Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) is also called Dead Bug Pose and looks exactly like its name, whichever you want to use. It is a fantastic hip opener. Mobility in the hip joint is vital to healthy knee and back function. The freedom of movement classic in infants can be maintained throughout life with open hips. The hip joint is the meeting place of the upper and lower body. A healthy hip joint will be able to absorb the shock of walking or running and provide a steady base for the spine and internal organs.  Hip openers also aid with digestion and circulation as you gently compress and massage the internal organs.

Happy Baby – Ananda Balasana

happy baby pose

• Sit, grasping the inside of your feet with your hands
• Roll onto your back, feet to the sky
• Alternatively start lying on your back and bend your knees into your belly, then grasp the feet
• You can stretch one leg straight keeping the thigh close to the floor while bending the other, alternating sides
• Coo, giggle, and make happy baby noises, then roll back to sitting
• If imitating a dead bug be sure to use appropriate facial expressions without the baby noises

Benefits: opens the hips, gently stretches the groins and lower back, calms the brain, relieves fatigue and stress

Here is a laughing baby video to bring a smile to your face and lighten your day.

Princesses are loved by little girls. Out of my three darling daughters, two of them have been princess aficionados. I have lost count of how many princess parties, princess costumes and princess cupcakes I have been responsible for organizing and creating. So if you are in a similar situation and have a special little princess in your life who is looking for something princess themed and fun to do, you are in luck because this article is all about how to create a princess themed yoga class. It is fun, easy, and will involve your princess and her court of closest friends and advisers.

First of all, you need to define what kind of princess is desired. I personally like my princesses to be friendly, adventuresome, creative, problem solvers, graceful, full of integrity, compassionate, and lovers of fine chocolate. I most often use Dancer Pose to represent the princess.

Read the rest at How to Create a Princess Themed Yoga Class – Perfect for Birthday Parties and Kids Yoga Classes

A shout out to Karmaspot’s Blog for sharing ideas.

Dancer Pose (technically Lord of the Dance Pose) is a balance pose combined with a back bend and chest opener. As with all balance poses, Dancer Pose develops concentration and focus while improving posture. This beautiful pose brings to mind the grace, flexibility, and freedom of movement inherant in dance. This pose opens the heart and gaze to the heavens and allows the body and mind to delight in expression. Dance is an integral part of ceremony, ritual, celebration and entertainment and helps to convey emotions and stories. Delight your inner dancer with this wonderful pose.

Dancer Pose – Natarajasana

dancer pose

 

• Stand, feet hip distance apart
• Bending the right knee, grasp the inside of the right foot with the right hand
• Raise the left hand overhead
• Lift the right foot behind and up, allow the torso to move forward, opening the chest, balancing on one foot
• Repeat on the opposite side

Benefits: improves balance, stretches the chest, shoulders, thighs and abdomen, strengthens the legs and ankles

Partner Variation

Stand facing your partner a few feet apart, too close and you will bonk heads. Both partners raise their left arms to touch each other above their heads. Grasp the inside of the right foot with the right hand and begin to hinge forward, kicking the right foot behind you. Smile at one another and keep your balance. Release and repeat on the other side. (Warning: Often causes laughter & giggling)

We all need a sanctuary: a place to feel protected and sheltered from the storms of life. Child’s pose is such a place. It is the epitome of protection and calm as you gently curl inward returning to the shape of a newborn child. This forward bending pose teaches back body breathing, supports the vital energy centers of the heart, head and abdomen, and calms the nervous system. The goal once you are in position is to simply surrender with tender joy allowing tension to ease and drift away. You may find breathing at first to be a little choppy but after a few moments your body will adjust, finding new breathing patterns. Allow the back body to expand and widen on the inhalations while maintaining complete and warm exhalations.

