Pose: CobraAges: All ages, great for preschoolers as a belly exerciseMantra: I am open to change

This pose is great for stretching the back and legs, while opening the heart out to the world. When doing this pose, we encourage children to imagine the world as a cobra. As a fun twist, encourage your child to make snake hisses as a breathing exercise.

How to:1. Lie on your tummy with legs stretched out behind you.2. Place your palms beside your shoulders on the ground.3. Join the legs together, tightening them - imagining they are together as one.4. Inhale deeply. Press into your palms and begin to lift your upper body. Gently lift your head, chest,

and shoulders off the ground.5. Tighten the abs, buttocks and thighs.6. Look up to the ceiling and then straight ahead. Make sure your neck and arms remain straight.7. Take a few deep breaths and stay in the pose. Hiss like a cobra!

Benefits Stretches the spine, back and belly muscles Elevates mood Strengthens the spine and shoulder muscles Opens the heart, increasing circulation throughout the body

Pose: Turtle/TortoiseAges: Young kids to teens (great for younger kids to foster focus and calmness)Mantra: I am Calm

Turtles are strong and resilient. Did you know that turtle shells are what makes them unique and protects them from the environment? This pose is great for children who feel overwhelmed, stressed and need some time to focus and relax. When emotions are running high, think about the calm and patient turtle and withdraw into your inner shell.

How to:1. Sit with your legs stretched out, legs flat and knees bent2. Place the palms of your hands flat on the floor. Take a few deep breaths.3. Then, bending forward at the waist, begin sliding your arms under your legs4. Time to get into your shell - fold forward and face the ground.5. Hold this pose, take deep breath and settle in your turtle shell. Imagine you are a turtle, swimming

through the vast ocean.

Benefits: Promotes calmness and focus Stretches the arms, legs and back Opens the hips

Pose: Warrior IAges: Older kids and teens. Appropriate for toddler and preschoolers too, expect less attention to detail and have fun with it!Mantra: I am Powerful

We love teaching this pose to children because it makes your entire body feel strong, from the ankles to thighs, reaching through the chest and fingertips. This pose is perfect for older kids and teenagers to promote stability and strength.

How to:1. Stand at the beginning of the mat. Take a big step back with one foot.2. Breathe evenly and calmly, becoming aware of the moment.3. Take in a deep breath. As you exhale, bend your front knee so that it comes directly over top your

ankle.4. Press your weight through your back heel. Take notice of this position - make sure your heel stays

planted on the ground. If you find it moving off the mat, realign and tighten your stance.5. Take a deep breath and reach up strongly through your arms. Reach for the sky, palms facing each

other!6. Keep grounded - press down through your back foot, keeping your back leg straight.7. Hold the pose, taking deep breaths. You are powerful.

Benefits: Stretches the whole front side of the body, including the thighs, ankles and back Develops stamina, balance and coordination Creates deep concentration by focusing on the foundation of the pose from the ground up - strong

like a warrior!

Mountains are strong and unwavering. Their permanence in the world can teach us to be steady and powerful. Mountains absorb the sun, rain, snow and brave the natural elements. When practicing Mountain pose, we align and ground ourselves. It is an active pose that helps improve posture, balance, and focus

Mountain pose can be done at a moment when you want to feel steady and grounded. If you are feeling like the wind might blow you over, if you are feeling racy and too fast, stand tall in Mountain. If you are feeling lethargic and can’t do too much and yearn to awake, stand in Mountain.

Pose: MountainAges: All agesMantra: I stand firm like a mountain. I feel steady and powerful.

How to:1. Stand with your feet at hip width distance apart. Imagine you can grow the soles of your feet and

toes down into the Earth, which helps you feel steady as a huge mountain at its base.2. Then, standing up straight and let your arms fall to your sides.3. Turn your palms forward and spread your fingers out.4. Lengthen your spine by lifting the crown of your head a little higher toward the sky right above you.

Breathe steadily in and out. Stand firmly in your strength.  

Benefits:1. Helps promote a feeling of calm and strength2. Allows for a moment to pause3. Promotes alignment, balance

Downward dog is a wonderful pose to increase strength and flexibility. It provides a moment to turn inward and be at one, or to get playful and wag your tail. Downward Dog is a fun, dynamic, and challenging pose appropriate for all ages.

Kids tend to love this pose because they get to hang upside down! We often find that kids pick up this pose very quickly. This pose is energizing and relaxing as it helps bring blood flow to the brain. This pose also increases strength in the spine and hamstrings.

