7 Best Yoga Exercises for Kids to Stay Healthy

Last Updated on December 18th, 2020

As humans we have a tendency to choose a healthy way of living only after being diagnosed with a certain disease that require a strict pattern to live. But you will be surprised when you will know that most of the disease that get is only because of our living habits right from our childhood. Had I been into yoga or any free hand exercise ever since I was a kid, my lifestyle would have been very different.

Lately, I met my cousin who used to send her 3-year-old daughter for swimming, dancing and art classes. And recently she has also made it a habit to make her kid do a 20 mins yoga before she gets ready for the day. I honestly used to feel bad for that little kid who is being tortured with such a busy day. But when I got in talk to her, I came to know the facts we are unaware of.

Though most of the schools have their PT classes or yoga sessions one’s a week or may be twice a week, kids also have some exercise sessions in school held by the institutions. But how do you know that the routine made for 100’s of students at a go is helpful for them?

For those reasons she had a word with a child doctor who suggested her to let the kid have her own personal training at home, by that the kid was never dull, in fact had a very active day at school and also at the playground. Eventually the diet because of this little workout improved and the kid was not just healthy but used to get proper nutrition required for that age.

It’s not like you are tying them in a thread of healthy lifestyle where there is no room for junk or chocolates, but along with exercise, the junk and chocolates consumption gets fits into the routine.

In this article I will take you through a 6-7 free exercises for kids that can keep your child healthy from their initial childhood days.

Exercise 1: Mountain Pose

A very basic and easy to start routine exercise.

This mountain pose is a simple exercise, helps a child to come into the state of relaxation and gives them a rhythmic breath and energy.

To do this pose:

• Stand tall, keep the both the feet a little away from each other,
• Make sure the back is straight and relaxed
• Knee should not be bend
• Now bring the palms just in front of the chest and press them each other like we do in the temple.
• At this point it’s better if the child has closed his eyes and he is focusing on his breathe.
• If possible, you can always ask your child to chant “OM” while he is focusing on his breath.

This exercise right after getting up in the morning helps a child mind to get all the positive energy from the nature.

Exercise 2: Tree Pose

Usually I take this exercise right with Mountain pose because it makes it easy for kids to follow up with the routine and not cause a lot of trouble guiding through the exercise.

It is also preferable to take all this exercise in for garden/balcony. The morning fresh air and sunlight can make things work like magic.

To do this exercise:

 – Come in the same Mountain pose from exercise 1

• After completing the chanting of OM for at least 5-6 times, in the same posture bring right leg just above the left knees and stand in the position
• Try to hold the leg firmly in that posture of at least 30 seconds before switching it with left leg
• On doing do, make sure your kid inhales and exhale a deep breath in that posture and similarly does it with left leg too.
• While in tree pose, it’s better to close your eye and focus in inhaling and exhaling.

Do this for 2-2 times with both the legs and switch to the next exercise.

As a mother you will always worry about your child’s health specially when junk is so easily accessible, and nutrition is easily avoided. We understand each concern and hence a good practice right from beginning can make a healthy life for your kid. They say, it’s easy to teach a kind than to get them un-learn it.

Exercise 3: Table top-Plank Pose

We all have done planks and the same way we have seen our kids following us. Well I don’t know about others by my niece have started copying me for sure. By this detail I meant, please do this exercise along with your kid, so that they can learn it well.

This exercise will help them have a good digestion system and will help them increase their physical stamina to play.

To do this pose:

• Bring the child on his palms and knees
• The space between the both the palms and feet should be little more than usual
• Now ask the kid the stretch the leg backwards and give the entire body weight on palms and feet
• It looks difficult to us, but it’s very easy for kids to follow
• Ask them to stay in that position for 20-30 seconds and then bring back to normal pose.
• Make sure their abdomen or belly region doesn’t touch the ground
• And face is towards in front.
• 2 times in a routine is more than enough

Exercise 4: Side Plank Pose

Again, this is added so that it can be taken along with table top plank pose.

This pose helps a kid to have a faster metabolism and improves heart rate.

To do this pose:

– Stand on your knees.

– Extend your left leg straight out to the left.

– Place your right hand under the right shoulder and stretch your left arm up toward the ceiling.

– Press down into your hand and foot. Slide the right foot under the left.

– Repeat on the other side.

Though some might face difficulty doing this exercise at a go, it will be really helpful if you help them with a video and ask them to take step by step to get it right.

Take this exercise for 5 times on each side.

Exercise 5: Camel Pose

A very easy and yet again a very helpful pose that helps in good digestion, tones upper body and also leave a lot of calmness in the mind and over all improves blood circulation in the brain.

To do this pose:

• Sit on the knee where both the legs are bonded together
• Keep your back straight and gradually bring your left hand backwards and make it test on the left leg feet.
• Do the same thing with the right hand
• As the body is bended backwards it’s advisable to keep the head bended towards back
• Stay in that posture for some 10-15 seconds and again bring left hand forward with the help of the right hand and then the right hand.
• Do this exercise for minimum of 5 times.
• Here in this exercise don’t let your child hold on to their breath while placing their hand back, they are supposed to inhale while going back and exhale while staying in that posture, again inhale and exhale while coming back to normal posture.

Exercise 6: Frog Pose

 This exercise reminds me of all those punishments we got when we were kids, exactly that’s all this exercise has.

To do this pose:

• Place both legs away from each other and
• Ask the child to slowly sit down on their feet
• Make sure their feet are stacked to the ground and are not on their heels.

This exercise helps a child if he feels constipated or has any motion issues. This exercise helps in getting a child a clear motion.

Exercise 7: Cobra Pose

 This exercise will improve their back posture and improve their mood. It also helps in opening the heart, increasing the blood circulation throughout the body.

To do this pose:

• Let the child rest on their back and lie down
• Ask them to bring both the arms near to their face
• Nd slowly, without moving their lower body they have to get up from their position
• On moving their entire weight will be on their both the palms
• They have to stretch themselves as much as they can.
• Ask your child you inhale while getting up and exhale and stay in that posture for 5-6 seconds and again come back to the main posture
• They can take this pose for 5-8 times depending on the number of sessions they have had till the time. If the child is used to the exercises, it’s better to take it till 8 times or a minimum of 5 is always okay.

Finally, I would say, a child always learns most of the thing from their parents. They try to mimic them and do exactly the same thing that their parents do. Often mothers try to get their child into any activities that can help them develop both physically and mentally. But the main development zone is their home. Please make sure your child only takes the best of their parents. Give them a calm and inspiring environment so that they can develop in a right way.

Here’s our Fitness mantra for kids, Play, Laugh, Eat, Enjoy, because adulting can take time!

Namaste!

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Gazal Mittal

An engineering aspirant, a book lover by choice, loves travelling with dairy and pen, fitness motivator- Can help people who hate gyms to fall in love with fitness in 7 days or may be help a busy mom to reduce her baby bump in like 12 weeks!

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