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You've already known how good is yoga for you, and you probably felt all the benefits on yourself, so why not invite your toddler on the yoga mat?
It will be a great indoor activity: both of you receive yoga benefits and have a lot of fun!
It's a big mistake to think that yoga is only for adults. I've been teaching kids for more than five years, and my practice shows that kids' yoga is as beneficial as adults' practice.
So today, I want to show you the 10 best yoga exercises that you and your little one can practice together and get stronger and healthier.
As a mom of two lovely girls, I know how hard to find time to exercise and take care of yourself. I'm sure this situation is familiar to you: it's late in the afternoon, you dream of putting your toddler to sleep and unrolling your yoga mat.
But your kid doesn't want to sleep at all or get up after you take one deep inhale. And you think: "Yoga, please help me to stay calm!"
Yoga will defiantly help you and your active toddler. So, don't roll your mat. It might sound challenging, but we need this practice to stay sane. Plus, I don't know any kid who would have problems with sleep after yoga practice.
Yes! My solution is to invite the baby into our yoga exercises.
Try these 10 exercises with your little one:
1. Welcome pose - namaste
Try to start and finish your yoga experiences with the same yoga poses for kids. Children love consistency and connection. In addition, it helps to create a safe and comfortable environment.
You can always add your rituals, such as taking a meaningful object to your yoga mat (toys, yoga props, blanket, books), enjoying special hugs.
Turning on your favorite music and/or using your favorite essential oils or candles. Try to use these ideas to mark the start of your yoga experience together.
You can bowl to each other and say "namaste." 👇🏼
2. Breathing exercises
Breathing is essential for the mom as for the baby. We can teach kids early on how to breathe healthily. Be creative and playful.
Encourage your child to inhale magic flower or fragrant food and exhale by blowing into a tissue, blowing a cotton ball across the floor, or blowing out a candle.
You can sit together crossed legs, face each other with hands on each other's bellies, or the child can sit on your lap to feel your breath.
Fill up your belly like a balloon. Huge. Big inhale. Then deflate the ballon.
You can also try to use your toes; on inhale, fly with the toes up and exhale get to the ground 👇🏼
3. Warm-up with pushups or down dog push-us
Believe me, toddlers and even infants' favorite yoga pose is down dog. You probably saw how easy our kids could practice this pose. It is a fantastic warm-up pose and has a lot of benefits for our bodies.
Find your Down Dog pose and see if your kid wants to copy this pose or want to lie down with his head between your arms. But, again, make sure to engage your core and keep breathing.
The same breath work you can practice with plank pose 👇🏼
Now let the fun begin. Shift the gaze to your toddler and bend your elbows to pushups. Keep your forearm closer to the floor - pause, and give your mini-you one big kiss.
Then press to plank pose or Down Dog.
Repeat till you can feel your arms and shoulder are on fire! Then, you can count how many kisses you got.
4. Warm-up for your legs - chair pose with extra weight
Stand with your feet together, with your big toes touching, or you can stand with your feet hip-distance apart. (try what is more comfortable for you and your kid)
Bribe your toddler to stay in front of you as you bend both knees. Next, drop your hips and sit into your chair pose. Now let your child stand on your tights, one foot at each leg. Enjoy a couple of deep breaths 👇🏼
5. Cat and Cow pose
These poses help to stretch the spine and also help low back pain. All that moms need.
Start on hands and knees with a baby on the mat underneath you so that you're face-to-face, or your baby may want to copy your moves.
Hips should be over knees, shoulders over wrists.
Inhale and lean your tailbone up and lift your chest forward and up with the sound "Mooo!" (cow pose). Then, Exhale, rock your tailbone down, round your back, and look down at your baby and say "Meow!" (cat pose).
Repeat and have fun; make silly faces, silly moves 👇🏼
6. Balance pose - let's grow into the Tree
Stand up and pick up your little yoga partner. You can rest your child at your hip or a big mommy hug at the center. Then, shift your weight into your left foot, bend the right knee, and place your right foot on the inside of your left thigh or calf (never on your knee).
Pretend to be a strong tree that moves its branches with the wind blows. The kid can pretend to be a bird or squirrel. Make up the story. Don't forget the other side 👇🏼
7. Goddess moms upgrade
This pose strengthens core muscles and increases circulation. Begin with feet apart while holding your baby. Then, exhale and bend your knees, deeply sinking hips to the height of your knees. Try to keep knees directly over ankles.
Hold your toddler as you hold the pose. Then, inhale and straighten legs, put the baby on the floor. Kids love to fly, and you have extra weight to challenge your practice👇🏼
8. Bow pose
The perfect way to make mommy's spine strong and beautiful and for your kid to enjoy the ride on your back. Extra connection - extra love.
Lie down your belly, bend your knees and grab the outside of your feet with your hands. Welcome the little yogi to have a seat at the boat. Safely start to breathe and rock side to side. Now make a story about pirates or brave Moana. You also can play Moana's song 👇🏼
9. Time to stretch with a forward bend
This is the best counterpose after Moana's adventure.
Stand up, stretch up with your arms in the air and slowly find your forward bend. Hold your baby when you are in the pose.
It gives your extra weight to stretch deeper. (feel free to bend the knees) Your toddler can play the monkey at the Tree. Kiss the monkey or play peek-a-boo.
10. Time to rest
My kid's favorite pose is laying on mom's chest and listening to the heartbeat in the big, long hug.
Find your Shavasana, put your favorite song and sing it together. Don't forget to thank each other for the beautiful practice.
In the end, these exercises are just the beginning. They are here for you to try and see what works better. I know that your little one will enjoy it and ask to do practice again (plus, you will see how easy to put them to sleep after.) So, just be creative and have fun together, balancing between engaging your toddler and ensuring that mommy gets a solid practice too.
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