Child’s Pose – Balasana

child's pose

• kneel low, rest your head on the floor in front of you
• place your hands wherever is comfortable: by your head, near your knees
• relax, surrender, breathe, discover the peace
• stay for 30 seconds to 5 minutes

Benefits: stretches the hips, thighs and ankles, calms the brain and relieves stress and fatigue

two scoops

Variation – Two Scoops

• in pairs, have one partner perform Child’s pose, being certain to lower their hips and make their back as flat as possible
• the other partner performs Child’s pose on top of their partner, making two scoops of ice cream with their bodies
• switch roles and repeat

Benefits: builds teamwork and cooperation, intensifies the stretch for the bottom partner, improves balance and tones core muscles for the top partner

Mantras are sounds, syllables, words or phrases which can create change. A saying from the Vedas states “Speech is the essence of humanity.” As such, our speech has the power to influence ourselves and our world through vibration and intent. The most well known mantra is Aum or Om. Kids and teens love to chant mantras. They offer a way to connect with their inner selves, to heal, to become grounded, to access hope and to increase positive emotions by stimulating the left hemisphere of the brain through their vibrations.

Please enjoy Two-ey and Minty as they sing the mantraLoka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu from the indomitable Beth Lapides.

Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
OM
Shan’ti Shan’ti Shan’ti

This chant means

• Loka = world
• Samasta = the whole/together
• Sukino = the transcendal happiness
• Bhavantu = let there be 
• Shan’ti = peace

or “May peace and happiness be unto the world.”

Enjoy the trans-formative powers of this mantra anytime. This video will bring a smile to your face while the words will change your heart and perspective on the world. Om, Shan’ti.

Mandala means circle in Sanskrit and they are well known in Buddhist and Hindu traditions. However, mandalas are not limited to eastern philosophies and practises. In fact, mandalas have been the focus of meditation, contemplation and admiration across the world and throughout the centuries. A circle within a circle is a pattern found in nature. At our very basic level each cell has a nucleus, each atom is a mandala. The opposite is also true. As you contemplate the sun, moon, planets and the cosmos, mandalas become apparent as a basic element of the universe.

The circle is a universal form with tremendous symbolic meaning. It is simple and yet contains the eternal. It reminds us of our relation to the infinite world both beyond and within our bodies and minds.

Mandalas With Kids

Many school districts have regulations regarding spiritual instruction in the classroom so omit religious connotations when working with mandalas in the public school system. If you are using it as part of a yoga class, prayer group or religion class, incorporate belief teachings as appropriate.

Mandalas are a visual and physical tool for meditating. Mandalas are to be visually appealing so as to absorb and calm the chatter of the mind. When meditating it is important to first set your intention and to select a mandala that appeals to you. There are an innumerable array of mandalas to choose from inspired by various religious and cultural backgrounds. Alternatively you can create your own mandalas using various mediums: sand, string, crayons, paints, chalk, collage, tile, glass, fabric, etc.

Colouring Mandalas

Producing individual, multicoloured mandalas is a creative and personal process. It is a calming, nourishing expereince which does not require any expertise and as such can be used with all ages. This exercise can provide deep insight into our lives and ourselves. Colouring mandalas helps children process their emotions through colour and art, and is a well known method of art therapy. To find numerous printable mandalas visit Free Mandala. There are also Christmas Mandala and Halloween Mandala colouring pages. Thanks to KarmaSpot Blog for suggesting this activity.

Communal Mandalas

You can also create larger group mandalas as part of a special occasion, workshop or celebration. This is a way to cooperatively work together, deepening connections, and building ties while exploring the use of symbolism. Group mandalas can be made from any material and can take minutes to days to complete. Visit The Mandala Project for ideas on group mandalas or to learn how to get your class involved into something grander than themselves.

Mandala Give Away

As my Christmas gift to you, I will be giving away a Mini Mandala Designer Classic to one lucky commentator. This fun mandala creator lets kids explore their creativity and make their own mandalas using basic templates. Just add paper and some coloured pens and you’re set for hours of entertaining and creative fun. To enter the draw leave a comment below. You have until New Year’s Day.