Family Yoga
Create a special time of the day for yoga. Take some time in the morning or evening, and follow it with a deep relaxation.
Make a special yoga space. Use a small table or cover a box with a cloth and have your child decorate it with pictures and objects that have special meaning for him or her. Use a candle for focus during quiet meditative time.
Begin by closing your eyes, and taking a few deep breaths to center yourself. If you have a “yoga sound” that you use for yoga, chant it a few times to begin.
How long to do yoga? With preschoolers, fifteen minutes is a good start. Each exercise lasts 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can increase the time as they progress, and develop the ability to stay focused. Elementary-age children can easily practice yoga for 20-30 minutes. You may like to include a few minutes of deep relaxation at the end of the yoga time, and perhaps a meditation of a few minutes. Remember to start simply and build the practice slowly.
F-U-N, those three little letters are so important! Entice your young children with engaging exercises and songs. Make up yoga stories using animal poses, like those in Fly Like A Butterfly. For older children, challenge them using a timer (“Let’s see how long we can hold this pose with deep breathing!”). Use drum music along with rhythmic exercise. Reach them using your creativity and light-hearted humor.