When doing this pose with kids, we like to take time in this pose. Stay in this pose for 3-6 deep breaths and stay in the moment. This pose is perfect for setting aside time for yourself and really feeling the movement of your body. Feel the stretch of your spine. Feel the extension in the arms and neck. For additional modifications of this pose, ask kids to pretend to be a dog. Or modify the pose by acting like a three-legged dog and lift up one leg at a time! This is great for stretching your hip and legs!

Pose: Downward facing dogAges: All ages, perfect for young onesMantra: I have time for me

How to:

1. From your hands and knees, spread your fingers out and press your hands down into the floor at shoulder width apart.

2. Curl your toes under and lift your tail up and back (rather than press).3. Bend your knees a little bit and tilt your tail up and back. If your legs feel tight, take turns bending one

knee while sending the heel of the other foot toward the floor and then switch to the other side.4. To turn up the fun, lift one leg at a time to the ceiling to stretch your hips and legs.5. To come out of it, rest your knees down, press your hips back toward your feet and rest in child’s pose.

Additional Exercises with Kids:

1. Have kids bark like a dog instead of deep breaths.2. Ask your kids to imagine being a dog. What kind of dog are they? What is life like a dog like?

Benefits:

Relieves stress and energizes the body

Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands. Strengthens arms and legs Can be great for kids with indigestion or digestive problems

Pose: Deer PoseAges: All agesMantra: I tread lightly with care

How to:1. Stand with your legs together. Take a big step back with one foot. Breathe evenly and calmly.2. Take a deep breath in. As you breathe out, bend your front knee so that it comes directly over your

ankle in a straight line.3. Press your weight through your back heel. Make sure your heel stays planted on the ground. If you

find it difficult to balance, take a wider stance.4. Take a deep breath and reach up with your arms, spreading your fingers apart like deer antlers.5. Hold the pose, taking deep breaths. You are powerful and poised.6. Repeat with the other leg forward.

Optional Activity:To walk like a deer, step into the pose with one foot forward. Then step the other foot forward making deer pose again. Move in a circle or along a path, being mindful of your gentle steps. If the walking variation feels too difficult, consider placing your hands on your hips.

Leaves are a great way to teach children about the changing seasons and to provide real-life connection on the act of change. We like to teach children why leaves turn colors and fall. It’s also a great opportunity to talk about the other senses. What else do you see during the fall? What about smells and feelings?

To promote movement, we invite kids to do the Falling Leaf pose. We pretend to be leafs hanging onto our trees, ready to change color and fall. This pose is great for learning balance.

How to:1. Stand on two feet in mountain pose extend your strong arms at the shoulders horizontally.2. Shift your weight into your right leg as you raise the left leg, still extended to to the left.3. See how long you can manage to be strong and still before you let go of the pose.4. Repeat on the other side.

Additional Exercises for Kids:Have a child observe a changing tree for a number of weeks. They may choose to record their observations in a journal or draw the tree and leaves and they change color and eventually fall down.

As the leaves do fall down, the children can remember the long journey the leaves took before they eventually let go. The leaves had been re-growing since the spring and only just started to change and fall down.

This magnificent pose is relaxing most of the time. If your body does not love this pose, though, it’s okay. Not everybody is made for every pose. Tight hipped friends may take some time to like this pose and friends with knees injuries may avoid it all together.

Children who are wise in body and deeply connected to their needs instinctively make this shape with their body. Impressively many children with special needs know to make this shape without any direction from a yoga teacher, but by merely sensing their need to cut down the external sensory input and to be at one with themselves and the earth.

This grounding pose is recommended to reduce outside input and stimulation, while allowing the practitioner to slow down and enjoy a moment to breathe.

Pose: Child’sAges: All agesMantra: I am connected

How to:1. From your hands and knees, press your hips toward your heels.2. Stretch your arms and heart forward and down into the ground while you keep your hips back and

down toward your feet.3. Breathe deeply and relax.4. If it feels safe, close your eyes and let your face relax.5. Try to breathe slowly in and out, allowing your lungs to expand and contract. Enjoy the peace of

being turned in and when you feel done, come out again.

Additional Exercises with Kids: Child’s pose is a great pose to prompt discussion about being in the moment and grounded. Talk about how your kids feel when they are in the child’s pose.

