| Kids can highly benefit from yoga. Yoga will help to | | | | she would like to. Bring the hunched back down again. |
| calm them down, make them more flexible, strengthen | | | | Repeat 5 or more times. |
| their muscles and help them to become more aware, | | | | Your child can relax with the "do nothing doll" pose. |
| coordinated and so much more. | | | | Have your child lie on the yoga mat and his or her |
| Make sure your child is in comfortable clothes. You | | | | back. Arms are at the side, eyes are closed and your |
| want he/she to have a yoga mat on the floor as well. | | | | child should be lying still. |
| You can start with fun yoga poses for kids to help get | | | | At the end of the yoga session for your child, have |
| them interested in yoga. For instance, you can use | | | | him or her sit cross legged (until they learn how to sit in |
| animal pictures for yoga. Show your child a picture of | | | | the Lotus Pose) and breath in deep at the same time |
| a snake. Then tell your child to get down on the mat | | | | slowly bringing the arms up over the head. Repeat |
| and slither around like a snake. This pose is excellent | | | | deep breathing, eyes closed and slowly release the air |
| for the spine. | | | | from the body as your child lowers his/her arms back |
| Your child can sit cross legged on the yoga mat and | | | | to his/her sides. After the third time everyone in the |
| slowly reach up as if he or she is a monkey trying to | | | | group brings their hands together as if they are |
| reach for bananas off of a tree. Bring the arms slowly | | | | praying, the hands are located near the heart and all |
| back down to the sides. | | | | bow as they say, "namaste." |
| Next have your child slowly stand up. He or she is now | | | | Namaste in yoga terms means "I bow to your true |
| going to perform the elephant yoga pose. Bring both | | | | self." The true self is the deeper individual you. Your |
| arms together and interlock the fingers. Gently sway | | | | child is honoring himself or herself at the end of the |
| the arms back and forth as if you have an elephant | | | | yoga exercises. |
| trunk. | | | | You can keep yoga for kids interesting. Keep changing |
| Another great yoga pose for kids is the cat. Have | | | | the animal pictures as you continue along with the |
| your child on all fours. Hunch up the back as if one is a | | | | learning. |
| frightened cat. You can have your child meow if he or | | | | |