One of my new favorite items to use in teaching kids yoga is the Breathing Ball or Hoberman Sphere . It provides a great visual for teaching kids to slow down their breath, and take long and even inhales and exhales. We also talk about how the Breathing Ball is similar to the the work our lungs or diaphragm does.
How to Use a Breathing Ball with Children:
As a teacher or leader, model using it together as a whole group. As you stretch the ball out, take a deep long breath, together as a group. Then as you squeeze the ball together, let out a long deep exhale. You can experiment with the pace and show what happens when we breathe in and out too quickly. Talk about the difference in how your body feels when you take short quick breaths compared to long deep breaths.
If it is a smaller group, pass the ball around the circle and let each child take turns opening and closing it in time with their breath.
The ball is also fun to toss around the circle as it opens and shuts. Have the children participate in a team building and cooperation exercise to see how many times they can catch the ball without it dropping. This is also a good exercise in building mindfulness.
Included in your online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training:
Discover what is kids yoga and how it differs from adult yoga
Learn how to teach yoga to children through exercise, movement, yoga poses, games, and mindfulness techniques
Recognize the benefits of yoga for kids and how to teach yoga to children that will give them the skills that will last for life
Learn the top 8 breathing exercises and techniques will be taught that will help kids remain calm and focused in their daily activities.
Become aware of child-friendly yoga poses, games, exercises, and activities are shown that actually help children practice and remember the yoga postures.
Take the guesswork out of what is really effective with teaching kids yoga and get the top recommended resources including books, props, games, and materials.
This course is also packed full of bonuses including:
Kids yoga lesson planning guides and templates
Ready to use kids yoga lesson plans
Illustrated yoga pose guide, the top resources for kids yoga, and a live yoga partner pose class with children.
A personalized certificate of completion is awarded at the end of your course.
Here is the link to your online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training. What are you waiting for?! You can get started now and complete and start impacting young lives today.
Hi I am Sara, and welcome to Go Go Yoga for Kids; the place to get kids fit, flexible and focused while having fun with yoga.
Kids, yoga, and teaching are my passions and I have inspired thousands of children for over 18 years as an elementary teacher and kids yoga instructor. I have the exact kid tested and approved yoga resources and lesson plans for you to introduce kids to yoga through movement, mindfulness, fun, and games.
Go Go Yoga for Kids is perfect for parents, teachers, and anyone who enjoys yoga and kids. I am glad you are here, now let’s get started!
Want to try something different with your dad this Father’s Day? Try an falling pose together. Do not worry, there are many types of inversions and all have health benefits.
Inversions to Try:
Legs up the Wall
Shoulder Stand
Crow Pose
Side Crow
Tripod
Headstand
Handstand
Benefits of Inversions:
1. Boosts Your Brain: When your body is upside down and your feet are higher than your heart, the normal pull of gravity on your body is revered, which helps blood return to the heart.
2. Makes you Happy: Endorphins are released and your frown will literally be turned upside down.
3. Helps Digestion: Inversions release trapped gas and keeps things moving along.
4. Strengthen Your Body: Your muscles are turned on and your core engaged so this creates strength and balance throughout your body
5. They are fun! Be like a kid again! Kids are usually pretty good about trying anything and getting right back up again if they fall. There’s nothing wrong with trying a falling pose.
Remember that some inversions do require great strength and balance, so take things slow. You will get the same benefits from Down Dog or Legs up the wall as you will from a headstand, so there is no need to rush your body.
What a blast it was to be back at Athleta for another fun kids yoga class. This time leading a Partner Yoga for Kids class. We warmed up our bodies with exercises to get our hearts pumping. Then got ready for our partner and group poses.
The yoga cards were perfect as we worked on mastering the 4 challenge levels with the included partner poses.
We continued with some fun team building group yoga poses with our Down Dog Tunnel. The kids loved it and did great!
We closed class with a Stillness and Savasana and with a few deep cleansing breaths. If you are looking to try out some more partner poses, see our tips on partner poses here.
ed to long deep breaths.
