This is a guest post by Bernardette Kalyan-Salgado and is part of our My Favourite Props series.

Scarves are a typical prop for dance classes however I have found them to be very useful in yoga as well.

Body Awareness

Use the scarves during warm up. Waking up the body placing the scarf over the toes, knees, etc. Younger children and those with special needs in particular love the idea of “waking up” the body parts.

Asana

Use the scarves as a prop to hold with several asanas/poses, it is a challenge for older students. Poses such as Warrior (arms up holding the scarf open looking up, focusing on the scarf), Dancer and for balancing poses such as Crow it can be used as a focal point.

Games

Common games such as freeze dance become fun and different with a scarf in hand. It also gives a difference sense of spatial awareness for the child.  Playing games such as “Yogi Says” is also fun, ex. “Yogi Says, place your scarf on your head.”

Scarf Breathing

Laying down placing the scarf on the belly creating awareness for deep belly breaths. Placing them over the face and blowing them upward attempting for lift off.

I find scarves to be such a handy prop. It is easy to be creative with them they can become water, clouds etc. in a story or movement experience. Most importantly they are light in weight if you have to carry them around. Having a set in two different types of material is also very interesting to see the children explore the texture and how it moves differently.

Bernardette is a RYT 200 instructor based in Florida. She combines her background in dance with yoga to create fun Movement Yoga for Children classes.

If you enjoyed this post be sure to check out all the ideas on the our My Favourite Prop page. Learn how to use feathers, hula hoops, stones and stuffed animals to name a few.

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5 Days To Increase Love in Your Life

Make your Valentine’s week more loving by connecting with yourself and others in a positive, respectful way. From Monday to Friday of Valentine’s Week put into practice these simple daily tasks and watch your heart embrace goodness and joy with appreciation and compassion. Get your family and friends involved too.

It’s easy to cultivate love in your life with the YIMS Valentine’s Week Tender Loving Care Challenge.

Monday: Give the Gift of Love

Tell each member of your family you love them. Look them in the eye and let them know the depth of your feelings. Write a note and slip it into their lunch bag. If they live far away, send them a quick e-mail, e-card or Facebook message. If you can, pick up the phone, Facetime or Skype them so they can see you and hear you as you express your love. Simple or profound, doesn’t matter. Just let your family know how much they mean to you.

Tuesday: Increase Confidence w/ Compliments

Tell the people in your life what you admire about them. It could be your kids, spouse, co-workers, boss, teacher, neighbor, friend, or a stranger on the street. Express how much you like their natural style, how they take on challenges, their new haircut, a piece of jewelry, their smile, the kindness they show to others, etc. The best compliments are those which are specific and sincere. Compliments are a wonderful boost to anyone’s day so be generous.

Wednesday: Share the Love of Positive Affirmations

Affirmations are a powerful way to access your sub-conscious. Share positive, encouraging, heart-felt messages with those important to you, including yourself. Write them on post-it notes, cards, homemade Valentine’s, paper plates, poster-board, Facebook messages, Twitter updates, lipstick on the mirror…everywhere and anywhere. Have fun, be creative. Some ideas to get the ball rolling: Believe in Yourself, Love with an open heart, You are Fabulous, Sweeter than Candy, Smile from deep inside, Share the joy, Abundance abounds. Photo from ChildLight Yoga Facebook Page.

Thursday: Indulge in a Hand or Foot Massage

Healing touch is a wonderful gift. Take a few moments and connect physically and emotionally with someone. You don’t need to be an expert, simply use confident strokes, gently giving attention to all areas, especially on hands: the fingers & fleshy part at the base of the thumb, and on feet: the toes & the tender areas of the arch. For specifics watch this video on how to give a fab foot massage.

Friday: Relax w/ Loving Visualization

Spend 5-10 minutes lying in savasana while focusing on opening your heart. Let go of old hurts. Clear your heart and mind of those things which are holding you back. Soften and let go. Allow space within your chest for the heart to rest comfortably and perform it’s proper function. Focus on your heart center, anahata chakra, and tap into your true heart’s desire. Fill your body with compassionate awareness and peace. Take this feeling of contentment and hope with you throughout your day and share it with others.

