6 Gentle Yoga Poses for Gratitude (Kid-Friendly + for Grown Ups)
/Practicing daily gratitude (however big or small) can have immensely positive effects on our whole-body health. You can bring more of it into your day in many ways, including gratitude yoga poses or a daily mindfulness routine.
In fact, we encourage gratitude and reflection as part of a mindfulness practice to help prevent teacher burnout, and even recommend educators implement a four-step gratitude practice at the end of the term or school year for classrooms.
Gratitude isn’t only beneficial to educators, however. Grown ups, children, and families can all benefit from gratitude! So here are some gentle gratitude yoga poses that are kid-friendly, fun, and can help kickstart a daily gratitude routine paired with music and movement.
1. Camel Pose
In order to give gratitude we must be able to open our hearts and equally receive it. Too often we spend the days hunched over, closing ourselves off at a desk or our electronic devices. Start your gratitude practice connecting with your breath in a deep chest opener like Camel Pose.
If practicing with children, you can even sing this camel song:
2. Warrior Pose
In Warrior Pose we promote confidence and self-esteem. It is difficult to be confident everyday when insecurities and fears of uncertainty plague us.
We refer to Warrior yoga poses to open up and cultivate gratitude, joy, confidence, and positivity — and extend our arms to share it with others.
When we boldly share light with each other, it can equally fill us!
3. Mountain Pose
Gratitude requires grounding. Grounding allows us to find calm, centering, and focus. When we are grounded with a strong foundation rooted in gratitude, we can be our best selves (and guide our kids to do the same).
Mountain Pose is a gentle, yet powerful way to plant our feet firmly into the earth and maintain a strong foundation. It offers opportunity to feel gratitude for the environment and the people we love, who also keep us grounded.
4. Tree Pose
The trees give so much to living beings and the earth, and we are so grateful for it!
Channel your inner gratitude for nature in Tree Pose by grounding your feet, centering your balance, and stretching your arms like strong branches blossoming with leaves, blooms, or even your favorite fruits.
5. Child’s Pose
Child’s pose encourages us to be grounded, releasing our energy beyond the mat. This is a great moment to find gratitude within yourself, thanking your body for helping you work through each yoga pose at its own pace, and granting yourself rest when needed.
6. Knees-to-Chest Pose
Knees-to-chest pose (also known as Wind-relieving Pose) is not only a great yoga pose for digestive health, it is also a wonderful yoga pose for self-gratitude.
When’s the last time you thanked yourself? The last time you hugged yourself?
In order to teach our children how to channel gratitude and self-love, we must lead by example. Practicing knees-to-chest pose can help us demonstrate self-love and appreciation. You can even try some of these affirmations to go with it for a healthy inner dialogue.
READ NEXT: More gratitude resources
A gratitude practice is a long-term, continuous effort. The more we practice gratitude, the easier it will be to acknowledge the small moments, big moments, high moments, and even low moments in all around us.
At Yo Re Mi, we are grateful for your continuous support. Because of you, we’ve been able to share music, yoga and mindfulness with classrooms, communities and families around the world. Thank you!
Save this article for later and don’t forget to download the Yo Re Mi app for children’s mindfulness and musical yoga videos.
