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.

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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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Routine With Variety Key in Kids Yoga Class

Recently I received this e-mail.

My name is Maureen, I am a pre-school teacher of children ages 2-5 and am bringing my love of yoga to my school this year. I have taught adult yoga for more than 11 years. I am certified through Kripalu and have done many other understudy programs. I am also qualified to teach kids…but with kids this young I am having trouble getting them started. I have tons of games, ideas, props, songs and stories…but I am having trouble, in these first introductory classes…starting the classes. Getting them not so much to be quiet or even pay attention, but how to help them understand what is going on and what we are doing. Today we learned  Namaste and the Namaste song. This was easy for a very first class. But from here on out I don’t really know how to get them ready for the class, how to start the class. Have any suggestions or thoughts that may help me out?

As Maureen has discovered teaching yoga to kids is a vastly different endeavor than teaching yoga to adults. Their attention span is short, they don’t want to sit for any length of time, and there is a wide variety of physical, emotional and mental abilities. It is essential that each class cater to these needs by including an assortment of activities to maintain interest and engage as many senses and learning modalities as possible.

Elements of a Kids Yoga Class Routine

• Class theme: For each class choose a theme. A thematic approach is essential at this age as it provides a mental framework and social/emotional/environmental reference for the yoga session. Link all your activities back to the theme. The book Once Upon a Pose includes 10 fully developed thematic yoga classes with music and literature in both English and French making this an easy task. For more ideas visit the Pre-school/Elementary Topics page.
• Introduction: Use something you feel will set the stage and let the little ones know it is time to start yoga class. For pre-schoolers this could be a song. In this instance Maureen taught them the Namaste song during their first class together. There are lots of great kids yoga CDs that you can choose from. Sing the song at the beginning of each class. Use this to help them know it’s time to go to their mats, join in with the singing and get ready for yoga.
• Breathing: Teach some form of child friendly pranayama. Remember Thich Nnat Hanh’s advice, “Smile, breathe and go slowly.” It is good for children to learn to calm and center themselves. With pre-schoolers this will take repeated and consistent effort. Go slowly and enjoy the journey.
• Asanas: The bulk of the lesson may be spent doing a variety of yoga poses. The Alphabetical List of Poses is a great place to start. The down-loadable FREE  e-book The Pet Store (see right side bar) is a wonderful tool as well. This will show you how to develop a thematic class which includes a variety of asanas. I enjoy allowing the children to generate the ideas spontaneously according to the theme whenever possible. In this way they take ownership of the pose and become more fully engaged in the class.
• Meditation & Chanting: If a simple meditation, such as the Meditation Owl, or a chant, such as Loka Samashta Sukhino Bhavantu, works into your theme by all means teach your class these valuable skills. Don’t be afraid to use Sanskrit even if your young charges don’t audibly repeat the words. The exposure to the exercises, rhythm of the language and feeling these activities generates will touch their hearts and minds.
• Crafts, Games, Books & More: Any number of supplemental activities, such as crafts, coloring pages, games, songs and books, can be used during a kids yoga class. These activities stimulate the senses and involve additional learning modalities. As well, they help to keep the pace moving and provide endless variety. I often hand out simple crafts or coloring pages to my students for them to complete at home if we don’t have time during yoga class.
• Final Relaxation: Savasana with a guided visualization which reinforces the concepts covered in class or a progressive muscle relaxation is the perfect way to end a pre-school class. Keep encouraging them to lie still, close their eyes, and keep their thoughts to themselves. You may have to move children away from a friend or encourage them to relax with a touch, a stuffed animal, an eye pillow, etc. Again this is a learned skill and all children will get better at it with practice.
• Namaste: Always end with the same respect and gratitude that you would in any yoga class.

By following this basic outline yoga instructors are able to supply the routine necessary for young children to understand what will happen each week in yoga class while providing enough variety to keep it interesting and engaging their minds, bodies and spirits. Good luck and enjoy playing yoga!

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Guest post by Louise Baker

Yoga classes that cater to kids have been increasing in popularity among studios. These classes may be an all ages offering for kids of all ages or broken into smaller age groups. Some classes may offer an experience for parents to join with their children or a kids only yoga practice depending on the instructor or studio.

Yoga For Young Minds

The same calming and relaxing effects that yoga has on the minds of adults can also help with children. Excess energy can be burned off during a yoga practice and it has been shown that a regular practice can not only boost self esteem but calm children.Those seeking a gentle and calming practice for kids may prefer to use passive postures that focus on resting, relaxation and meditation. These forms of yoga can help with memory, focus and learning abilities, especially if the yoga practice includes lessons or tie ins with day to day life to help make the practice a regular part of the child’s life.

Meditation for kids is often shorter than practices for adults due to the shorter attention spans may children have. Classes that offer meditation may use stories during the practice such as naming poses after animals and telling the tales with them then use meditation to reflect on the story. This can often be used to teach important lessons or boost self confidence in children.

Yoga For Young Bodies

Even a passive practice can have a lasting effect on a child’s body. Any regular exercise can not only sharpen the mind but keep the body active and help prevent childhood obesity. By incorporating a yoga practice early, good exercise habits become ingrained and can last into adulthood, giving young children a healthy advantage.

Older children may be able to join a yoga class that is tailored to adults with the permission of the instructor but for younger kids, a dedicated class is preferable as adult classes may often be longer and harder to follow than one designed for children. Classes for young children often last a shorter period of time but may have active portions blended with calmer relaxation to both energize and relax kids. Poses are often modified to make them less challenging, or may utilize props in order to help the children be able to comfortably perform the poses properly.

Popular choices for kid’s yoga poses include animal named poses that offer a moderate challenge and work the body while keeping the class at a steady pace. Sun salutations are also a commonly selected series as it is good for nearly any age.

Louise Baker writes about online degrees for Zen College Life. She has recently also wrote about the best schools online.

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