Yoga Poses & Toddlers

Adults frequently practice yoga to increase physical strength, balance and flexibility. The age-old practice is also known for its calming and stress-reducing effects. Toddlers can also enjoy yoga as an opportunity to play, move around and engage their imaginations. Though there are some yoga studios where you and your toddler could take a class together, you may also practice yoga poses with your toddler at home.

  1. Poses for Playful Movement

    • In happy baby pose, ask your toddler to lie on her back and bend her knees. Help her grab her feet with her hands, and show her how to gently rock from side to side. For Warrior III pose, your toddler will stand on her yoga mat and raise both arms, leaning slightly forward with her torso. If she’s able, she might slowly raise one leg behind her. Upward-facing dog can help your toddler stretch her back, shoulders and chest. Ask her to lie down on her belly, with her palms pressing into the floor beneath her shoulders. As she breathes in, have her straighten her arms and lift her chest.

    Breathing and Meditation

    • Though yoga poses involve elements of breathing, meditation and body awareness, you won’t need to discuss these deeply with your toddler. Simply talking about breath or what happens inside the body can turn yoga poses into a learning experience, suggests an article on the PBS Parents website. For example, in easy pose you and your toddler can sit cross-legged. Then say, “Breathe in through your nose. Now breathe out through your nose. We’re getting our minds and our bodies ready for meditation.” In child’s pose, your toddler will kneel on the floor with her belly resting on her legs and her forehead facing down. You can say, “This pose is good for our bellies.” In the final resting pose, you can encourage your toddler to relax and breathe quietly while lying down with her eyes closed. Then ask her, “How do you feel?”

    Partner Poses for Toddlers

    • Part of the fun in toddler yoga is performing certain poses with your youngster. In boat pose, sit facing each other with your feet pressing together. Hold hands and lean forward as your toddler leans back and then switch. If you want, sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” as you gently continue the movements. You can also practice a spinal twist by sitting back-to-back and interlinking you elbows. Then, slowly twist from side to side.

    Poses with Patience

    • When practicing yoga poses with your toddler, be patient about the number of poses she can do. You might only get through four or five poses before her attention begins to wane, but that’s fine. Keep things positive and engaging by linking poses together in an understandable narrative. For example, pretend with your child that you are going on an imaginary adventure to a barn and perform poses related to the animals there, such as a cow, cat, rabbit or frog. Choose poses related to your toddler’s interests. If she loves sharks, then you can change “dolphin pose” to “shark pose.”