How To Get Your Kids Involved In Yoga
I get asked all of the time how do I have young boys who love yoga so much! I am truly so happy when I see them roll out their yoga mats and move their bodies while being mindful of their breath. We practice together all of the time, and I am starting to notice them even doing more on their own.
Here are some of the best tools that help encourage your little ones to down dog:
Get Great Gear!
- Download the @onepeloton app it’s FREE for 30 days and check out my Family Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Invest in some fun gear! My boys love the Chi Universe mats because of the fun colors and shapes. The mats also help their alignment with strategically placed symbols to place their hands and feet on. Chi Universe is running a special gift bundle set right now check out their site.
- Find comfortable clothes that make your kids happy to wear and move in. We love Terez leggings. The boys and I can wear matching yoga pants which makes it so much fun. They are great for boys and girls and come in so many fun colors and patterns. I’ve collaborated with them to create a very special edition legging for moms and kids PREORDER yours now they are limited supply!
Be flexible in your plan
- Let your little ones do their own thing. It’s always fun to follow a routine, but it’s also important to give them space to explore their own practice and poses.
- My boys love to be imaginative and come up with nontraditional yoga poses such as Pikachu pose or rocking and rolling like snowballs to build a snowman.
Playfulness is key
- We play yoga freeze, get out our yoga spinner game, or take turns like Simon Says and let each boy be the “teacher” when we do yoga. The games make it more interactive and fun and keep them more engaged for longer. We also choose fun music to practice to and play around with different themes (jungle, farm, ocean, outer space) as well as modes of transportation for getting there (boat, rocket ship, airplane, etc.)
- My older son loves the chi universe app where he can play games and progress to each level.
Use kid-friendly positive feedback
- Try to always stay away from using good or bad instead use descriptive compliments such as, “wow that’s a strong warrior stance”, “your tree is unique and special”, “yoga is a practice, not a perfect” “keep breathing and trust your body” “you are really giving it your full attention”.
- Keep the fun stuff for the end of practice as a reward. We can make pretend pizza or smoothies after doing hard standing poses in more relaxing seated postures. Savasana, corpse pose, is a treat for all of our efforts and it feels so good to just lie down and do nothing!
Ease up on alignment
- Every child is different and growing. Try not to be a stickler for form but instead use general guidelines and let them explore the shapes within those.
- If you want to start teaching general alignment the chi mats are great because the symbol system guides the kids safely into poses and helps with cueing.
Take Breaks
- It’s important to remember kids have a shorter attention span and need to start slowly.
- My Peloton Family classes are 20 minutes for kids 3-8 years of age and 30 minutes for tweens ages 9-12
- Having games to play can help the kids stay focused for longer, but always be mindful of their activity and take necessary rest as needed.
- GO with the FLOW
Most importantly enjoy your time together and remember you are planting a seed that will flourish over time. Yoga is a listening practice and the more we learn to listen to our bodies, the better we can listen to others. Listen to your body and breath and listen to each other.
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Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!