Yoga for Kids in Des Plaines!

Find out the great benefits to kids yoga and check out the baby and kids yoga classes at Twisted Tree Yoga. www.twistedtreeyoga.org

1403 E Prairie Ave
(located near the corner of Lee St and Prairie Ave).
twisted.yogatree@gmail.com
(847) 736-3385

Practicing yoga with the family can be a fun, silly and a bonding experience for everyone. A family yoga class encourages families to bond through stories, games, partner poses and relaxation. Yoga with your kids can start at any age and is a wonderful way to get physically active with your children. Your approach to sharing yoga with the your kids changes as they grow from newborns all the way to teens.

Newborn to 12 months

The addition of a new baby to the family is a beautiful and exciting time. With it brings changes and adjustments to our new lives. Yoga allows us to find a time to slow down and concentrate on this deep bond we have with your baby. Becoming more in-touch with our own instincts on how to care of your child and ourselves. From the moment our child is born we start to learn their body language and how that relates to what they need; yoga is another tool to help us tune into the cues our babies give us. During times of exhaustion, yoga is not the first thing that we think of but the restorative power of yoga could be just what we need. While you do a few basic stretching place your baby on their back or belly and try child’s pose, down dog and standing forward fold. Use blankets and pillows in poses to support your body especially if it’s close to after delivery.

12 months - 3 years old

This age is full of non-stop energy and exploration. Our children grow more confident in engaging in their environment and a yoga practice can help them discover their bodies. Yoga at this age can incorporate props and stories to engage your child throughout the practice. Having your child practice with their favorite stuffed animal can be a great way to encourage your child to try out new poses. A fun way to use their stuffed animals is for deep belly breathing. Have them lay on their back and place their animal on their belly, allowing them to learn how to breathe into their belly. Then they can watch as their stuffed animals rises and falls with their breath.

3 – 6 years old

Children are more aware of their body but are still building their understanding of how their body moves and yoga helps them develop more awareness. Engaging children with stories and books is a wonderful way to practice yoga. Allowing yoga poses to become animals that make noise and giggle can be very engaging. Encourage your child to make sounds of the animals that they are acting out allows them to become aware of their breath. A wonderful book that can be used for yoga at home is “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon; kids can act out animal poses and make up their own.

Many children at this age love to spin and bounce no matter where they are, there is a very good reason to encourage them to make these movements. Spinning and bouncing helps them integrate their body, gain balance and understand where they are in space (where their body stops and starts). Grab a yoga ball to bounce on and some ribbon to spin with and let the fun begin!

6-9 years old

Kids are developing their muscles and growing fast and they love the challenge of new yoga poses! They are gaining independence and are ready to try new things with their peers separate from their parents. Teaching your child to listen to their bodies is an important skill to gain, to help them stay healthy as they grow. Try some sun salutations at home! Add in animal noises for monkey pose, cobra and down dog and let them be as silly as they like. Sun Salutations help children gain strength and confidence in their bodies and help them stay fit and healthy.  

9-12 years old

As our children turn into teenagers emotions and the influence of friends become stronger. Learning to listen to themselves and what is right for them versus what they think others will think of them is an important skill to foster. This involves emotional intelligence, and learning tools to help them identify and process their emotions, along with recognizing that their emotions are genuine and important to understand. Helping them develop a yoga practice either at home or at a studio is important while incorporating a mindfulness practice. See the blog post “Nurturing their Hearts: Mindfulness with Children”.

The most important thing is to have fun with your child and the yoga practice, whether it’s in the home or at the yoga studio. Let your child lead the way and let the love of yoga blossom!

Namasté

Stacy Cushenbery