Join Go Go Yoga for Kids at Author Fair
We would love to see you at the Des Moines Public Library Author Fair on Sunday, October 8 from 1-3 pm. Enjoy snacks, door prizes, and meet local authors. See here for more information. See you there!
Kids Love to Play Toega: Yoga for Your Feet
Go Go Yoga for Kids loves all opportunities to bring yoga to children in fun and different ways. Toega is the perfect yoga game to play with all different ages.
What is Toega? It is yoga for your feet! Kids love this simple exercise and it is good for them as well. Feet are often scrunched up all day in shoes and socks, and Toega allows children to stretch their toes and build flexibility.
All you need are some colored pom pom balls and bare feet! It is fun and easy to play.
How to Play Toega
- Scatter the pom pom balls on the ground.
- Try picking up the colored balls with your toes.
- Then place the balls on your yoga mat or another flat surface.
When I play with Toega with kids, I like to change it up a little by having different challenges for the children. Sometimes I will challenge the older to kids to collect balls of the same color or size. Or I will have a time limit to see how many they can gather in 1 minute with their t
oes.
After the children have gathered up their pom pom balls, I like to bring a connection or close to the activity by having the children sort them in groups or “families”. I leave it open-ended and it is neat to see what they come up with for ideas. They will often sort by size and color, but once in a while I get an expected response and that is lots of fun.
By the way…I just LOVE my new Toega mat that I found here. It just makes it extra fun to play Toega.
See more Toega in action at our Family Fun Day.
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Family Yoga Games with Go Go Yoga for Kids
It was a beautiful day for some family fun and outdoor yoga at Family Fun Day. We spent the morning playing family yoga games, trying new poses, and getting kids excited about yoga.
Triangle Pose is a favorite! Learn how toPlay Triangle Tag here
Yoga Jenga is still fun…even when the blocks fall over.
Roll the Yoga Dice and see what pose to practice.
Kids love to try partner yoga poses. The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards were perfect for trying to master many different poses.
Want more Family Yoga Fun?
Welcome to a fun family yoga class! We will move into some yoga poses that will help you feel calm, comfortable and strong. Then we will move into some partner yoga poses, a Plank Challenge, and then a relaxing stillness and savasana which is so good for your body.
1. First, begin in Child’s Pose. Bring your forehead to the ground. This is a very centering and grounding pose. Let’s take a few deep centering breathes in and out of your nose. We have had some crazy weeks, our schedules have changed, we miss our schools, our teachers, our friends, but it is going to be ok. We will have a strong body and mind and we will get through this.
2. Move into Tabletop position and let’s move through Cat Pose and Cow Pose. You may be on a screen a bit more than normal and it is important to keep our spines fluid and flexible.
3. Go ahead and step forward into Ragdoll Pose. Sway side to side. Let your arms and head hang. This is a great release for your lower back and a very centering pose.
4. Now move into Gorilla Pose. This is a fun pose! Bend your knees as much as you want to. Place your hands under your feet. Maybe you can just reach a few fingers under there. That is ok! Let your head hang. Can you make some gorilla noises?
5. Now reach overhead to mountain pose. Feel strong and tall. Pull your shoulders back. Look up above your hands. You are strong. LET YOUR HEART SHINE. Go ahead and close your eyes. It feels good and strong.
6. Now take a big inhale and on the exhale dive forward over your feet. This is almost like you are diving into a large swimming pool. We can’t wait to do that this summer!
7. Next step back into Down Dog Pose. Would you like to be taller? This pose lengthens and strengthens your leg muscles. Walk out your dog. Think about taking your dog for a walk after he has been cooped up all winter!
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National Kids Yoga Conference Coming Your Way
I am so excited to return to Washington DC in just a few weeks for the National 
Kids Yoga Conference. Last year was my first time attending this event and I left connected, inspired, and energized to continue introducing children to yoga.
Just a year ago, Go Go Yoga for Kids: A Complete Guide to Using Yoga with Kids had just been released and I was nervous yet excited to share it with other fellow kids yoga teacher enthusiasts.
I will never forget how I tentatively pulled it out of my bag and shared it briefly during a relevant breakout session. It is definitely the introvert in me as well as probably my mid western roots, but I often feel uncomfortable talking about myself. I had worked hard on this book, yes, and it was everything that I would have wanted to know and have when I first started teaching yoga to children. I just didn’t want it to be about me.
