Meet the Creator of Backyard Yoga and a Fun Yoga Game Giveaway

What is one job that almost any kid would love to have as their full time grown up job? I am pretty positive that a toy designer would top the list. I am very excited to introduce you to someone who is doing just that. Meet Erica Golub of Backyard Yoga.

Read on to win of Erica’s latest kids yoga products: Roll-a-Pose Wintertime Dice Game

I had the pleasure of meeting Erica at the National Kids Yoga Conference in Washington D.C. last Fall. I was intrigued about what she was doing and creating to help maximize the power of play in children to incorporate movement, meditation and mindfulness.

Read on to find out more about Erica’s creative process and Backyard Yoga.

GGYfK: What was your favorite toy as a kid?

Backyard Kids Yoga: I’m not sure I had just one. I was a big fan of combining all my toys. Legos, Voltron, He-man, Rainbow Brite, Care Bears and My Little Pony all mashed together in one crazy narrative. When I look back, most of my time was spent outdoors. Some of my fondest memories as a kid are playing outside with my brother and neighbors making up games.

GGYfK: We love the name Backyard Kids Yoga as it seems so friendly and accessible to all. How did the name originate?

Backyard Kids Yoga: It literally originated from my backyard. I was searching for local kids yoga classes that would fit in our summer schedule, and allow both my 3 and 6 year old to attend together. One day I got tired of searching and decided to create it. I set up Backyard Yoga Playdates and invited friends. The private Facebook group has grown now to over 20 families and I still hold one every month during the summer. The have become my ambassadors and you can find them highlighted here.

GGYfK: Being a toy maker and designer sounds so amazing. What was the first thing you ever designed and sold?

Backyard Kids Yoga: My first product to hit the market was the Peaceful Planet Waterball that I designed while interning at Fisher-Price in 1998/99. A fun fact is that it had a cameo in the movie Under The Tuscan Sun, I think seeing my toy on the big screen may have been cooler than seeing my first toy on the store shelves.

GGYfK: Where do you get your inspiration?

Backyard Kids Yoga: Play. This is why I am such an advocate for play. Being curious and learning about new things will always fuel us and help us to grow. When you are learning new skills or just playing around, things will connect in the most unexpected ways. Getting my 200hr yoga certification started as a way for me to reconnect with myself again after my first child was born. I had no idea at the time the path those 6 months, 6 years ago, would put me on.

GGYfK:. What is the biggest challenge in designing unique products?

Backyard Kids Yoga: It depends on the space I’m designing in. If I’m designing a new stacking toy, that becomes pretty difficult since so many have been done before. With Backyard Yoga it’s a bit easier. As you know there are not a lot of resources out there for kids yoga, which is why you wrote Go Go Yoga for Kids. My toy design background coupled with my yoga experience provides endless ideas. The bigger hurdles revolve around resources.

GGYfK: Tell us about the next product you have in mind that you are excited to share with others?

Backyard Kids Yoga: Right now I’m pretty excited about a family of products coming this Spring. They focus on breath and meditation. Breathing Buddy Eye Pillows are character themed eye pillows with satin tummy’s filled with flax seed. They will be accompanied by a song I co-wrote and developed with super talented friends of mine. The song is my take on belly balloon breath. If you want to read more check out my article at MindBodyGreen.

The eye pillows and song will be followed by a picture book illustrating the words in the song.

These particular products are near and dear to my heart because they grew out of being a mama to an anxious little girl. The narrative in our belly balloon meditation was developed through some pretty tough bedtime talks. Sometimes little kids feel like they need to burden the weight of the world…and I will do whatever I can to create tools for kids and parents to help reconcile those feelings.

Leave a comment below Backyard Yoga’s newest products!

Roll-a-Pose Wintertime