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Yoga for Kids - Playground Games and Rules

Worried that your child has been sitting around all day? We all want them to be healthy, but getting them motivated to move is getting harder and harder. So let's incorporate playground yoga games for children through:

  • Introducing Yoga through Fun Playground Activities
  • Simple Yoga Poses for Perfect Children’s Games
  • Creating Safe and Engaging Yoga Spaces on the Playground
  • Playground Rules for a Smooth Yoga Session with Kids

Introducing Yoga through Fun Playground Activities

Introducing yoga for kids' playground activities can transform the playtime experience, combining fun and movement seamlessly. According to research, yoga has demonstrated positive effects in:

  • Controlling Anger
  • Depression
  • Stress
  • Body Dissatisfaction
  • Anxiety
  • Improving Positive Emotion
  • Improve listening skills
  • Increase body awareness

How can we get our kids to practice yoga if we want them to reap these health benefits?

  • Make it interesting and engaging.
  • Engage in creative interaction to keep things novel and exciting.
  • Utilize themes (such as nature, animals, and stories) to spark your kids' curiosity.
  • Add props and music to make it more interactive and improve the kids' yoga experience.

Simple Yoga Poses for Perfect Children’s Games

By incorporating simple yoga poses into playground activities, children can enjoy the benefits of yoga in a fun and engaging way. But what playground yoga activities for children should they learn first?

Teach these different yoga poses to children, which you can then incorporate into yoga games later:

  • Boat Pose

Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. This yoga pose requires you to lean back slightly, lift your legs, and balance on your sit bones. Extend your arms forward parallel to the floor.

  • Chair pose 

Stand straight and lift your arms straight above your head. Squat down until your legs are parallel with the floor. 

  • Bow Pose

Lie on your stomach, bend your knees, and reach back to hold your ankles. Lift your chest and thighs off the floor, creating a bow shape with your body.

  • Bridge Pose

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips towards the ceiling, pressing your feet and arms into the ground.

  • Cat Pose

For this yoga pose, start on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Round your back towards the ceiling while tucking your chin to your chest.

  • Cobbler’s or Butterfly Pose

Sit with your legs straight in front of you. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees drop out to the sides.

  • Cobra Pose

Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Press into your hands to lift your chest off the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent.

  • Cow Pose

Start on all fours. Arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone towards the ceiling.

  • Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Start on all fours, lift your hips and back, straightening your legs and arms to form an inverted V shape.

  • Eagle Pose

Stand on one leg, and wrap the opposite leg around the standing leg. Wrap the opposite arm under the standing arm and bring the palms together.

  • Frog Pose

Start on all fours and widen your knees, bringing your feet together. Lower your hips towards the floor.

  • Happy Baby Pose

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and hold the outer edges of your feet with your hands, opening your knees wider than your torso.

  • Lion Pose

Sit on your heels, place your palms on your knees, and roar like a lion, sticking your tongue out.

  • Mountain Pose

Stand tall with feet together, arms at your sides, and shoulders relaxed. Engage your thighs and lift through the crown of your head.

  • Rock Pose

Sit on your heels, bring your forehead to the ground, and extend your arms alongside your body.

  • Rock and Roll Pose

Sit on the floor, hug your knees to your chest, and rock back and forth on your spine.

  • Sunbird Pose

Start on all fours, extend one leg back and the opposite arm forward, balancing on the other hand and knee.

  • Table Pose

Start on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep your back flat like a table.

  • Tree Pose

Stand on one leg, place the sole of the opposite foot on the inner thigh or calf, and bring your hands together in a prayer position.

  • Triangle Pose

Stand with legs wide apart, turn one foot out, and extend your arms to the sides. Reach one hand to the shin or floor while the other extends upwards.

  • Turtle or Tortoise Pose

Sit with legs spread wide, bend forward from the hips, and slide your arms under your knees, reaching forward.

  • Upward-Facing Dog Pose

Lie on your stomach, press your hands to lift your torso and legs off the ground, straightening your arms.

  • Warrior 1 Pose

Stand with one leg forward and the other back, bend the front knee, and raise your arms overhead, keeping your hips facing forward.

  • Warrior 2 Pose

Stand with legs wide apart, front knee bent, back leg straight, and arms extended parallel to the floor.

  • Warrior 3 Pose

Balance on one leg, hinge forward at the hips, and extend your arms and lifted leg parallel to the ground, forming a straight line from fingers to toes.

Creating Safe and Engaging Yoga Spaces on the Playground After learning a few basic yoga poses, you can now start teaching the children, but where? Here are some tips on creating a safe and engaging yoga space on your playground. Choose the Right Space: Ensure the space is Safe Clean Obstacle-free Hazard-free Away from direct sunlight Ensure each kid has a yoga mat for the children's safety and comfort. Arrange the mats so that children have enough space to move freely. Weather: Schedule sessions during cooler times of the day. Check that the children have applied SPF protection as needed. Pests: Be aware of insects and keep insect repellent on hand, just in case. Playground Rules for a Smooth Yoga Session with Kids Have you properly prepared the space for childrens yoga? Next up is setting up rules for your yoga sessions for smoother sessions. Here are some tips: Proper attire: Remind the children to dress comfortably. Kindness and Respect: Teach the children to treat each other with kindness and respect to create a positive environment. Safety First: Teach children dos and don'ts to avoid injury. Young children should avoid overstretching or pushing themselves too hard. Yoga is not a competition. This could get the kids riled up and lead to accidents. Poses should not be performed hastily. Yoga should be practiced on an empty or light stomach, as some moves may become difficult. Motivate the children to listen to their bodies, engage in breathing exercises, and encourage them to ask for breaks when they feel tired or uncomfortable. Stay Hydrated. Conclusion Yoga is not just good for children’s physical health; it’s also beneficial for mental and emotional struggles. By teaching your children simple yoga poses, breathing exercises, and mindfulness and integrating them into a yoga game, you create an environment that promotes physical and mental health. Ensuring a safe yoga space, along with clear rules and guidance, helps maintain a smooth yoga session for everyone. And by incorporating all these into yoga games for kids outdoors, you will be nurturing healthier, happier, and more resilient children, ready to face both the joys and challenges of life. If you still wonder if kids enjoy yoga, here’s a video of a yoga-for-kids session by Sheila Palmquist of Lincoln Yoga Center in partnership with the CDC and HealthyLincoln.org.

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Learn about the author: Ben Thompson