Kids Yoga

Join Anishka as she takes kids between ages 5 to 10 year olds on a beautiful journey, introducing them to the practice of Kids Yoga in a fun and engaging manner. Each session is about half an hour, Do pick the session appropriate for your child as per their age.

5-7 Years

3 sessions

Yoga for the young ones

8-10 Years

3 sessions

Yoga for the active kids

What is Kids-Yoga?

Kids yoga are all positions and yoga postures for kids. It is retained for some time and they are mostly natural poses that are easily adapted by them. Child posture yoga includes all the day to day activities of a toddler to infuse more energy and confidence into their personalities. Most important of all yoga for kids develops awareness of body, breath and mind with yoga postures for kids that is precisely categorized. Kids yoga has teenager exercises also included owing to the wide distractions they combat with many exercises to increase stamina.

What are Kids-yoga Exercises?

Kids yoga exercises are a type of modern yoga consisting of simple exercises that may incorporate animal sounds and interesting names for the postures. Kids yoga are referred to as asanas in Sanskrit and the most common and easy yoga asanas for kids are: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose) Vrksasana (Tree Pose) Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) Marjaryasana (Cat pose) Dhanurasana (Bow pose) Mandukasana (Frog pose) Sukhasana (Easy Pose) Baddha Konasana (Butterfly pose) Savasana (Corpse Pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Virasana (Hero Pose) Naukasana (Boat Pose) Tadasana (Mountain pose) Ananda Balasana (Happy baby pose) Simhasana (Lion Pose)

Who Can Do Kids-Yoga?

According to the study done in the U.S, it was reported that the ideal age to practice yoga for kids is from 12 years to 15 years. Every kid with good mental and physical health can take up the yoga for kids under supervision at least during the early stages of practice. This is to avoid any unnecessary health risks. Even in the early stages, kids can start doing yoga steps for kids if they are capable of coping up and learning the postures correctly.

List of Kids-Yoga Exercises

There are so many poses for kids and the best yoga for kids are: Cat pose Child’s pose Cobra pose Boat pose Bridge pose Chair pose Cobbler’s pose Cow pose Dancer pose Bow pose Crescent moon pose Dolphin pose Downward facing dog pose Eagle pose Easy pose Flower pose Gyan mudra Happy baby pose Kneeling Legs up the wall Locust pose Lotus mudra Mountain pose Pigeon pose Butterfly pose Tree pose Triangle pose Tortoise pose Squat Pose Staff pose

What Kids-yoga Exercises Are Best to be Done at Home?

