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Kids Yoga Holiday Tips

The holidays can be stressful for the whole family. So when you can find a peaceful moment, you'll see how beneficial it is to rest in Savasana, as a family. And since the kids love getting foot massages during our relaxation time at the studio, why not bring that same ritual into your home.

Here are some great yoga breathing exercises that you can do with your child, before and during Savasana.

Try the Lion's Breath to release built up tension. Sit back on your heels and broaden your chest like a proud lion. Take a big lion's breath in and let out a BIG lion roar. Stretch out your tongue as a lion would. Repeat this a few times and notice how you feel afterwards. Just be careful not to scare anyone!

Try Smile Breaths with your child. This can do wonders for a bad mood. Sit in a comfortable cross- legged position (criss-cross applesauce) and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose and as you let it out, make a big smile. Try this a few times and think about something that makes you happy.

A Lemon Squeeze is a great way to release frustration and relax. Start by making a "lemon face". Lemons are sour, so make your best sour puss by squeezing in your lips and cheeks. Squeeze your eyes closed. Then squeeze your body into a round lemon shaped ball. Squeeze everything in - your knees, your fingers, your toes, your nose. And just when you think you can't squeeze any more, squeeze even tighter. Hold this and count to 3, then release with a squishing lemon sound! Ahhhh! Repeat this a few times and notice how you feel.

Counting to Five Breaths is a great way to calm down. Simply breathe in for a count of five, then breathe out for a count of five. Count on your finger tips using your thumb, or count in your head. If five is too many, start at three, and gradually increase the count and slow your breathing even further. Repeat as needed and then notice how you feel.

Laughter is also a great way to release stress. When your kids are getting silly, go with it by encouraging more giggles! Notice how you both feel after a good laugh.

How does yoga benefit kids?

Yoga provides a space for children to slow down, relax, and just breathe! 

Kids and teenagers today are faced with extremely including rigorous school demands and numerous after school sports and social activities.  Today’s kids experience varying degrees of stress and anxiety.   Teenagers face challenges of the growing pain, peer pressures and finding their identity.  

Part of yoga is physical exercise that builds muscles, enhances coordination, flexibility balance, and stamina.   It provides a physical release for stress. 

As young adults practice yoga, they can increase their self-confidence and their ability to concentrate.  Yoga also fosters creativity and self-expression as children explore and develop their own variation of poses.  Yoga practice allows them to bring their inner world to surface.

Through the practice of yoga, children and young adults learn how to relax and how to deal with stress through the breathing technique.  Learning how to relax and how to deal with stress is the key to bring balance to their life. 

The use of breathing techniques not only reduces stress and anxiety, it brings awareness of body and mind.  When a child is connected to his mind and body, he is able to focus, and deals with his emotions.   As they face the challenges through puberty, teenagers learn to deal with the stress and awkwardness of growing up in a fast-paced society, and learn to look inward, and bring calmness and balance to their lives. 

 Guided meditation with imagery is frequently used in my practice with kids and teenagers.  Children are guided to identify their emotions, senses of  their body and feelings, and encouraged to express in their own way.  They are given to tools to calm and regulate these inner feelings.  I have often witnessed the sense of “calmness” as they come out of a session.   The following is a collection of their sharing of guided meditation or savasana (final relaxation):

GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF YOGA!