Leave a comment letting us know how the YIMS Valentine’s Week TLC Challenge went in your life. Have fun cultivating love!

More Yoga Valentine’s Day Ideas

For more yoga inspired ideas on celebrating Valentine’s Day visit

• Kids Valentine’s Day Yoga Class: a heart centered practice
• play Sending Joy: fill the the entire world with good intentions and watch it make our own life more loving
• In Search of a Softened Heart healing & opening for teens and adults
• Give Love: A Valentine’s Day Yoga Lesson Plan from OMazing Kids Yoga
• enjoy this Loving Kindness Meditation
• play Hearts Hide ‘n Seek: increase intuition & sensitivity

photo courtesy of lifelikeapps

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Yin Yoga Helps Kids Relax & Connect

Most children’s yoga classes are of the yang variety: energetic, strong, mobile. This reflects kids natural tendencies toward movement, activity and spontaneity. However, kids sometimes become overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, overtired and sad. At our home this is often the case in the weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays. There is so much going on with concerts, parties, shopping, exams, get-togethers with friends and family, etc. that my kids (and I) simply need some down time.

The Winter Solstice provides a lovely opportunity to delve into a child friendly yin practice. This is a wonderful way to provide space and time for purposeful relaxation. Yin yoga also assists in turning inward and helps children connect with their intuition and personal wisdom, finding peace in a quieter, slower yoga practice.

Yin Yoga Poses for Kids

• Child’s Pose – balasana
• Rag Doll Pose
• Wide Angle Forward Fold - upavishta konasana
• Happy Baby Pose – ananda balasana
• Sphinx Pose
• Legs up the Wall Pose - viparita karani
• Sleeping Swan (aka Reclined Pigeon)
• Reclined Twists
• Reclined Cobbler’s Pose – supta baddha konasana
• Savasana with Eye Pillow & a blanket
• Supported Savasana – legs on a chair or a bolster under the knees

Kids Yin Yoga Best Practices

• Allow the children to set the pace holding poses for as long as children allow, once they start to fidget, move along
• Encourage longer holds with a timer or counting breaths
• Approach with curiosity and wonder
• Speak slowly, calmly – children will take their energy cues from you
• Pretend you are practicing in deep water, every movement is slow and purposeful
• Allow space for feelings of sadness, fear, anger
• Most important – Breathe

Meditation for the Winter Solstice

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Dr Amy Saltzman knows the benefits of accessing the “Still Quiet Place” deep inside each individual and works tirelessly to bring those benefits to children, teens and parents.

Founder of the  program Still Quiet Place, Amy strives to teach mindfulness skills to youth (Pre-K to college) so that they can reap the rewards and live a engaged, full, calm and rewarding life. Join us for easy to implement techniques which are proven to develop focus, increase attention, decrease anxiety and allow you and your children to interact with compassion with yourself and others. Tap into your “Still Quiet Place” within.

Original Air Date: November 14, 2011

Connect with Amy on Facebook or on StillQuietPlace.com.

Stay tuned for Reflections 2011 with guests Amy Ippoliti, Christina Sell, Kristin McGee, Roseanne Harvey of It’s all yoga, baby and more.

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Psychiatrist & clinical lecturer on pyschiatry at the Univeristy of Alberta, Dr Catherine Phillips is dedicated to bringing the benefits of mindfulness to others. She joins us to discuss how MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) techniques can work equally well with teens as with adults to reduce stress, improve connections with self and others, and lead to greater happiness and contentment. Founder of the Mindfulness Institute.ca and one of the key organziers of the upcoming International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth (July 15-17, 2011), Catherine works tirelessly to promote mindfulness meditation in the areas of education, health care and society at large.

Original Air Date: June 30, 2011

Connect with Catherine on the Mindfulness Institute.ca Facebook page.

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Eoin Finn joins us to share insights on how to achieve bliss in our lives. The Blissology Project encourages doing good, feeling better and creating an upward spiral through the Five Big Easys. Discover exactly how these simple steps can change your life, creating more peace and contentment. Eoin will also share his experience on TEDx Talks and the keys to hammock enlightenment in order to slow down and connect with our inner wisdom and one another.

Original Air Date: May 4, 2011

Connect with Eoin through Facebook, on Twitter @eoinfinnyoga or his website.

