baby Pose
In the sitting position, fold the knees backward and bend forward on the floor just like a baby. Stay there for 10 seconds. This will help in strengthing of the spine.
9. Easy Pose
In the sitting position, just fold the legs criss-cross and sit straight. Breath in and out to relax!
10. Do Nothing Pose
After doing all the poses, it is a must that the kid should relax. So just lie down on the back, close the eyes and stay there for 40 seconds.
Benefits of Yoga for Kids
Kids yoga is truly a blessing to the child if they love and enjoy it. This way, they can even have their fun time and do some good for their bodies! Below are a few benefits of kids yoga.
1. Yoga can help build concentration and manage stress.
2. It will be a physical activity, especially stretching which is beneficial if the kid is into sports activities.
3. They’ll have body awareness from a very young age.
4. It will enhance physical flexibility.
5. Yoga for kids can help them focus better and have a calm, peaceful mind.
6. It can even help to cut down the screen time of the kids and increase outdoor time.
7. Kids yoga sessions can help them make friends.
Yoga Games for Kids
The yoga games for kids will not only help in teaching yoga but also develop their learning skills and have loads of fun. Check out a few yoga games below.
1. Yoga Race
This is not a running race type game but it is more fun. In this game, the instructor will make the kids stand in a line and say ‘start’. At this point, the kids start to walk towards the other end of the line and after a few seconds, the tutor shouts a pose. The kids have to do that pose and reach the other end of the line. So fun, isn’t it?
2. Musical Yoga
It is similar to the classic musical chair game. In this yoga dots are placed on the floor and the kids need to walk on them when the music starts. Once the music is stopped, each kid have to look on the yoga dot and whatever pose is mentioned on it, they have to do that pose!
3. Silly Train
This game is so much fun! Have all the kids lined up in a line with a team leader in the front. The leader will have to give a command of the pose in the beginning before the music starts. Once the music has started, the kids can dance in a silly manner and after it’s stopped they have to be in the pose told by the leader. In this way, they can switch poses and leaders!
Yoga Clothes for Kids
Be it for any age group, the yoga outfits always have to be comfortable. They should be well-fitted so as to not provide hindrance when doing poses. Neither too fit nor too loose. For kids, cartoon character leggings, yoga capris, shorts, tank tops and tees are good ideas.
Kids Yoga Video
So, this is all about kids yoga! If you haven’t started yoga sessions for the kids, start them right away for their healthy living. Do let us know your insights about this article by tweeting @shilpa1ahuja.
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Anusha Jain is a Staff Writer & SlubShop Manager at ShilpaAhuja.com. She has a diploma in Fashion Design from iNIFD and is originally from Andhra Pradesh. Before entering into the field of fashion, she got a Masters in Analytical Chemistry. Her love in fashion design, a passion in staying updated with the latest trends and zeal to do something creative paved her way to a career in fashion. Here, at Shilpaahuja.com, she works on bringing the latest in shopping ideas, fashion tips and beauty advice to SlubShop, the world’s first purely trend-based affiliate store. Accessories are her expertise. Her work on SlubShop involves bringing the latest runway trends to the masses, and designing the UI/UX to make it look innovative and fresh. She is also a fitness and dieting aficionado, writing about bringing the latest in the world of wellness and health. When she’s not writing she loves to travel, watch movies and also she is interested in photography, using herself as a muse. For feedback and questions, email [email protected] or connect with her on Twitter @Anushajain14.