Yoga for Kids - A Guide to Asanas for Healthy Kids

 

Yoga, an old practice, is gaining ground in the modern world even among the youngest. Yoga for children is not only an exercise adapted to their playful nature, but also for the development of a healthy body, mind and emotional balance.

What is Yoga? How to start yoga?

Benefits of yoga for children

1. Physical Benefits: Children who practice yoga improve their balance, mobility and muscle strength. Simple asanas (yoga postures) promote healthy bone growth and the development of motor skills.
2. Psychological Benefits: Yoga teaches children focus and relaxation. It reduces stress, increases concentration and promotes self-confidence. With this, they build the basis for managing emotions in everyday life.

Warm-up

Before children start yoga, it is crucial that they familiarize themselves with the warm-up. Warming up is an indispensable part of every exercise, especially for younger children, to prevent possible injuries. It is also important to adjust the exercise according to the age group and physical condition of the children.

Keeping children entertained at home can be a big challenge, especially when there are no classes. Also, the lack of time presents a challenge for parents who would like to stretch out at least for a short time. Let the kids join in and get your imagination going at the same time!

Involving children in yoga practice is a great way to connect with them and teach them how to find peace on their own. Here are our top tips for involving kids in yoga.

 

 

A short children's yoga exercise through a story

Child's pose

Caterpillar in a cocoon

Pose: Spread your knees and squeeze your big toes together so that your chest sinks into the mat.

Story: Direct your child's attention to feelings of warmth, comfort and withdrawal. See if they can see their breath moving their belly and if they can hear their breath in that tiny cocoon. This pose is a great starting point, turn on the imagination and take your child to an imaginary mystical forest environment.

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Butterfly position

Butterfly

Pose: come from child's pose to a sitting position. Lift your feet together and let your knees form a diamond shape.

Story: Knees can be a reflection of butterfly wings. A transformation from a caterpillar nesting in a cocoon to a beautiful butterfly. Let your little ones feel their seat, the center of the butterfly and how light and airy the wings are. Encourage them to breathe into their wings/hips so that the butterfly will eventually have enough breath to lift and fly. Give the little ones some time to fly around like newborn butterflies.

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Tree position

Tree house

Pose: steady your body and help children balance on one leg. Lift the leg and place the sole on the side of the standing leg. When you are balanced, raise both arms towards the sky.

Story: Stay rooted like a tree through your feet. Swing from side to side and feel the wind in your branches/arms. At the top of your tree is a tree house into which a butterfly will fly. Notice the butterfly traveling from the feet all the way to the tips of the toes to reach the tree house.

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Downward facing dog

Steep hill

Pose: Place your palms shoulder-width apart and walk back with your feet hip-width apart. Align the pelvis towards the sky and bend the knees so that the hill (spine) is long, without a hump.

Story: The butterfly is at home in the tree house, but now it's time for the other forest creatures to join him. The body is now a path, a hill for animals (squirrels, moles, rabbits and mice) to get to the treehouse.

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Position of the bridge

Great bridge

Pose: From downward facing dog, lie on your back. Bring your heels closer to your pelvis, with your knees facing the sky. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows up and your toes pointing towards your feet. Lift your hips and push off the floor, lift your head off the pillow.

Story: As they continue their journey to the tree house, the forest animals must now climb a steep bridge from their feet, across their legs, stomach, chest and all the way to the top of their heads. Imitate children's movements with your hands and encourage awareness of the mobility of their spine.

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Boat

Longboarding

Pose: After the upward dog position, lie on your stomach and then switch to your back. Sit and position yourself on your pelvic bones, and from there bring your knees to your chest. Hold the back of your thighs or get into a banana position (low boat shape).

Story: The forest animals are almost at the canopy to meet the butterfly. First they have to spin up and down the rainbow. Start from the top of the head all the way down, then back up to the feet.

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Triangle position

Magic scale

Pose: After boat pose, come into downward dog position and place one foot between your hands. With both legs upright, place one hand on the brick and raise the other to the sky.

Story: This is the last part of the journey where the animals have to go to the tree house and meet the butterfly. Create a ladder using the bottom leg up to the top leg so the animals can climb up to the tree house. They succeeded!

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Savasana

At home

Pose: Lie on your back with your legs apart and palms facing up. Close your eyes.

Story: The animals succeeded! Time for everyone to relax. Lie on your back and make yourself at home. You are now in a tree house with other animals and a butterfly. Stay here for a few moments and rest until morning comes and it's time to play.