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Guest post by Laurie Jordan

Yoga for kids is popping up everywhere — and a good thing it is!  With their busy schedules, hectic home lives, and increased social demands, kids these days are under more pressure than ever before. No wonder they’re often cranky, clumsy, over-stimulated, distracted, unfocused, lacking energy, or hyperactive.

Add to the mix, the fact that most kids aren’t getting enough sleep at night. When a child becomes sleep deprived, they are likely to have a hard time controlling their emotions. This can lead to potential problems at home and at school, and it can be exhausting for parents!

As if parenting isn’t hard enough, having a child with sleep problems can make your job even more difficult.

But why are our kids having such a hard time getting to sleep?

Worry and Stress: It’s easy for kids to feel overwhelmed with busy schedules, academics,  hectic home lives, and increased social pressures. For many kids, it’s hard to refocus their mind away from worrisome thought patterns, especially when they are trying to fall asleep.

Separation Anxiety: Youngsters often feel anxiety when separated from their parents. A child is likely to become anxious if you aren’t there or may become preoccupied by the thought of missing out on something. This makes it hard for them to relax and fall asleep.

Major Life Changes: Moving, divorce, death, etc. If adults have a hard time handling such monumental periods of transition, imagine how difficult they must be for our kids! They learn how to cope by watching us.

Bedtime Fears: Kids have active imaginations. Remember the monster under the bed?

Nightmares: Kids are more likely to have bad dreams if they watch violent or scary movies before bed.

This is where bedtime yoga can help. Yawning Yoga (a bedtime yoga series designed specifically to help children enjoy a restful sleep) is kid tested and mother approved! It’s careful sequencing makes it perfect for bedtime and helps children establish a bedtime routine that is proven to work.

Try these these exercises before going to bed….

RAG DOLL: Fold in half, with your head near the ground. Shake your head no and shake your head yes to let worries go.

THE TWISTER: Twisting at night to the left then the right makes your tummy and spine feel so fine!

WISHING STAR: Imagine a star way up in the sky. Paint it a color in your minds eye!  Picture its starlight shining in you.

Laurie Jordan is the Creator of Little Sprouts Yoga for Kids and the Director of Kids Programming at Kaia Yoga. She has a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work and is a certified yoga instructor for children and adults.  Be on the lookout for her upcoming book, “Yawning Yoga” based on this successful bedtime series. You can learn more about Laurie and her work at www.jordanyoga.com and www.kaiayoga.com

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Guest post by Cheryl Crawford and Amy Haysman

Eye pillows are one of those little things that make a big difference. The simple gesture of placing an eye pillow on a student as they transition into savasana (corpse pose) builds trust and becomes a ritual that kids and teens look forward to each class.

As teachers, when the students move into savasana, we are able to quickly assess who is fidgeting and having trouble closing their eyes. We use eye pillows because the shape contours to the face, blocks out light and calms the active muscles around the eyes. By applying gentle pressure to the pillow, we help relieve tension in the eyes and forehead and impart our tranquil energy to settle each student. We say “If your eyes are still moving, your attention is in your head. Invite your eyes to the back of your head.

Bring your attention to your heart center and breathe there.” Expanding the heart space is a sure way to turn inward and center. When we are in our heart, we experience more joy and can truly connect with others. Kids and teens thrive when they feel connected and of service. We teach them how to place an eye pillow on someone’s eyes with reverence, cradle the friend’s head and lengthen the back of their neck and then gently lower their head back down.

We also use eye pillows to teach balance and breathing techniques. In balancing poses, an eye pillow on top of the head helps students keep their head and body steady. The weight of the pillow provides a slight resistance that the students can use to extend into. They love the challenge of keeping the pillow on their head as they transition from one balancing pose to another.

When lying down, placing a pillow on a particular part of the body helps the student bring their awareness and breath to that area. The pillow isolates an area such as the low belly and gives students a tactile and visual cue to the flow of their breath. Savasana is the perfect pose to teach beginners how to focus on their breath. It is easier to tune into the breath with closed eyes and an eye pillow helps especially young children keep their eyes closed for minutes at a time. Savasana can be silent or a beautiful song may enhance the experience. Reading an inspirational poem or guided visualization while the students’ minds and bodies are calm and receptive is a powerful way to reinforce the yogic theme.

