Make Yoga Kid-Friendly

Yoga is an activity for all ages, including children. Yoga for kids is a great way to get them interested in fitness. And kids’ yoga also helps children hone their coordination and develop focus and concentration skills. Yoga poses for kids are the same as those for adults, but when doing yoga for kids, it’s best to keep it simple. Choose poses with animal names, such as downward-facing dog and cobra, to get kids interested.

-Limit a session of yoga to about 15 to 20 minutes of flowing movements.

-Start with a few minutes of connecting with the breath. For example, encourage the children to pull the belly in on each inhale and push it out on each exhale, and then reverse the movements and push the belly out on the inhale and pull it in on the exhale.

-Don’t ask children to hold poses for more than a breath. Even the most attentive children have short attention spans.

-Don’t correct. Let children modify the poses in their own ways. The important part is to get them stretching and moving.

-Finish a kids yoga session with a few minutes of relaxation. Relaxation is as important for kids as it is for adults. Encourage children to lie on their backs and use relaxing music or remind them about belly breathing to help them unwind at the end of the session. If you want to encourage deeper relaxation, try a visualization exercise with children, such as taking them on an imaginary walk through the woods or along the beach.