Benefits:

Stretches the legs: ankles, thighs, hips, knees Releases back and neck tension Relieves stress and calms the body

Pose: Tree PoseAges: Young kids / teens (younger children can modify this pose by bringing the arms to the heart and slightly bringing up one foot)Mantra: I am kind

This pose is great for balancing and improving concentration. Stability comes from tightening and lengthening the core. Hold the Tree pose and promote quiet time. Quiet the mind and imagine being a tree. Gaze out into the forest and focus on the grounding of your leg. Tell kids to imagine their foot being the root, growing deep into the Earth. For kids who are having trouble with balance, let them extend their arms out to the sides. Ask the kids to pretend their arms are strong branches in the tree. Reach out far and wide! Younger kids can modify the pose by bringing the hands to the heart and forming a triangle with one leg. Alternate on the other side.

For additional modifications of this pose, try swaying left to right like a tree in the wind. Or try the pose outside, and discuss with kids how trees gain energy from the Sun through photosynthesis. Watch the other trees and talk about how trees benefit the world, provide habitats for animals, and create oxygen. Talk about the different types of trees, and ask kids to modify the pose based on trees in your area.

How to:

1. Stand up straight and tall in mountain pose. Take in a deep breath.2. Look ahead and find a point (this can be an object, a wall, or window) to focus on.3. As you breathe out, slowly bring up your left foot. Bend your knee, and place your left foot on the inside part of your right leg.4. Relax and straighten the left leg on the floor, shifting your weight into the foot. Ground it – imagine it being a tree root, weaving through the

Earth and hold steady.5. Inhale and bring your hands to your sides. Reach out like branches on a tree.6. Exhale and bring the hands together in front of your heart. Then lift them strongly overhead. You are a growing tree!7. Hold the pose and gaze ahead. Imagine being a tree. What type of tree are you? Are you in a grove? In the middle of a meadow? In a park?

Think about where trees live.8. Toddlers and preschoolers, hold for just a quick moment. Big kids, see how long you can stay in the pose!9. When you feel done, return your leg to the ground and arms to the sides. Now repeat with the other leg to be balanced.

Additional Exercises with Kids:

Talk about how trees are kind to the world. Try to list all of the ways trees benefit the world. Talk about the many different species of trees. Ask questions about trees – What type of tree are you? What is the environment like? Go outside and look at various trees. Talk about the anatomy of the tree – the roots, branches, twigs, leaves, crown and trunk. Discuss the

cycle of trees. Get creative! Draw a tree and the environment. Encourage kids to add animals that might live in trees. Create a Kindness Tree. Cut out a tree trunk out of brown construction paper or felt. Cut out a handful leaves and fruit from construction

paper or felt. On each leaf, write down a way you can be kind. Add the leaves to the tree.

Benefits:

Develops balance Increases concentration

Strengthens the legs, thighs, groin and core Strengthens posture

Pose: AirplaneAges: Young kids / teens (younger children can modify this pose by reaching their arms out to the side and letting their back leg lift just slightly, or by holding onto a wall or partner)Mantra: I am free

For younger kids that are having trouble balancing, they can modify in any way that works for them, such as arms out to the side, back leg against a wall, holding onto a partner, or just barely raising the back leg. Ask the kids to try to stay balanced and if they get silly and fall down on purpose, make sure you find a way to offer them the focus of this balance pose by promising an opportunity to fall down later. We encourage kids to act like an airplane in this pose! Fly through the sky and make airplane noises as a breathing exercise. And for additional fun, sing this song while doing the pose (in the tune of I’m a Little Teapot):

“I’m a little eagleUp in the sky.

These are my wingsThey help me fly.

When it’s time to take off,Hear me say,“Fly with meNamaste!”

How to:

1. Stand up straight and tall in mountain pose. Take in a deep breath.2. As you breathe out, extend the arms to the sides at shoulder height like airplane wings. Your airplane is about to

take off!3. Take in another deep breath and begin to lean forward with your chest. Step one leg back behind you.4. On the back foot, come to your tippy toes. Lean your weight forward and your back leg becomes weightless. See if

you can lift it up!5. Look in front of you and fly – make airplane noises and hold the pose!6. Toddlers and preschoolers, hold for just a quick moment. Big kids, see how long you can stay in the pose!7. When you feel done, return your leg to the ground and arms to the sides. Now repeat with the other leg to be

balanced.

Benefits

Strengthens the back side of the body Improves balance and posture Enhances concentration and calmness Helps kids take safe risks

Kids are encouraged to do what feels right rather than to be perfect (self-awareness)