How to Get Kids Excited About Yoga
/Sometimes our children enthusiastically follow our footsteps, wanting to imitate every move we make. And then there are other times… like when we request for them to do something and receive a big “NO!”
Maybe it’s an “I don’t want to!” or an “I’ll do it later!” — or maybe it’s general reluctance, timidness, or fear. Maybe it’s simply disinterest.
For some of us caregivers and educators, getting kids to be interested in yoga and mindfulness might seem like a challenging feat. But after working with children in daycares, community events, and preschool thru fifth grade (online classes too!), we’ve been able to identify surefire ways to help children get excited about yoga and mindfulness.
Here are fun and engaging ways to get children interested in trying yoga and mindfulness with ease! We practice all of these methods in our musical yoga and mindfulness classes (and at home with our own family) with great success.
1. Make Yoga Fun and Silly
Not every yoga class needs to be a serious fitness session surrounded by yoga gurus… especially kids yoga! The various poses found in yoga offer us opportunity to move and stretch in fun ways (and match silly faces and sounds with those poses!)
If you are looking to get kids interested in yoga: loosen up, be silly, use interesting props, and make it fun.
Try these deep squat and forward fold poses with Dan, for instance. The video below is snippet of our Pond Adventure on the Yo Re Mi app, showing how a “Duck” theme makes these poses approachable and fun for children.
2. Combine Movement with Music
Yo Re Mi is known for combining music education with yoga and mindfulness to support early child development. Not only does music support speech, listening, and pattern/sequencing development, it’s also a super fun way to get children moving and stretching!
Our “Avalanche” video with Lauren helps kids take on Chair Pose in a fun, musical way! (Learn more about how Dalcroze eurythmics and the Kodaly Method inspires our music, yoga and mindfulness program.)
MORE: Winter Themed Yoga and Activities for Kids
3. Encourage Child Collaboration
We all want share our ideas and be heard — that includes children too! One way to make yoga and mindfulness really fun for kids is to LISTEN.
When is the last time you let your kids take the lead?
One of Yo Re Mi’s most important values is to be open to child collaboration, encourage individuality, and say YES to their ideas. Not only does this make them feel heard, it also teaches teamwork and cooperation.
A great exercise that encourages collaboration is “If I Could Be…”, which you can sing along with Dan below! It gets children moving, acting silly, and sharing their creativity!
4. Combine Storytelling with Yoga
Storybook yoga is so much fun! Kids love it, and it is a great way to promote literacy while making space for mindful movement. If you are looking for a list of books, start off with these diverse books about mindfulness for kids and pair movement with the stories.
You can also sing a story, like our kids story song “Bird and the Worm”, in which Shelley does a great job combining a story song with a kid-friendly Sun Salutation. (Learn more about how to create kids story songs here.)
5. Be Consistent With Your Yoga Routine
Children benefit from (and rely on) routine. As caregivers and educators, navigating uncertainty is never easy, but creating a reliable environment where our children can look forward to a consistent practice can help strengthen their relationship with yoga and mindfulness.
Whether it is storybook yoga before bed, energizing yoga during a schoolwork brain break, or mindful and kid friendly breathing exercises to bring calm — children will begin to seek out their routine and find comfort in it.
You can also integrate some of their favorite items. Suggest your kids grab their favorite stuffed animal and join Rachel in this calming breathing exercise, “Breathing Buddy”.
6. Join Them!
Children love independence, but they also love being with you. Depending on their age, sometimes it is not enough to “set it and forget it” — especially in the beginning of their yoga journey.
Pull out a mat or non-slip rug and join them! Whether that means getting moving, singing and stretching at circle time, or playing our kids yoga app on your smart TV, tablet or desktop and trying partner yoga in the comfort of your own home.
For some fun partner yoga, try “Pirate Ship” with Rachel and Dan! It requires two people and combines Wide-legged Forward Fold with music. This is also a fun yoga activity for sibling bonding.
Kids value time spent with you. Seeing you prioritize your wellness will create deep rooted wellness values within them (which will be one of many much needed life skills as the years go by!)
And remember — have fun!
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself trying to get kids to love yoga. Some children may love certain aspects of yoga and mindfulness (like quick moving, energizing poses vs. restorative poses and deep breathing).
Others may gravitate to yoga for the accompanying activities, like storytelling and singing. And others may find it to be one of the few ways they get their ideas heard.
It is our job as grown ups to ensure we create a safe, judgement-free environment for them to feel empowered and supported.
Save this article for later and don’t forget to download the Yo Re Mi app for children’s mindfulness and musical yoga videos.
