11 Yoga Postures and Exercises Kids Will Love
Lion’s Breath
Benefits:
- Keeps tonsils and throat healthy
- Builds a strong voice
- Gives confidence in speaking and singing
- Relieves tension
Steps:
- Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels
- Place your hands on your thighs
- Inhale through your nose
- As you exhale, open your mouth as wide as you can, stick out your
- tongue and let out a long, fierce roar, “aaaaggghhhh.”
- Be careful not to strain your voice
- Repeat 3-4 times
Cat Flexes
Benefits:
- Improves flexibility of the spine
- Loosens up the neck and shoulders
- Teaches how to coordinate breath with movement
Steps:
- Start on all fours (shoulders over wrists, hips over knees)
- Exhale, drop your head and tailbone as you round your back
- Inhale, drop your belly towards the floor and pull your shoulders back to open your chest
- Repeat 4-6 times
- Kid Variation: as you exhale, try meowing like a cat
Down Dog/Walk the Dog
Benefits:
- Develops arm strengt
- Improves hamstring and ankle flexibility
- Stretches the back
Steps:
- Start on all fours (shoulders over wrists and hips over knees)
- Curl your toes under
- Inhale, press your hips back and up as high as you can, so your body forms a triangle
- Exhale, pushing your heels down toward the floor
- Stay here for 3-4 breaths
- Walk the Dog: Lift one leg at a time
- Kid Variation: on each exhalation say “woof” like a dog
Swamp Monster
Benefits:
- Stretches low back
- Stretches hamstrings
- Develops coordination and balance
- Improves energy
Steps:
- Stand with feet hip distance apart and fold forward
- Place hands around your feet
- Keep your hands under your toes as you begin walking forward
- Walk about 10 feet forward, then 10 feet backwards
Frog Jump
Benefits:
- Increases strength in the legs
- Improves hip flexibility
- Energizes the body
Steps:
- Stand with feet a little wider than hip width apart, feet turned out slightly
- Squat down, bringing your hands to the floor between your feet
- Imagine you are a frog in a pond
- Exhale, pushing your heels down toward the floor
- Inhale through your nose
- As you exhale, say “ribbit” and jump into the air
- Come back down into your squat and repeat 4-6 times
