Yoga Poses for Kids – Why Should Children Learn Yoga

Introducing children to yoga can help them achieve balance, mindfulness, and a deeper connection to their bodies in our fast-paced, technology-driven society. There are many yoga poses for kids that can enhance their coordination, gain body awareness, and teach peace and calmness.

Benefits of Yoga for Kids – Why Should Children Learn Yoga?

Yoga contributes to a child’s overall well-being, including their physical health and mental and ethical well-being. It also helps them to acquire vital life skills which support their development and progress.

Connectedness

Children get an understanding of how all living things are interrelated, which fosters empathy and a feeling of community with others.

Mindfulness

Yoga promotes awareness and teaches kids how to live in the present moment. It helps them to build concentration and let go of any worry. It also helps them to gain an awareness of their thoughts and feelings to handle stress and stay optimistic.

Physical Well-Being

Strength, flexibility, and balance are developed with the practice of physical postures (asanas). Children build inner strength via the physical and mental obstacles posed by yoga postures and practices.

Ethical Principles

The Yamas and Niyamas are a pair of ethical precepts found in traditional yoga philosophy. Values like honesty, nonviolence, happiness, compassion, respect, and self-control are among these tenets. These principles can aid children’s moral growth via yoga. 

Self-Discovery

Yoga promotes introspection and self-discovery. Children develop a healthy connection with themselves as they gain an understanding of their bodies, ideas, and emotions.

Easy Yoga Poses for Kids

These postures are simple to learn and may be adjusted to fit children with varying skill levels and ages. Remind kids to pay attention to their bodies and adjust positions as necessary.

Padmasana

1. Take a comfortable seat on the mat.
2. Fold the legs and place one leg on top of the other.
3. Repeat on the opposite side.

Downward dog

1. Come to a tabletop position on your fours.
2. Exhale, raise the hips and tuck the toes in to form an inverted “V” with your body. Press the palms into the mat.
3. Relax the necks and look at your navel.

Tree pose

1. Stand straight and place your feet hip-width apart.
2. Gently shift the weight onto one leg and raise the sole of the other foot up to the inner thigh or calf. 
3. Focus on a fixed spot in front of you 
4. and bring your hands together in the center of the heart. 
5. Repeat with the other side.

Butterfly pose

1. Come to a seated position. Pull your feet’ soles together, letting your knees fall to the sides. 
2. Hold onto the outsides of the feet. Bend slightly forward from the hips and lengthen the spine. 
3. Now, flap the thighs like the wings of the butterfly.

Cat and cow pose

1. Starting on all fours, place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips to perform the cat-cow stretch. 
2. Breathe in as you drop your belly, arch your back, and raise your head (Cow Pose). 
3. Breathe while bending your back and bringing your chin to your chest (Cat Pose). 

Cobra pose

1. Lay down on the abdomen.
2. Place the palms close to the chest.
3. Bringing the chest off the mat.
4. Pull back the shoulders and open the chest.

Read more about the cobra pose

Warrior 1

1. Stand on the mat
2. Bring one leg back at a 45° angle
3. Put your front leg in a 90° bending position and take a high lunge.
4. Raise the arms upward and look forward.
5. Repeat with the other leg.

Bridge pose

1. Lie on the back. Bend your knees.
2. Spread your legs with your feet flat on the ground.
3. Stretch your arms out to each side of your body to touch the back of the heels.
4. Gently raise your hips. 
5. Tuck your chin in slightly toward your chest, which helps lengthen the back of your neck.
6. Put your hands under the back in an interlace.
7. Engage your inner thighs and relax your glutes.

Read more about Bridge pose

Extended puppy pose

1. Come to your fours in the tabletop position.  
2. Extend your hands forward and lower the body until you can release your head onto the floor while maintaining the hip position. 
3. Separate the shoulder blades and widen the shoulders. 

Partner yoga poses for kids

Yoga poses for 2 kids help children to connect and cooperate. It encourages trust and communication between two or more children.

Seesaw stretch

1. Sit facing each other.
2. Extend your legs and touch the soles of your feet together.
3. Stretch your arms forward and grab your partner’s hand.
4. Gently bend forward slowly as your partner pulls back. 
5. Take turns to stretch.

Seated twist pose

1. Sit back to back with your partner.
2. Sit with your legs crossed.
3. Place your left hand on your partner’s right thigh and your right hand on your right knee. 
4. Let your partner attain the same posture. 
5. Feel the twist of the spine.

Warrior pose

1. Stand on the mat facing each other.
2. Move forward with the left foot, bending at the knees, while maintaining an arms-length from each other.
3. Keep the left foot next to the right. 
4. Interlock your hands with the opposite hands.

Backbend balance

1. Stand back to back with your partner.
2. Reach out to grasp your partner’s hands 
3. Let the heels touch the floor.
4. Lean forward gently to open your chest.

Standing forward fold

1. Stand back to back, with the heels slightly apart
2. Now, fold forward to grab your partner’s front shins with your hands. 

Yoga Games and Activities for Kids 

Including games in yoga sessions might help kids appreciate the practice even more. Design your games and exercises based on the skills and interests of the kids you are working with.

Yoga dance freeze

Play live music and let children dance freely. As you pause the music, the children have to hold a chosen yoga pose. It helps to blend yoga, music, and movement into the practice.

Yoga Storytelling

Write a story and include asanas in it. Children must strike the appropriate pose similar to the narrative. For instance, kids can perform “Elephant Pose” or “Lion Pose” if the narrative is about an adventure in the jungle. 

Children who learn with inner contentment and relaxation are better equipped to deal with life’s challenges. Yoga is a non-competitive physical exercise that helps young children develop a positive sense of self and body awareness. It helps them build flexibility, strength, and a sense of cooperation and empathy.