We believe eye pillows are so valuable that we created our own product line. Our eye pillows are made of organic hemp with removable washable covers. The lavender ones enhance relaxation through aromatherapy. We also offer unscented ones for those who have sensitivities to smell. For more information please email info@gogrounded.com.

Cheryl and Amy are the founders of Go Grounded and can be found via the Go Grounded Facebook page.

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These two versions of Ragdoll Pose are fantastic poses to promote a calm and stress-free feeling in body and mind . This is a fantastic pose to release tension in the neck and shoulders and will help students focus on long, deep, slow breathing leaving them feeling refreshed, relaxed and ready to take on new challenges. Both are forward bends which help to calm the mind, reduce fatigue and anxiety, and sooth frayed nerves. Take a yoga break, do Ragdoll Pose, and enjoy!

Standing Ragdoll Pose

To do Ragdoll Pose you want to reach way up with your arms, and then slightly bend your legs as you fall forward reaching for the floor. Let your head hand down, your arms hang down. Let go. Shake your head yes, shake your head no and take some deep, long breaths, letting your body sink a little bit further to the floor with each exhale. After a little while press into the floor with your feet and slowly roll yourself back up to standing one vertebrae at at time. Bring your hands to prayer or leave them by your side for one last inhale and exhale.

Seated Ragdoll Pose

Sitting on a chair, widen your feet and your knees wider than hips distance apart making sure that your knees are over the ankles and the feet are facing forward. From here reach up on an inhale, exhale keeping the length through the body cascade your torso through your knees. Bring your hands toward the floor, bending the elbows. softening your throat, letting your head hand down. Release the tension. Take a deep inhale, and exhale with an open mouth, ‘haaaaaaa.’ This is a fantastic pose for opening the hips, releasing tension, lowering blood pressure and simply to de-stress. Stay here for 5-15 breaths and when you are ready, slowly roll yourself up, taking your time, and return to a seated position.

Enjoy the feeling of rest and relaxation throughout the remainder of your day.

For more kids yoga videos visit YIMS TV on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this video share it with a friend.

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Mindful Breathing Focuses Energy

Pranayama, yogic breathing, is a wonderful way to focus and balance energy. Being aware of one’s breath is a way of pulling in scattered energy and mindfully focusing it. This is a great game for teenagers to take advantage of this simple technique by playing it whenever they need to center themselves and regroup. This game helps to deliberately focus attention so that you become aware of being present in each moment. It also helps teens become aware of how easy it is to get distracted and how to get back on track.

Ten Breaths

In this game you pay attention to your breathing for the next ten breaths. This is not purposeful, controlled breathing, but an awareness exercise of simply observing the breath.

On the first inhale, say to yourself, “I’m breathing in one.” As the body exhales, mentally observe, “I’m breathing out one.” On the next inhale say, “I’m breathing in two,” followed by, “I’m breathing out two,” and so on.

You’ll probably notice that different breaths have different rhythms. Sometimes they will follow at regular intervals, sometimes there may be long gaps between breaths. Some are shallow, others deep. All you do is observe and name the number.

This is much easier said than done.You’ll probably go on mind trips, getting distracted by passing thoughts. That’s okay. Congratulate yourself on noticing the detour and get back on track starting at the beginning: “I’m breathing in one.”

The fun and challenging part is to see how far you can go before you mentally tune out. Some days it may be the fourth breath that you can’t get past before forgetting what you were doing. Other days it will be easy to focus and you may go for longer than “Ten Breaths.”

Variations

Sensory Awareness: While waiting for the body to breath in or out, use that moment to notice what your senses are experiencing. Hear the sounds. Feel the temperature. Notice the air movements. Become aware and part of the environment.

Counting Steps: If sitting won’t work for you try going on a walk and counting each step. Become aware of the sensation of your feet as they push off from the ground and then land again. How your body transfers weight from one side to the other. Feel your arms swing by your sides. Concentrating on your steps is calming and helps you to stay present with the walking experience.

Take Five is a fantastic breathing game/exercise for younger yogis. Be sure to visit the Yoga Games page for many more ideas to inspire you and your kids to play yoga today.

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