As parents, we all want to ensure that our children grow up as strong and as healthy as possible. We try to feed them the best diet and ensure they have plenty of opportunities to run around, play and get exercise. One exercise that’s great for kids but which many parents may never consider, is yoga! Yoga is a great way to help children build strength, increase flexibility, develop spatial awareness, calm anxiety and improve concentration. It can be a wonderful activity in the classroom and at home. Some studies even show that young children that practice yoga have increased attention span and focus. 

A basic yoga posture that young children love is “Downward Dog.” In Downward Dog, you to have both hands and both feet on the ground. From a plank position you push back on your arms and raise your bottom up towards the sky, creating an “A” shape with your body. This move strengthens many muscles throughout the entire body including back, arms, wrists, and hands. Young children also think this move is hilarious! My son loves doing Downward Dog with me and we can look at each other upside down!

Another fun yoga posture is Tree Pose. Tree Pose requires a lot of balance because you have to on one leg. You stand up tall and then bring one foot up to the opposite leg’s inner thigh. You can then “branch” your arms out to mimic the shape of a tree.  This is another pose that is challenging but really fun for young children to try. They especially think it’s funny if you lose your balance! 

There are so many resources that offer fun yoga moves for children. Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube is an amazing channel that offers yoga classes for children of all ages. Each video has a theme of a popular children’s story or movie (for example: Star Wars, Moana, etc.). The videos vary in length and are very engaging and enjoyable (for adults too!). 

So find a spot on the ground and try some yoga with your kiddos. They will love to explore fun yoga postures with you and you will love seeing your child grow from all the benefits! 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/more-than-just-a-game-yoga-for-school-age-children-201601299055

Namaste!

-Cristina