Do you want your child to be healthy, flexible and strong? Would you like your child to know how to calm and relax their minds, to concentrate and focus better at school? Are you concerned that your child does not like exercise and prefers to spend their spare time playing video games rather than mixing with their peers?
As a parent or carer you naturally want your child to be healthy and fit. Yoga exercises, with their emphasis on gentle stretching exercises, joyful breathing exercises and creative relaxation techniques encourage your child to exercise and feel good about themselves.
If your child is anxious and not keen to attend a Children's Yoga Class, you can always introduce them to yoga poses at home, so that when they attend their first class they feel more confident and comfortable.
Naturally, if you are showing your child yoga poses at home, please make sure you practice in a warm environment, ideally practice bare foot on an exercise / yoga mat. Make sure there is sufficient space for your child to move without risk of hurting themselves, keep an eye on them, in fact practice together as it's a lovely way to bond and reconnect with your child; and most importantly have fun and make sure your child stays relaxed and non-competitive.
3 Basic Yoga Positions for Children to Practice At Home
1. Downward Dog Pose. A lovely pose which gently stretches your child's back, strengthens their heart and brings blood to their head which helps to nourish and calm their mind.
a. Start on your hands and knees, with your arms straight and your hands underneath your shoulders. Curl your toes under and breathe out as you lift your knees up and straighten your legs. Keep pressing your heels to the ground, focus on bringing your chest as close as possible towards your legs as you lift your hips back and up. Think of a dog stretching when they wake up and bark and growl like a dog. Hold the pose for as long as you feel comfortable and keep breathing deeply.
b. To come out of the pose, slowly come down on your hands and rest in the Child Pose.
b. To come out of the pose, slowly come down on your hands and rest in the Child Pose.
2. Child / Mouse Pose – ideal to relax your body and calm your nervous system after a hard day at school, or strong yoga pose. Think of a mouse as you kneel on the floor with your bottom on your heels. Lower and rest your forehead on the floor, place your arms by your side with palms facing up. Close your eyes relax and breathe quietly. Stay as still as a mouse or if you feel more energetic, you can "squeak" like a mouse.
3. Cobra / Snake Pose. Your child will love wriggling and hissing like a snake. A great exercise to release tension, stretch a stiff back and open your heart.
Lie face down on the floor / yoga mat and rest your forehead on the mat. Place your palms flat on the floor, elbows pointing up and hands directly under your shoulders. Take a steady breath in and as you breathe out gently lift your forehead and chest up from the ground. Keep your lower abdomen (belly button area) on the mat and press your hands down into the mat. Keep looking straight ahead; relax your shoulders and hissss like a snake. Slowly lower your chest and forehead to the ground. Make a pillow with your hands and rest your cheek on the pillow.
This basic yoga sequence consisting of Downward Dog, the Child Pose and Cobra is ideal to introduce your child to yoga exercise. Join in, make up an Adventure Story using the posts and enjoy spending quality fun time together.
