3 Family Yoga Asanas you must try with your child!

There are simple kids’ yoga asanas to help develop flexibility and coordination. But here are 3 asanas that you can practice with your child so you can reap the benefits of yoga as a family! The primary focus of family yoga is to bring you closer and build strong connections with each other.

Children and parents are so stressed with hectic schedules revolving around school, projects and activities. Yoga equips kids and adults alike with tools to balance the stresses you face in life. It can help you relax and unwind together. Yoga improves your confidence, optimism and even your sense of humour. The common misconception is that yoga is only for adults. But the benefits of yoga for your active kids are immense. It enables them to enjoy life to the fullest by promoting a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age.

Yoga allows children to:

• Maintain flexibility and strengthen their growing bodies
• Learn about discipline and responsibility
• Manage stress and anxiousness
• Learn to remain present and to remain concentrated
• Remain peaceful and relaxed

With minimal equipment and space required, family yoga can easily be practised anywhere. Setting aside an intentional time to share a physical activity is a way to demonstrate the importance of building real connections and quality time together.

3 Simple family yoga poses you can practise daily

1. The Pebble on the Rock

• To begin, manoeuvre into the child’s pose.
• From there, your little one can carefully climb onto your back, settling down into a kneeling position.
• Once comfortable, your child can then come into the child’s pose too. You are now in the Pebble on the Rock pose.
• Hold the pose for up to 10 breaths before allowing your child to slowly climb down.
• In addition to providing a great stretch for the adult, this pose allows your child to feel safe and secure.

2. Baby Cat on Mummy Cat

• Baby Cat on Mummy Cat involves your child balancing on your back. If you have already mastered Pebble on the Rock, begin in the same position.
• From there, slowly move onto all fours, ensuring your child remains balanced on your back.
• To make this family yoga pose a little more fun, Mummy Cat (or the adult) can try bringing some Cat/Cow movements into the posture, by arching and rounding your back.
• While this is great for providing a deeper stretch for the adult, it can provide a fun challenge for your little one as they try to remain balanced!

3. The Double Boat

• In addition to improving balance for both you and your child, the Double Boat encourages the parent and child to work together as one.
• To begin, sit down on the floor and face each other.
• Once settled, hold hands and carefully bring the soles of your feet together, so you are balanced on your bottoms.
• Depending on how big the little boat is, begin to straighten your legs (note: if your child is a lot smaller than you, it can be easier to keep your own legs bent while they straighten theirs). You are in the Double Boat.
• Hold the pose for around 10 breaths before slowly bringing your legs back together.

Make family yoga a ritual and experience first-hand the benefits of strengthening your mind, body, spirit and family! After all,

“a healthy lifestyle not only changes your body, it changes your mind, your attitude and your mood.”