10 Easy Yoga Poses For Kids And Its Benefits

Each of us understand the importance of yoga, its benefits if included into our daily routine life and how it’s important for sound mind and body. It also helps improve bond with your child and by doing these simple steps, strengthens their muscles and improve their visual skills.

Your baby’s tiny body needs regular exercise. It enhances babies’ mental and physical health which not only helps to stretch and straighten the muscle of your body but also improves the focus and concentration.

Here is a list of 10 easy yoga poses for kids to do:

1. Sukhasana (Easy sitting pose)  

It is one of the easiest poses for your kids. It corrects your child’s posture and inculcates the skill of patience at a young age.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Gently stretches your child’s knees and feet.

• Improve their posture.

• Helps in reducing anxiety and stress.

• Improve their patience.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Sit straight with legs crossed.

• Rest the hand on the knee with palms facing up.

• Keep the head, neck and back straight.

• Relax your feet and thighs.

• Slowly breathe in and breathe out, continue doing this for one minute.

• Uncross your leg and relax.

 If your child can’t sit straight, you can have them sit next to a wall for support.

2. Marjaryasana (Cat pose)

It is one of the favourite poses of babies. It improves the bond with your child and help them straighten their muscles and again help improving their visual skills.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Help your child treats their back.

• Strengthen their core muscle back shoulders stomach and hip muscle.

• Improve their concentration.

• Provide a gentle massage to their spine.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Sit straight with legs crossed.

• Rest the hand on the knee with palms facing up.

• Keep the head, neck and back straight.

• Relax your feet and thighs.

• Slowly breathe in and breathe out, continue doing this for one minute.

• Uncross your leg and relax.

 If your child can’t sit straight, you can have them sit next to a wall for support.

3. Naukasana (boat pose):

It’s an easy balancing yoga pose that can help your child to reduce their stress and feel refreshed.

How Does It Help Your Child

•  Strengthen your child’s arms, shoulders, muscles, thighs and stomach.

• Good for liver and kidneys.

•  Improves their balance.

•  Reduces their constipation and digestive problems.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Lie down on your back with hands on the side.

• Breathe out and lift the chest and feet off the ground at the same time.

• Bring your hands near the knees and hold the breath.

• stay in this position for a few seconds.

• Breathe in and returned to the normal position.

If your child has been suffering from any disease for a long time or has spinal cord problem don’t do this yoga pose. Don’t force your child to stretch too much as it can hurt them.

4. Utkatasana (Chair pose): 

It helps your child stay fit and healthy every day.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Properly shapes your child’s thighs, hips and shoulders.

• Improves their digestive system and heart functioning.

• Strengthens their legs and hands.

 How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Slowly breathe in and lift the hands above the head.

• Bend the Knees in such a way that you are sitting on an imaginary chair.

• Make sure to keep your back straight during this activity.

• Slowly breathe in and breathe out. Keep breathing at the same speed.

• Look straight and stay in this pose for as long as you are comfortable.

If your child can’t stay in this position, take support of the wall. If your child has headache or can’t sleep at night, avoid this asana.

5. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose): 

It’s a yoga activity that can improve your child’s digestive system and flexibility.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Improve your child’s flexibility.

• Promotes goods digestive system.

• Gently stretches their back, legs, arm shoulder and chest muscles.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Lie down with face flat on the mat with feet pointing outward and hands on the side.

• Slowly breathe in and bring the feet towards the hip.

• Hold the ankles with the hand.

• Lift the legs and upper body with your hands and look up.

• Breathe out and stay in this position for the next four breaths.

• Lower the body and rest your feet on ground.

Don’t push your child to bend too much as different children have different flexibility. If your child can’t stretch, don’t push them as it can hurt them.

6. Tadasana (Mountain pose):

It’ a simple yoga pose that can help your child clam down when they are stressed or have anxiety.

 How Does It Help Your Child

• Strengthens your child’s legs, thighs and ankles.

• Helps them sleep better.

• Improves their body structure.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Stand straight and keep the legs a few inches apart.

• Keep the hands straight on the side of your body.

• Make sure the shoulder is relaxed and not stiff.

• Breathe in and lift the hands above your head.

• Stay in this position until you and your child are comfortable, continue breathing at same speed.

• Return to the normal position.

Don’t force your child to stay in this position for too long as it can hurt them.

7. Trikonsana (Triangle pose):  It helps your child become stronger and loosen their muscles.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Straighten your child’s legs knees, arms and chest.

• Promotes good digestive system.

• Gently stretches their hips, hamstrings, claves, shoulders and chest.

• Reduce your child’s anxiety and stress.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor

• Keep the feet wide apart as far as you are comfortable.

• Turn your right foot to the right side and keep yourself foot straight.

• Spread your left arms to the side so that they are parallel to the ground

• Breathe in and bend your hips to the right with your arms straight.

• Rest your right hand on the right leg ankle or as far as your hand can reach, stretch your left arm upwards and look at the tip of your hand.

• Stay in this pose for 3-4 breathes. Return to the standing position with arms straight.

• Lower the hands and repeat all the above steps with the left side.

If your child has been suffering from diarrhoea, neck or back injuries, headache, don’t do this yoga pose.

8. Baddha Koshana (Butterfly pose): 

This is a fun yoga pose. It is easy and helps to improve your child digestion.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Improve your child’s digestion.

• Gently stretches their thighs, hips and knees.

• Improve their flexibility.

 How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Sit with your back straighT and legs spread straight and wide.

• Fold the legs in such a way that the feet are touching each other.

• Hold the feet in your hand.

• Slowly breathe in and gently move the legs up and down like a butterfly moving its wing.  Continue breathing at the same speed.

• Do it slowly in the beginning and then start doing it fast.

• After 30 seconds, slow down then stop the posture and unfold the legs.

If your child cannot bend their legs too much, don’t pressurize as it can hurt them.

9. Balasana (Child’s Pose): 

Do this relaxing and restful pose with your child that will not only improve your bond with them but also help to reduce their stress.

How Does It Help Your Child?

• Gently stretches your child’s hips, ankles and thighs.

• Helps relieve their stress and calm their mind.

• Reduces neck and back pain.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Knee down with your hands on mat.

• Touch your big toes together and widen your knees.

• Slowly breathe out and sit on your heels with hand on the lap.

• Slowly walk your hands in front of you, breathe in and lower your body.

• Make sure your upper body touches the thighs and your head touches the floor. Keep breathing at the same speed.

If your child has been suffering from knee injury or diarrhoea, avoid this pose.

10. Bhujangasana (Cobra pose): 

It improves your child flexibility every day.

How Does It Help Your Child

• Straighten their spine.

• Improves their flexibility.

• Stretches your child’s chest, shoulder and stomach muscles.

How To Do It

• Spread the yoga mat on the floor.

• Lie down with face flat on the mat with feet pointing towards and hand on the side.

• Bring the hands under shoulder forming a triangle.

• Slowly breathe in and push your chest of the floor with the help of your hand.

• Hip chain up and press the feet and thighs on the mat.

• Stay in this position for about 15 to 20 second.

• Breathe out and lie down on the floor again.

Don’t push your child to bend too much as different children have different flexibility.

By now, you must have understood the importance of yoga for your child, the only question that might be revolving around your mind is the challenge in doing some complex poses. Remember, the gradual approach can help child increase their limit and be more flexible. Once they are used to doing this, you would see how adaptable they become and extend themselves for trying challenging poses in an easy manner.

The earlier you begin, the comfortable and beneficial it is for the well-being of your child. Initiate your child’s journey for a sound mind, health and growth.