How To Do Yoga For Kids-Best Beginner Poses
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Do you love doing yoga at home but can’t get a good workout in because your kids climb all over you? It’s a common issue, well, not really an issue but a bit of a burden. Sure, it’s fun to have the kids jump on your back when you are trying to do a chaturanga, but really, you just want to focus on your breathing and stick a pose. How are you supposed to do that with kids all over your mat?
Did you know that there is yoga for kids? Yep, that’s right! It is fun and obviously a healthy activity for them to do while you are doing your yoga routine.
My girls get a lot of different kinds of gifts from their grandmothers, but this one gift in particular that my girls got from their Grancy (Grandma Nancy, my mom) was extra fun and exciting for them (and for me.)
Related: Best Gift Ideas For Little Girls
They got a yoga DVD that was for kids (ages 3-6). How cool is that? Well, I thought it was cool since we as a family like to do physical activities together for fun.
We put the DVD in and got our yoga mats out on the living room floor. My 3 and 5 year old (at the time) were so excited to get started. This video was fabulous since it incorporated the alphabet with every yoga pose. It was educational as well as being a fun, healthy activity for the kids. Win-win in my house!
Each letter of the alphabet had a specific yoga pose, exercise or movement that the child could perform where they had to act like a certain animal or object. It was really creative and incorporated a lot of various movements.
The kids would have to do floor stretches and then switch to standing poses and then perform movements that involved them moving around the room. The video kept the kids interest level high since the content of the video was kid friendly with lots of animals, bugs, and toy related objects.
A Great Way To Introduce Exercise To Children
This is a great way to get your kids to start doing some light exercise and learn a little yoga.
It won’t feel like yoga to the kids but instead it will seem like a fun game for them.
This video speaks your kid’s language and is completely age appropriate for your little ones. It’s a playful way to exercise and can be fun for the parents too.
I love to get down on the floor with my yoga mat right beside the kids and do the same poses they are doing. Of course I’ll challenge myself a bit more throughout the video so I can get some benefit from the workout as well!
Related: 15 Best Mommy & Me Postpartum Exercises With Baby | Video
Your kids will absolutely love spending the time with you. Having their mommy right beside them while they exercise is all part of the fun. The more quality time you spend with your kids, the better.
Yoga Is A Great Way To Improve Quality Time Between Parents And Their Children
And what better way to accomplish two things at once than to exercise and spend quality time with your kiddos.
It won’t even feel like a workout because you are just having so much fun beside your kids playing and giggling. You are spending good quality time with your little one and getting your workout in for the day all at the same time.
Related: 33 Ideas For Quality One-On-One Time With Your Child
This is a kid friendly way to improve your child’s physical fitness, coordination and and self confidence. Also, the songs are catchy and the kids enjoy singing them even after the video is done.
If you are interested in yoga for kids, I highly recommend Gaiam Yoga for Kids videos.
But if you want to just try out a few yoga poses with your kids before buying a DVD, I have listed below some of my recommendations of my favorite poses for your little ones. These are some of the best beginner poses for kids.
9 Best Beginner Yoga Poses For Kids
1. Bridge Pose (Bridge, Ramp)
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Rest your arms down alongside your body, tuck your chin into your chest, and lift up your buttocks and back to create a bridge.
2. Chair Pose (Chair, Kangaroo)
Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees, and hop like a kangaroo.
3. Child’s Pose (Rock, Turtle)
Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, rest your arms down alongside your body, and take a few deep breaths.
4. Eagle Pose (Eagle or Koala)
Stand tall in Mountain Pose, wrap one leg around the other, bring your bent arms out in front of you, wrap your arms together the opposite way, and slightly bend your knees. Perch on a tree like an eagle
5. Extended Mountain Pose (Giraffe, Fountain)
Stand tall in Mountain Pose, look up, and reach your arms up to the sky.
6. Locust Pose (Shark, Mermaid)
Lie on your tummy, lift your chest and shoulders up, look up, clasp your hands back behind you, and glide through the water like a shark
7. Tree Pose (Tree, Flamingo)
Stand on one leg, bend your knee, place the sole of your foot on your inner thigh, and balance. Sway like a tree
8. Upward Facing Dog Pose (Sea Lions, Walrus)
Lie on your belly. Place the palms of your hands next to your shoulders and look up. Then straighten your arms and expand your chest
9. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Tunnel, Dog, Bear)
From a standing position, bend down and place your palms flat on the ground. Step your feet back to create an upside-down V shape with your buttocks high in the air. Straighten your legs, relax your head and neck, and look down between your legs.
Instill Healthy Habits At A Young Age
Instill healthy lifestyle choices in your kids now at an early age.
Kids are like sponges, so take advantage of this time to teach your children the benefits of exercise and the importance of incorporating it into their daily routine.
It’s a fun activity that they will surely love to do, so what better way to get your kids active than with a fun and simple yoga routine that the entire family can do together, no matter the age.
Which pose does your child like the most? Have you tried any other poses with your children that aren’t on this list? Comment below and share your ideas for other moms to enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
**Always be approved by a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
Connect With Me:
You May Also Like…
Please leave a positive and uplifting comment or ask a question. I am here to help! After I read and approve your comment, it will appear. Thanks for joining me and I look forward to hearing from you!
-Jena
2 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Workout with baby and workout with toddler with stroller exercise routines and more - […] Yoga for Kids Routine […]
Submit a Comment
Hello, Your post is very inspiring to me. And your information is very amzing and so much helpful for me. Keep it up and Thank you very much.:)
Karan, I’m so glad you liked this post and I hope it serves you in many ways! Take care!