Hopefully, you have your little ones helping out in the garden. Not only are children eager to help, but gardening is a great teaching tool. A way to incorporate the outdoors into daily routines is by doing garden yoga with the kids. Practicing yoga in the garden means no need to go to a special class – just lay out yoga mats or beach towels and let the fun begin. Yoga for kids is just like yoga for adults, only sillier.
Teaching Kids and Garden Yoga
Practicing garden yoga with kids is no different than practicing with adults, albeit a bit noisier. Adult yoga is usually all about calm and centering yourself, or meditation. While the kids may attain some level of serenity practicing yoga in the garden, this isn’t the end goal.
Kids and garden yoga are a match made in heaven. Children are all about movement anyway so why not harness some of that energy. Plus, yoga for kids is a great way to engage them in a physical activity, while at the same time improving their balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength. Even better, this isn’t an expensive or overly competitive activity.
How to Teach Garden Yoga with Kids
Some studies have shown that yoga for kids improves a child’s attention span and listening skills as well as fosters their self-esteem and forges relationships.
Garden yoga and kids may revolve around traditional yoga poses (fun, not form count) or be based on garden related suggestions such as a seedling emerging from a seed. Simple suggestions such as to pose as a tree or a worm will surely result in a great deal of stretching, no doubt peppered by outbursts of laughter.
Practicing garden yoga with kids may instill them with the above skills, but without a doubt is a fun and at times hilarious activity to do together with your children.