5 Basic Yoga Poses for Kids

When I teach kids yoga classes I always start with these five simple, yet effective yoga poses as a good solid introduction to yoga.

When it comes to teaching yoga to children, we need to simply focus on teaching the foundations and encouraging alignment, integrity and awareness whilst in a pose. Of course this is always taught with much fun and laughter!

I always go over these five yoga poses before we try more advanced poses and head on out on a fun yoga story/adventure. Once they are familiar, we move on to something new, but we always come back to these poses in games and warm up sessions.

With this familiarity comes confidence, giving a child a chance to breathe and become present in the moment, especially if they feel strong and confident within the pose.

These five poses give all the basic yoga benefits your child needs to grow and develop.

Kids Yoga Poses

Warrior Pose

Warrior is a good, strong yoga pose that can help to strengthen the arms and legs, build core muscles, open the heart and chest. It develops coordination through balance and spacial awareness, while it builds a strong concept of the self in a way that only a superhero action stance can! It is our power pose giving us inner strength and courage.

Warrior-Pose-LOWRES

 

Tree Pose

Tree Pose can strengthen the legs and ankles, reduces flat feet whilst lengthening the spine and opening the hips, heart and shoulders. Tree pose is great for developing balance through focus and concentration. It encourages kids to be still and peaceful in the mind. A beautiful pose to help your little ones feel grounded and present, yet strong and wise like a tree.

Tree-Pose-LOWRES

 

Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose is a great gentle back bend that helps develop those back muscles for future, more advanced back bending poses. It stretches the neck, shoulders, arms and stomach whilst opening the heart, lungs and chest. It helps develop the buttock muscles, which is more important for preventing back injuries. Cobra Pose is also good as a stress and anxiety relieving pose.

Cobra-Pose-LOWRES

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Dog is an energising pose. It strengthens the arms and legs whilst lengthening the spine. Downward Dog is great for helping to calm the mind and relieve headaches, stress and anxiety. A nice strong pose and a great introduction to inversions.

Downward-Dog-Pose-LOWRES

 

Butterfly Pose

Butterfly Pose is a peaceful pose that relaxes and stretches the legs, thighs and knees. Butterfly Pose opens the hips and is good for relieving the effects of fatigue and anxiety.

Butterfly-Pose-LOWRES

 

So there you have it! Five basic kids yoga poses covering balance, strength, openers, flexibility, alignment and a long list of mental benefits. I hope they give your little yogis a great introduction to the foundations of yoga and everything they need to start out on their yoga journey.

I love to hear from our Kids Yoga Tribe! Please leave me a comment, and share your yoga experiences on your favourite social platform with the hashtag #kidsyogatribe – and don’t forget to tag me @rainbowpammyyoga

Rainbow Pammy
administrator
Pammy is an avid lover of nature and art as a tool for mindfulness, She study's and explores her surroundings in the Perth hills and beaches to create raw and organic pieces including botanic art, ceramics, wild clay, printings, pressings and preserving's. With the idea of country heals, art heals, she uses nature and the practices of yoga in both her daily life, in her permaculture garden and her art. Pammy aspires to share her passion for sustainability, the connection to land and country and art as healing with her wider community through gatherings, workshops and yoga.

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