Children's Books Come Alive with Yoga

One of my favorite ways to engage a group of children is to incorporate a storybook into the yoga class.  The children become enthralled with the characters and storyline as they act out the pages through yoga poses.

Yoga stories are a wonderful way to teach, bringing together imagination and creativity through storytelling and movement. But while storytelling comes naturally to some, others enjoy using a children's book to set the theme of a class or to engage children in discussion.

There are basically two ways I suggest using children's books as part of a yoga class or home practice. First, choose books with various characters, objects or images, which can be easily imitated in the form of a yoga pose.  Since children are easily drawn to animals, and yoga includes dozens of animal poses, this is a sure-fire way to capture a child's attention.  

The second option is to choose a book which contains a meaningful message, such as gratitude, selflessness, peace, love, self-respect and self-confidence, earth care, etc.  You can read these books to lead to a discussion, tying in yoga principles and combining with several poses.  For example, you may find a story on love and use the book as a way to get kids talking about what it means to love others or to love one's self.  After the discussion move into several heart-opening poses, such as camel or cobra.  

Many books offer both a meaningful message and inspirational characters to lead poses.  A great one for kids aged 3-6 is It's A Good Thing You're Not an Octopus by Julie Markes.   Amazon.com's editorial reviewer Emilie Coulter says, The world of small children is filled with day-in, day-out challenges and tiresome activities. If someone's not telling you to get dressed, they're making you eat lunch, climb into the car seat, or take a nap. However, young humans should count their blessings. Baby birds have to eat worms for lunch. Tigers may not ever have to climb into a bathtub, but that's because their mothers are always licking them clean! And imagine being a shark when it comes time to brush your teeth--all 200 of them. Julie Markes hits her mark with this clever picture book, which will probably make at least a few human children appreciate their relatively simple daily routines (at least when compared to shoeless caterpillars). 

Markes' book has an engaging and entertaining storyline which includes vivid illustrations of animal characters, while teaching an important value: gratitude.  With this book, you could read it once, slowly, allowing for lots of giggling and absorption of the beautiful illustrations.  Ask the kids if they ever feel frustrated or irritated when they have to do things like brushing their teeth and remind them, as the book says on the last page, "It's a good thing you're you...phew!"  The yoga practice could follow with the adult asking the kids to recall the animals and situations in the story, and perform the poses together.  

Here are a few more book suggestions:

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess

The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Old Turtle by Douglas Wood

Why Yoga???

Benefits of yoga for kids….

* Yoga helps improve strength and flexibility
* Yoga increases self-awareness, concentration, focus, and attention
* Kid’s yoga increases self-esteem as well as self-discipline
* Yoga decreases anxiety and increases ability to relax
* Yoga increases trust, compassion, teamwork and leadership skills of your children
* Yoga improves digestion and eases gas pains for children
* Yoga helps to release stress and teaches them to breathe well
* Yoga strengthens the immune system of kids

Some benefits of yoga for parents…

* Yoga improves parent and child bonding relationship
* Better sleep for parents, as your kids will be less of a handful
* Yoga reduces stress for both parents and kids
* Yoga builds parental confidence 

Yoga benefits for kids with special needs…

* By teaching self awareness, self control, and concentration, yoga can also help to manage children who have been diagnosed with ADHD – attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Yoga has also been used with some success to help children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism. Yoga for kids has also been used to help kids with cancer cope with their diagnosis and with scary medical procedures.

Let Your Light Shine

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is  our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.  

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson, from her book A Return to Love (HarperCollins, 1993)

What a great gift it is to teach this message to every child we encounter.  What an amazing world we would have if each of us embraced this truth.

Part of my work with children and yoga involves using affirmations to build self-esteem and confidence.  Affirmations are positive statements about oneself.  Here are a few you can try with your child:

• I help others
• I share my light
• I love to learn
• I am brave
• I am strong
• I am powerful
• I am kind
• I speak with respect for others
• I can do anything
• Peace begins with me

Add your own ideas to share with others.

Welcome to Little Lights!!

I am excited to be starting this blog site to help communicate about the wonderful benefits of yoga for children!!  As a former teacher and child care center director, I know the importance of a balanced approach to education.  Our world can be a stressful place for children.  Demands placed on kids today are tougher and expectations are higher. 

Through yoga, children can develop self control, confidence and focus.  Breathing practice helps them learn to relax, control anger and anxiety and "gears up" their brains for learning.  The yoga programs also help kids develop physically.  Strength, stamina, flexibility, balance and coordination are just some of the benefits kids will gain.  We also love to play!!  Stretching our imaginations and creativity as well as our bodies through yoga games, activities and poses.  Storytime yoga is especially good for this as children become a part of the stories. 

Come join me this fall as classes start up.  Check out the schedule page for times and locations and follow the links to register.  Email me with questions or if you'd like to see a class in your area!