Kids Yoga Day is Friday, April 5 and it's a great way to get active with your child or children. What can you do to celebrate?
In my book Zoo Zen: A Yoga Story for Kids, I integrated 10 animal poses into a rhyming picture book about a girl who learns yoga from creatures at the zoo. The book offers basic instruction and colorful illustrations to get the children moving.
Here are five poses you can try with kids of any age this week--or any time you want!
- Simhasana (Lion Pose)
It’s not difficult for all ages to get on their hands and knees, but the fun of sticking out their tongues and bellowing a roar is what gives lion pose so much appeal for a young audience.
- Merudandasana (Bear Pose)
Who can resist a good balancing pose? Go beyond the standard Vrksasana (Tree Pose) and guide children to balance on their behinds with legs extended. If another roar slips out, so be it.
- Padahastasana (Gorilla Pose)
This pose may look like they are simply bending over, but teaching it properly instructs children how to fold, which is useful for so many other poses. Kids will enjoy either stepping on the insides of their hands or gripping their toes and sticking out their elbows—both grips offer fun variations on a basic posture that they can have fun playing with.
- Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)
Kids are naturally flexible, which makes it perfectly okay to introduce poses that probably require the rest of us to partake in a few stretch-out sessions. This funky looking lunge helps children learn right from left while stretching the hip area.
- Mandukasana (Frog Pose)
Frog pose may not be ideal for all adults because it’s an intense stretch, but most children will find it to be a piece of cake. Their naturally flexible legs may seem to fall easily into this pose, but they won’t be able to hop off the mat.
Find more family fun on our event calendar!
