Yoga is fun for everyone! It is a wonderful activity for people of all ages and we are pleased, proud and happy to offer it in our classrooms at The Academy of Early Learning.
Yoga is an ancient practice that does immense good for our whole being. First, yoga is a physical practice that aids in the development of balance, coordination, strength and general physical fitness.
But yoga practice is so much more than learning postures and movement and endurance. It is also great for the mind and for our emotional well-being, too. It helps with the refinement of concentration and focus, the decrease of stress and anxious feelings and aids in the construction and growth of self-esteem, self-confidence and self-love.
Plus, yoga for children is also rich with a lot of silliness and a lot of fun!
When we teach kids yoga, the early exposure to this practice will provide them with a valuable tool that they can use for the rest of their lives. Healthy habits that start early seem to be the habits that stick best and last a lifetime with the greatest possible results.
Top Resources for Kids Yoga
If you want to get your child excited about yoga, there are so many resources to help you do so. Many are online and are free. Others involve going to classes or workshops. Still, others are blogs or books on the subject that are targeted to children.
There are so many wonderful avenues to explore when it comes to bringing the wonders of yoga to children. Read on to find out about all the ways that you can get enthusiastic about kids yoga and then share that enthusiasm with your son or daughter.
Kids Yoga Books, of course!
There are some fantastic children’s books introducing the various terms and beginning to talk about ALL things yoga, including breath work, poses, meditation & how to calm that inner monkey chatter. Here are a few great reads that you can grab and start implementing at home before bedtime, a fun Friday game night or easy Sunday morning.
- I Am Yoga by Susan Verde
- Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere by Kira Willey
- Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story by Mariam Gates
Kids Yoga Blogs
There are a number of fantastic blogs that are dedicated to the connection between and teaching of yoga to children. Some are aimed at the parents of children that are interested. Others are targeted towards the children themselves.
There are a wide variety of these blogs that can be found with a simple search, but here are a few that are especially worth checking out.
Kids Yoga Stories Blog
This blog gives adults ideas for creative ways to teach yoga to children. Some of it is geared towards certified yoga teachers, but there is also plenty you can use at home. There are suggestions for books, activities and great kids yoga sequences for almost every situation and setting.
Children Inspired By Yoga Blog
What’s unique and special about this blog is that it’s mostly focused on doing yoga with babies and toddlers. If you have a little one in your household, this will be a great resource for you.
Flow And Grow Kids Yoga Blog
There is a general wealth of information on yoga topics overall on this blog. Also, it offers wonderful suggestions for the specific language to use during instruction to really reach kids.
For more great yoga blogs for kids, check out this link.
Kids Yoga Videos
There is a wide variety of yoga and mindfulness videos online for children. Most of them are free, but a few are subscription-based. Try out a few different sites to determine which will work best for your family.
GoNoodle
GoNoodle is a site that offers thousands of movement videos to get kids moving. You will find more than just yoga videos here, and your kids may soon be hooked. Their yoga videos are listed under their “Flow” channel.
Cosmic Kids
This site has been providing yoga and mindfulness content for kids since 2012. There are tons of videos here that can be watched on YouTube or on the Cosmic Kids app. There are also lesson plans and other great resources for teachers and families.
Gaia
Gaia is a subscription yoga site but their videos are quite good. When you subscribe you get access to thousands of videos for adults and some for kids, too.
YouTube
There are plenty of yoga videos for kids available on YouTube. Many teachers often use YouTube to build a following and gain exposure so many of the videos on thisi free platform are of high quality, and there is lots of variety in classes for your son or daughter. You can find videos of for all ages and skill levels here.
Kids Yoga Games
Kids love games! One way to get them excited about doing yoga is to turn it into a game.
The Pink Oatmeal
The Pink Oatmeal is a site dedicated to movement and motor skills resources. Their section on yoga games for kids has a lot of great ideas for the classroom and home.
Kids Yoga Retreats
If your kids really enjoy yoga, they may benefit from and may enjoy a yoga retreat.Several places that offer yoga retreats for adults also offer versions for the little yogis and yoginis among us. Check out these places and you may enjoy a little getaway for yourself, too!
Kripalu Center For Yoga And Health; Lenox, MA
Kripalu Is Amazing And Offers A Number Of Programs For Children And Families, Especially During School Vacations. Their Classes Are Fun And Inclusive And Will Be Remembered For A Lifetime.
Satchidananda Ashram – Yogaville; Buckingham, VA
Each summer, Yogaville hosts children from ages 8 to 12 in their rustic cabins for a yoga-based summer camp experience. In addition to yoga practice, kids will swim, hike, play games, and enjoy the natural world around them.
Ananda Village; Nevada City, CA
Ananda Village invites families yearly to their “Living Wisdom Family Camp,” which includes yoga and meditation for both children and adults on their 700-acre property in the mountains.
Happy Yoga Practice
Yoga is fantastic. It has so many beneficial aspects and once your child is hooked, it’s likely that yoga will be a part of his or her life for many decades to come.
There are so many wonderful resources out there to help your son or daughter get excited about kids yoga and to integrate it into his or her routine and personality. We hope you will find some of those listed above helpful to you.
If you’d like more information about how we use yoga in the classroom at The Academy of Early Learning, please contact us today.