Yoga poses for kids

The practice of yoga is renowned for its relaxing qualities and health benefits. Guiding your child through a series of poses is sure to bring them a renewed sense of groundedness.

The benefits of yoga for children are well documented. It can bring a sense of calm, peace and relaxation to them, and sometimes a little quiet time for all! While there are lots of yoga classes for children, it’s useful to know a few suitable poses that your little one can try out at home.

Seven yoga poses that are perfect for children

Here are some gentle poses that your child is sure to love:

Child’s pose

Unsurprisingly, child’s pose (Balasana) is a perfect yoga pose for your child to try out. This is a calming, restorative pose that will soothe your child, especially if they’re feeling agitated. Starting on all fours, they should move their hips back towards their heels, spreading their knees and reaching their arms directly out in front of them, along the floor. Their forehead should come to rest on the ground. A good variation is to have their arms down by their side instead of outstretched. This pose is excellent for lower body flexibility and provides a deep stretch in the shoulders and upper back.

Seated forward fold

Seated forward fold (Paschimottanasana) is exactly what it sounds like – a pleasant pose that really stretches out your little one’s legs. Starting in a seated position with their legs straight out in front of them, your child should take a deep breath in and reach their arms towards the ceiling. After holding this position for a beat, they should slowly exhale and lean forward over their legs. Reaching for their toes at first, they should then relax their upper body and allow themselves to sink towards the ground. They can breathe here for a couple of minutes if they like and then slowly sit back up.

Cobra pose

Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) offers a lovely, deep stretch. As the name suggests, it mimics a snake, so don’t hesitate to have a little fun and encourage your little one to pretend to be a slithering serpent while in this pose! Starting face down on the floor, your child should plant their hands underneath their shoulders and lift their upper body up. Their hips should remain touching the ground, so they only need to extend their arms enough to raise their chest. They should feel a deep stretch across their torso. Remind them to take some deep breaths and return to the floor after holding the pose for a few seconds.

Cat-cow pose

Cat-cow pose (Marjaiasana and Bitilasana) also has room for some animal-based monkey business! Starting on all fours and with a neutral spine (their head in line with their back), your little one should take a deep breath in and lift their head up and back. This is cow pose so any mooing sounds are welcome! To transition to cat pose, tell your child to exhale, gently dropping their head towards the ground while pushing through their hands and rounding their shoulders. Again, a nice long “Miaow” as they breathe out in this stretch is appreciated! Cycle through cat-cow pose a few times for some deep stretches, slow breaths and big smiles.

Tree pose

Lots of kids love tree pose (Vrksasana) as it looks like a typical yoga move. It’s a very grounding pose that will also test your little one’s balance! Standing up tall, your child should start by slowly lifting one foot off the ground. They should then rest the sole of this foot against the inside of their other leg. It can be high up at their inner thigh, low down against the calf, or anywhere in between. Your child can choose to bring their hands together in front of their chest (at heart’s centre), place them on their hips or raise them overhead for different variations of this pose. Feeling rooted through their standing foot, they should take a number of slow breaths and stand up tall like a tree!

Warrior 1

For the little fighter within all of our little ones, Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1) is a must. From a standing position, your child should step forward into a high lunge and turn their back foot slightly outwards. Ensuring that their hips are facing front, they then raise their arms overhead and breathe. Though a relaxing pose all round, a battle cry is always an option to add a bit of fun!

Reclined butterfly pose

Reclined butterfly pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) is an ideal yoga pose for children going to bed. It will bring a real feeling of centredness and relaxation to your little one and can even be done in bed, just before lights out. Lying on their back, your child should bend their knees, letting their legs fall to either side, and bring the soles of their feet together. They should place one hand on their chest and the other on the stomach, and breathe deeply. This provides a very deep inner thigh stretch and is a wonderfully comforting pose to help settle your little one down for the night.

Yoga is an amazing activity that can bring light, laughter and calmness to your child. Consider giving each of these seven yoga poses a go with your child and watch how you reconnect with yourselves and each other, while taking care of your bodies too!

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