The stepwise explanation of the various kids-yoga poses are: Cat pose: As the name suggests this yoga for children is being on all fours just like the animal cat. It is expected to tuck the chin into the chest and round one’s back. This is done for 5 counts by holding the breath until 3 counts. Child’s pose: In these yoga asanas for kids, one should sit on his/her heels and drop the forehead to rest in front of their knees. Few deep breaths should be taken once the arms are placed on the sides of the body. Count until 10 and repeat it. Cobra Pose: This simple yoga for kids is done by lying on the tummy with the palms placed next to the shoulders the head is lifted by pressing the hands and taking the shoulders off the ground. Then the hissing sound must be produced. Repeat the same thrice. Boat pose: In these asanas for kids the body is balanced on the buttocks with the legs up off the ground. Then the body should be rocked just like a boat. Keep rocking for 10 counts. Bridge pose: This kid exercise is done by lying on the back with the knees bent and feet flat on the ground. The arms are rested along the sides of the body with chin tucked into the chest and buttocks lifted up to form a bridge shape. Take 3 deep breaths and hold the position for 5 counts. Chair pose: In these yoga asanas for children the feet are placed wide apart and knees bent in mountain pose one should hop like a kangaroo. Do this for 5 times. Cobbler’s pose: This yoga postures for kids is done by sitting on the buttocks with legs bent. The feet sole is put together and the legs are flapped like the wings of a butterfly. Perform this 20 times. Cow Pose: In this yoga exercise for kids the posture is that one should stay on all fours with the back arched and chest wide open. Focus on the breathing and hold this pose for five deep breaths. Dancer pose: One should stay in a mountain pose with one leg lifted up in this child posture yoga. The legs are lifted with the corresponding hand with the body bent forward. The other arm is stretched out in front for balance. Hold this position for five counts with proper inhalation and exhalation and then repeat it again. Bow pose: In these asanas for kids one is asked to lie on the tummy with the knees bent back, chest lifted and arms reached out to hold the toes. Hole the position for 5 counts and perform 3 sets. Crescent moon pose: By standing in a mountain pose the arms are reached up high over the head by bringing the arms together in this yoga exercise for kids. By tilting the body to one side one should get back to the centre and again tilt to the other side by the children doing yoga. This must be performed 5 times with proper inhalation and exhalation. Dolphin pose: In this easy yoga for kids one should stand on all fours with the elbows bent, knees straight and palms flat. The head should be held up looking forward. This posture must be maintained for 5 counts and then repeated for 5 times. Downward facing dog pose: Kids doing yoga start by standing and then bending down by placing the palms on the ground. By forming a V shape with the buttocks held up in the air the head is looked down between the legs and one should stay relaxed with legs straight. The pose must be done 5 times by holding the pose for 3 counts. Eagle pose: This yoga for children is done by maintaining the mountain pose with one leg wrapped around the other. The arm is wrapped in the same manner in front near the chest with the knees bent. This will look like an eagle perching a tree. Hold the pose for 3 counts and do it for 10 counts. Easy pose: This child posture yoga is done by sitting comfortably by crossing the legs on the floor and resting the hands on the knees. This can be performed any number of times as it is not strenuous. Flower pose: Children doing yoga sit with the buttocks on the floor with the spine straight, the legs are lifted up and balanced with the arms under the legs. This pose must be done thrice by holding the position for 5 counts. Gyan mudra: This simple yoga for kids is done by keeping both the hands in the a-okay sign over the eyes and sitting on the heels. This can be performed any number of times. Happy baby pose: This is the best yoga for kids and is done by lying on the back and chin tucked in the knees and hugged onto the chest. Rocking like a baby the outer part of the feet is grabbed with both hands and this yoga for children is the easiest form of yoga. The rocking should be initially done 5 times and then gradually increased. Kneeling: This is one of the easy yoga asanas for kids. It is done by standing on the knees and one should reach the arm to the sky with the chest open. This can be performed any number of times. Legs up the wall: These yoga asanas for kids are done by lying on the back of the body by placing the legs straight towards the wall forming an L shape with feet together. This is done 5 times and holding the posture for 10 counts. Locust pose: These yoga postures for kids are done by lying on the tummy, with the chest and the shoulders lifted up and the hands clasped behind. The position will look like a shark gliding through the water. This is done by holding the position for 3 counts and repeating the same thrice. Lotus Mudra: Kids yoga involves this mudra that resembles the spines of a hedgehog. This is done by sitting on the heels with fingers stretched in front of you. This exercise is done for 5 counts by staying in the pose up to 10 counts. Lotus pose: These yoga postures for kids are another common and effective pose to be followed by children. It is done by sitting straight with the palms on the knees in a very relaxed manner and breathing. This is done for thrice by holding the posture for 5 counts. Mountain pose: These yoga asanas for kids are done by standing tall with arms along the sides of the body and the legs wide apart as the hips and the feet are facing the front. This can be done any number of times by the kids. Pigeon pose: These yoga postures for kids are nothing but a dog pose with the right knee resting behind the right hand and perching like a bird. This posture is held for 10 counts and then performed twice. Butterfly pose: These yoga asanas for kids are done by lying on the back by bringing the soles together and bending the legs. The arms are rested towards the sides of the body. Then by relaxing the whole-body deep breaths are taken. This can be done any number of times. Tree pose: Kids yoga called tree pose is done by standing on one leg the knees are bent with the sole of the foot on the inner thighs. Then the position is balanced and swayed like a tree. This should be done thrice by holding the pose for 5 counts. Triangle pose: These yoga postures for kids are done by standing by stepping one foot back and placing it slightly outwards with the arms parallel to the ground. It is then done by bending the waist until the upper body reaches the floor and the arm straight up. This must be done for five counts by proper inhaling and exhaling. Tortoise pose: Kids yoga called the tortoise pose is done by sitting on the buttocks with the feet on the floor and the knees bent. The spine is taken care of to be straight and the arms are placed under the knees. Then this yoga is done by bending forward, keeping the back and the neck straight. This pose is held for 3 counts and repeated twice. Squat pose: Kids yoga known as the squat pose is very easy by squatting and waddling like a duck. This is done thrice by holding the posture for 5 counts. Staff pose: Kids yoga which involves the staff pose is done by sitting with the spine straight and legs in front. The hands are used to imitate the action of the wheels of a vehicle. This is done 10 times by proper inhaling and exhaling.