A wise friend once reminded me, it is not about me, it is about sharing something with others that can truly help them. I do truly have others’ best interests in mind and absolutely believe this book and other resources can truly benefit and help others, adults and kids, enjoy the fun and benefits of yoga.
The kids yoga community is kind. I heard several times at the NKYC conference how there is enough room for everyone and everything. We are all working together to help spread the joy, fun, and benefits of yoga to children.
While I am thinking of kindness, one incredible person jumps to mind instantly, 
Kerry Wekelo of Zendoway. We met at the National Kids Yoga Conference last year and she has the biggest heart and giving spirit that comes completely naturally and just ebbs from her.
Zendoway is a sponsor for NKYC this year and has invited Go Go Yoga for Kids to be a part of it as well.
My plane ticket is bought, my books and kids yoga pose cards are ready to share, and I can’t wait to learn and connect with others.
How to Play the Yoga Dice Game
Kids Yoga at the Zoo
I love introducing yoga to children and have been thrilled that Go Go Yoga for Kids has gotten to be a part of many fun family events as well as author events this past year.
I feel uncomfortable just sitting behind a table, and I would much rather interact with the children and introduce them to yoga through a variety of ways.
Often when Go Go Yoga for Kids does an event, I will teach a kids yoga class, or offer mini yoga sessions so the children can get an opportunity to try yoga in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
This past weekend we had an event at a zoo so I was ready with zoo animal yoga poses and our popular Off the Zoo Kids Yoga Lesson Plan.
A new favorite kids yoga game to play is the Yoga Dice Game. For this game you need a giant dice. I found a fun inexpensive blow up one on Amazon.
- Select 6 different poses that you want the kids to work on from the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards.
- Use packing tape or clear tape to attach the poses to the dice.
- I also printed out labels for the poses. This step isn’t necessary as the pose cards already have the names of the poses on them.
- Each player takes a turn to roll the dice. Whatever pose comes up, the player does that pose.
- Continue rolling the dice until all of the poses are mastered.
See another fun way to play the Kids Yoga Dice Game here.
For the Zoo Kids Yoga Event, I had animal stickers to give the children when they tried the pose. It is not necessary, however, as the kids just had fun rolling the giant dice.
I also love that you can continue changing the poses on the dice so the game continues to be fresh and fun. It also works great for all ages. Have fun playing the Yoga Dice Game!
Want over 100 more kids yoga game and activities? The bestselling Go Go Yoga Kids: A Complete Guide to Using Yoga With Kids has you covered with all you need to know for introducing yoga to children.
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The Top 3 Breathing Exercises for Anxious Kids
As a mom of three and a teacher for over 18 years, I frequently see a recurring theme of anxiousness in children, and it is completely normal. Kids get nervous or stressed. Any different event such as starting a new school year, taking tests, trying new activities, and meeting new people can bring about uncertainty, unease, and worry. Luckily yoga for anxiety can give kids the tools the handle the stress.
When we worry, we take short, shallow breaths which continue to ignite the feeling of unease in our bodies. Slowing down our breathing and taking long, deep breaths naturally brings on a sense of calmness and peace.
Try these three breathing exercises with your kids. These calming techniques are effective for any age, and can be done anywhere – in the morning, during a car ride, sitting in school, or before bedtime. Yoga for anxiety can be done anytime, anywhere.
Shoulder Shrugs
Roll your shoulders back and down so they are away from your ears. Breathe deeply in through your nose as you raise your shoulders up by your ears. Breath out and lower your shoulders. Repeat movement 3-5 times and feel the tension melt away.
Darth Vader Breath
This is a favorite with children as they associate an image with this breathing exercise. Breathe deeply in and out while exhaling strongly through an open mouth.
Ocean Waves
Close your eyes and imagine you are an ocean wave. Breathe in and out deeply as if you are an ocean wave crashing on the beach. Alternate the frequency of your breath to become shorter and longer waves.
By introducing yoga for anxiety to kids, you will be giving them lifelong skills to become calm and focused, and better manage their anxiety when facing new situations.
Hop over to Mindful Teachers to read our guest post on the Top 3 Breathing Exercises for Kids. These can be done anywhere and are great for kids.
Are you interested in learning more about how to effectively teach yoga and mindfulness to children? Learn more about our new online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training.
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