Five Yoga Poses For Kids

Your children’s activities are very important. Swimming, karate, theatre, painting… There are endless activities that will enrich your child’s life. What you may not know is that there are also suitable yoga poses for children. Yoga is the most recommended activity to teach children how to make time for themselves.

Yoga originated in India as a form of mental and physical stimulation and dates back over 35 centuries.  Europe was not aware of yoga until about the 17th century, when archaeologist John Marshall found a stamp depicting figures in poses unknown in the western world.

Today there are different types of yoga for the needs of all different people. Some focus more on mental well-being, others on the physical. There are also people who see it only as a religious ritual and there is even a therapeutic discipline.

Among these types we also find yoga for children. Doctors strongly recommend it because it offers infinite benefits. They can also practice yoga at home as these exercises help improve their psychomotor development, spine strengthening, and flexibility. It’s really great.

Five yoga poses for children

It’s likely that your child isn’t really interested in yoga at first glance, but that’s only because they haven’t tried it yet. The poses we’ll talk about below are clear examples of how an age-old technique can be adapted to everyone, including children.

The sun salutation

• The child should stand with legs apart, trying to move their body downwards, keeping their feet parallel.

• This is one of the most recommended yoga poses for kids just starting out in yoga.

This pose is easy to do and does not require too much effort. However, you have to keep in mind that they don’t strain their backs or move too fast. For many children, this pose is fun because it is easy to understand. However, if they get too excited, their impulsiveness can cause them to tip over.

Lumbar stretch

The lumbar stretch position is perfect for flexibility.

• The child should sit with straight legs forward and try to reach the toes.
• They should hold this pose for a few seconds. This helps them strengthen their joints little by little.

The spine plays a fundamental role in this posture. Children especially like it because they can use their creativity and imagination. Once they can touch their toes with their hands, they can try to go even further.

The tree pose

For this yoga pose, the child has to pretend to be a tree.

• He should stand up straight and imagine that his roots are holding him to the ground.
• Then he should lift one foot and place the sole of that foot against the inside of the other leg, as in the picture below.

• The child should keep the foot there as long as possible.
• Once the child is in balance, he should raise his arms above the head.

You have to imagine that it is a strong tree that could not even fall over in a huge storm.

The warrior attitude

• To assume this pose, the child should start by bringing one of the legs forward and bending it.
• The child should keep the other leg straight.
• Once the child is in balance, he should raise his arms above his head as in the previous pose.

In this pose, the children have to pretend to be strong warriors. They must think that no one can push or move them. This is a perfect way to improve their concentration and strength, in addition to quickly improving their balance.

The cobra pose

The cobra pose is one of the best known yoga poses for children.  You can see it in the image below.

• They must first lie face down.
• Then, using their hands, they should slowly raise their upper body.
• The lower part of their body should remain straight and stretched.

This exercise strengthens the spine. It also helps to strengthen the joints of the upper body, such as the arms and hands. Children often associate this pose with a snake attack. Therefore, when they take this attitude, they are likely to feel brave.

Yoga is one of the most complete exercises out there. Teaching your kids to do yoga at an early age is a big step in the right direction as it helps them acquire certain skills such as strength and focus. However, don’t try to force them to do it. There is nothing worse than a child who feels pressured to do something.

Doing yoga will make your child feel good. These exercises equip children with a number of important life skills.

Try these five yoga poses for kids and see how your kid likes it!