December

Dear Families,

This month we are focusing on a few yoga poses for you to try with your child. Most of your children already know some yoga poses that they have done in school.

When doing each yoga pose, maintain the position while counting to 5 and work up to counting to 10.

If your child can’t fully get into the pose, that is okay. Start where they are and hopefully over time, your child may be able to do more.

You can find other yoga poses on line or in a bookstore. Cory and Ellen

Explanation quotes for each pose came from the book entitled the ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power

1). Bridge

"Lying on my back, and bending my knees,

I lift my hips high, forming a bridge, and then I just breathe.

Then with my arms underneath me straight along the floor,

I press into my shoulders and raise my body a little bit more."

To make this position into a game, try driving a toy car under the bridge

You can also use a stuffed animal or other object

Make a game of counting how long they can hold the bridge

2). Cat

"My hands and knees on the floor, I become a cat.

Stretching one leg to form a tail, I say, "meow," just like that!"

Practice extending each leg

Allow your child to crawl around on hands and knees and be a cat

Ask them to round their back like a scared cat

Have them lift a front paw for a high five or to "ring a doorbell"

3). Dog

"I am a dog stretching from a nap on my hands and knees, I begin to yap.

Straightening my legs and lifting my hips, I spread each and every one of my fingertips.

Looking down, I can see me toes, and I focus on breathing in and out of my nose".

Have your child play with moving his/her feet closer or farther from hands
Have them wag their tail
Try lifting up a foot