Yoga for Kids: Flower Poses
We’ve been having so much fun this Spring exploring Botany for Kids, that it seemed only fitting to learn some kid-friendly flower yoga poses.
It is important when practicing yoga with kids to discuss safety and encourage them to listen to their body. If something hurts, stop doing it. Encourage children to relax, stay on their mat, and use their imaginations when trying new positions.
Lotus Pose
First up is Lotus Pose.
This is the stereotypical yoga pose — Ella calls it “Rafiki” because the baboon from the Lion King is shown doing Lotus Pose in the movie! (Hence her hilarious facial expression in this picture!)
Lotus Pose for kids can simply be sitting criss-cross applesauce and placing their hands on their knees or in their favourite mudra (hand position). The mudra most often associated with Lotus Pose is Wisdom Mudra, made by touching the pointer finger to the thumb and fanning out the remaining fingers in an upside down okay-sign.
If your child is interested in trying a full Lotus Pose, watch this video for instructions on how to get into position safely without twisting your knee joints (more of an issue for us less limber adults).
Flower Pose
Start in Butterfly Pose, or Cobbler’s Pose, with your feet together in front of you, back straight, and hands relaxed.
Inhale and lift your legs using your stomach muscles, but expect children to also use their hands to try and help their feet get up in the air.
Encourage children to place their arms under their legs and pretend they are a flower opening up to the morning sun. Balance and keeping their backs straight will be challenges, but safe ones.
Flower Pose looks and feels very similar to boat pose, the major difference being in the arm placement.
Lotus Mudra
Lotus Mudra is a hand position that can be done while sitting or standing up. Do what your body is telling you to do.
Start by placing your hands together, palms touching and aligning all of your fingers so that they are touching. Envision that your hands form a closed lotus flower.
Keeping your wrists touching, thumbs touching each other, and your pinky fingers touching each other, spread your remaining fingers and open your palms to resemble an open flower.
You can keep your Lotus Mudra at the same height as your heart, or extend it towards the sun. Envision that your open Lotus Mudra is absorbing the sun’s rays, and imagine the heat and light of the sun is being channeled through your Lotus Mudra into the rest of your body.
Slowly close your hands when you feel that you are done.
We used our Kids’ Yoga Mat for this kids’ yoga session, and we love using yoga flash cards to facilitate independence in our yoga practice.
Have you ever practiced yoga with your kids?
Be sure to check out our Kids’ Yoga & Gross Motor Activities Page – or jump straight to two of our favorites, Car Yoga for Kids or Space Yoga for Kids.
My kids LOVE yoga! We haven’t done it regularly since we moved but I’d definitely like to get back to our daily practice.
It’s so hard readjusting from any move, let alone a cross-country move. You’ll get back to a new normal soon 🙂
This is so neat! My kids love yoga- thanks for sharing at Tuesday Talk!
Oh that’s so wonderful to hear! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Cool ideas! 🙂 Kids certainly need to learn to slow down and become aware of their surrounding and their own bodies.
I so agree. Bonus: Mom gets yoga time, too!
nice blog thanks for the information