How Effectively Can Kids Do Yoga at Home?

Kid’s yoga can be effectively practised on a daily basis at home either with the help of an instructor or under parental guidance. As the yoga postures for kids are not in any way strenuous and require special equipment it can be done almost anywhere and everywhere. When the parents join with kids doing yoga it develops an emotional connection and quality family time between them.

Who Should Avoid Kids-Yoga?

Children below 5 years of age should not be taught to practice yoga postures for kids. Yoga for kids should not be forced onto children who are not fascinated by it. Children with migraine problems should refrain from doing a kid’s yoga. Children with issues like asthma, bronchitis and hernia should avoid taking up the breathing lessons while practising yoga for kids. Children with other health complications should consult their physician based on their medical condition and only then proceed with yoga training.

Benefits of Kids-Yoga

The various benefits associate with yoga for kids are: Kids doing yoga can keep their minds under control and prevent them from wandering off. Yoga steps for kids increase the concentration power and make the mind more attentive. Yoga asanas for kids help to overcome all the negative emotions fuming in the mind like fear, jealousy and anger. Yoga exercise for kids increases lung capacity and breathing patterns. Yoga activities for kids encourage healthy food habits which is very essential in the junk food era. Yoga asanas for children reduce the screen time and keep the children more active. Basic yoga for kids develops both imagination and creativity skills. Yoga for children strengthens all the muscles in the body. Simple yoga for kids increases the quality of sleep. Easy yoga for kids improves the academic performance of the kids. Asanas for kids are highly beneficial for children with special needs to make conventional medical treatment more effective. A recent study states that yoga for kids have better results on autistic children when they are taught and made to practice regularly. Kids yoga teaches self-acceptance which is a very essential parameter in today’s world. It teaches a child to cherish oneself the way he/she is despite all the inadequacies of life. Kids yoga relieves kids of frustration and prevents them from throwing tantrums. This is because they master focusing their mind and begin to learn on applying such tools in their day-to-day lives and react accordingly. Kids yoga benefits the children by teaching them to understand and accept that all bodies are different and that everyone is unique and special.

Disadvantages of Kids-Yoga

The major disadvantages related to yoga for kids are: Kids yoga is assumed to be against their religion by some parents as they consider it an offshoot of Hinduism. Yoga for children is a solitary exercise and hence it lacks interpersonal skills like other physical fitness. Yoga for kids might cause injury to muscles and bones in certain rare situations.

Guidelines for Kids-Yoga

Kids yoga has a few do’s and don’ts and they are: Kids should avoid extreme bending and forward and backwards while doing all the yoga exercises for kids. Kids should not practice headstand without proper supervision during child posture yoga. Kids should be demonstrated with the postures instead of just an explanation for better understanding and properly doing all the yoga steps for kids. Kids are not allowed to perform asanas for long durations and hold breath during yoga activities for kids. Kids should not exceed twenty minutes of any basic yoga for kids.