Yoga for the whole family
Yoga offers up a great way to power up for the day or wind down for the night. Have fun loosening up those limbs and getting centered and connected with your children while arching like a dog, swaying like a tree, or standing tall like a mountain. There are poses that can help you increase your energy or decrease your kid's wiggles before bed.
What you need:
2. Loose clothing
3. Your body
4. Knowledge of basic yoga poses
Your family yoga session can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes depending on your children's age, attention span, and interest. We recommend that you start your family yoga class with three oms while sitting cross legged on the floor with your eyes shut. Let your children play around with the sound, laugh and giggle with each other, and then take time to talk to your kids about how the om felt when it came out. This is a great opportunity to help them bring attention to their own bodies.
Your yoga sequence can consist of any number of poses in any order. Many of the poses are named after animals or things found in nature. Play with the names, act like the animals. Remember, your yoga time should be fun. Don't be worried about doing the pose "right," instead, after each pose ask your children how each pose made their body feel.
End your yoga time with Resting Pose. This can be used as cuddle time as well. Let your children lay on or next to you. Tell your children to listen to their breathing and tell you how it sounds and feels.
If you don't know any yoga poses, check out the True North Directory for local studios and classes, or go online to http://yogajournal.com/ and check out their practice section. A plethora of wonderful yoga videos for both children and adults also provide a great way to get started.
