Recommended Age: any age!
Purpose: The fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind and environment
Level of Parent Involvement: Low, once the cards have been printed the child may choose a card and practice the poses independently
Prerequisites
- None
Materials
- Yoga poses cards (see PDF), choose 3 at a time to practice with the child before moving onto another 3
- Yoga mat (optional, you could use a towel or blanket if you don’t have a yoga mat)
- Peaceful music (see Monte@home background music)
- Laminator
- Laminating sheets
- Small basket to store the cards
Preparation
Note; you can print the entire set and just introduce a few at a time or have the whole set out for the child to use independently, they can choose a card and practice the positions
- Laminate and cut out the yoga cards
- Place the cards into the basket
Steps
- Invite the child letting them know that you will be doing some yoga together (this exercise is great for some slow time or to help the child and other family members wind down and practice being calm)
- Let the child know that they will need their yoga mat (or towel blanket)
- Together choose a space, either indoors or outdoors where there is enough room for movement and the mats
- Take shoes and socks off if wearing
- Show the child the yoga cards, naming each pose
- invite the child to choose their favourite 3 cards
- Play the peaceful music, letting them child know that this is a time for their bodies to be relaxed and peaceful and listening to the music will help them to feel calm
- Start by both sitting on your mats/towel, letting the child know that before you commence practicing the poses that they will need to close their eyes
- Invite the child to take some deep breaths, in through their nose and out from their mouth, demonstrate and practice deep breathing for a few moments
- Take one of the cards, notice with the child the positioning of the persons arms, legs, body etc
- Try to replicate the pose and hold for a few seconds
- Repeat for the other 2 cards
- Continue practicing the poses for as long as the child interest is maintained
- Transition out of the session by taking a few moments of deep breathing
- Take this calm moment as an opportunity to do something quiet with the child such as read a book together
- When finished direct the child to their next activity, letting the child know that they may practice these yoga poses again whenever they would like
Variations
- None
