Poses >>
Yoga with books >>
Teaching Resources >>

Poses

Here are some basic yoga poses with photos and instruction. We have also included some of the benefits that children will experience through regular performance of the poses, along with some ideas to have fun with the poses and add affirmations.

Mountain
Begin by standing tall, feet about hip width apart, hands by your sides. Imagine that you have a string running through your body from your head to your toes. The string is being pulled from the top and the bottom, stretching your head to the sky and your feet into the ground. You are standing strong and tall. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and look straight ahead. Take several deep breaths into your belly.
Physical Benefits Straight posture Leg strength Balance whole body Spatial awareness – feet together Social/Emotional Benefits Expands confidence through upright position Expands self–esteem Cognitive Benefits Ability to remain still Concentration skills
Affirmation I am as sturdy as a mountain nothing can make me fall. Educational Facts Did you know that there are mountains under the surface of the sea? Mountains occur more often in oceans than on land; some islands are the peaks of mountains coming out of the water.

• Cobra (Snake)
• Dog – Downward facing Dog
• Cat
• Tree

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Yoga with books

Young children love books and they are a great tool to engage a child whilst introducing yoga poses or concepts. Pick a book, almost any book (as long as it has pictures) and you will find many creative ways to bring yoga into the story. Try mimicking the story or the characters, or simply use the images to guide yoga poses. We have found that books with large, clear illustrations can prompt some fantastic mimicking, particularly those that display nature and animals.

Here are some of our favourite books. Give it a try you will be amazed at how creative you can be or more importantly how creative the children will be.

• The Waterhole Graeme Base
• The wide mouth frog(A pop up book) Keith Faulkner Illustrated by Jonathan Lambert
• Snap! went Chester Tania Cox & David Miller
• From Head to Toe Eric Carle
• The very hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
• Walking through the Jungle Debbie Harter

Children’s yoga books

• Little Yoga (Toddlers) Rebecca Whitford and Martina Selway
• Who Am I? Jane Lee Wiesner Illustrated by Annie White
• Magic Me Jane Lee Weisner Illustrated by Joy Antonie
• Like a Fish In Water Isabelle Koch

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Teaching Resources

• The Idiots Guide to Yoga with Kids – Jodi B Komitor and Eve Adamson
  check out Jodi’s site she has lots of other wonderful teaching tools
• Fly Like a Butterfly – Shakta Kaur Khalsa
• YogaKids – Marsh Wenig

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