- Article has a Yoga Lesson Plan for children.
The following simple home exercises will help awaken the young subconscious and bring forth the hidden knowledge contained therein. These exercises encourage proper methods of eating, exercising, breathing, and thinking. Good habits formed early in life have a lasting, beneficial effect on the child's life. Parents can join class too.
Preparation
Just like any other type of physical exercise, proper preparation is the key to a safe and comfortable workout. Ensure that your child or the children you're teaching are ready for class by asking them to use the bathroom. Ask for children to wear comfortable clothes that they can move around in and avoid hanging jewelry. Each child should have a water bottle and mat. I recommend having students set up for this class by sitting in a circle. Explain that many yoga poses are inspired by animals and that we can embrace these qualities as we move into the poses.
-Child’s Pose or “snail” - Discuss how snails are very small and still.
-Cobra pose - Inhale to rise, “hiss” as you lower back to the ground.
-Cat/ Cow - “moo” on cow, “hiss” in cat.
Lesson
I - 2 to 6 weeks practice, or more
Recite Aum three times and Gayatri Mantra or Sivananda Yoga Opening Chants.
Physical
Exercises
Soorya Namaskar
(sun salutations) three times; relax in Savasana.
Sarvangasan (shoulderstand),
two minutes; relax in Savasana.
Paschimothan Asana
(head-knee pose), three times; relax on abdomen in Crocodile pose.
Bhujangasan (cobra
pose), three times;
Childs Pose;
Cat-Cow, three
times.
Breathing
Exercises
Abdominal deep breathing, five to ten minutes.
Guided
Relaxation
With all students relaxing in Savasana with eyes closed, read the following meditation:
“Imagine that you are your favorite animal settling in for a long night’s sleep. Think about where you might be sleeping. Spend a few minutes in this place feeling totally safe and calm."
Kids stretch and sit
up slowly.
Recite Aum three
times and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra once to end class.
Lesson
II - 2 to 6 months practice, or more
Recite Aum three
times and Gayatri Mantra or Sivananda Yoga Opening Chants.
Physical
Exercises
Soorya Namaskar (sun exercises), six times; relax in Savasana.
Sarvangasan
(shoulderstand), three minutes; relax in Savasana.
Paschimothan Asana
(head-knee pose), three times; relax on abdomen in Crocodile pose.
Bhujangasan (cobra
pose), three times; relax in Crocodile pose.
Dhanurasan (bow
pose), three times;
Cat-Cow, three
times;
Childs pose;
Padmasan (lotus
pose), two minutes.
Breathing
Exercises
Abdominal deep
breathing, five to ten minutes.
Guided
Relaxation
Same as Lesson I.
Recite Aum three
times and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra or Sivananda Yoga Closing Chants to end class.
Lesson
III - 1 to 2 years practice, or more
Recite Aum three times and Gayatri Mantra or Sivananda Yoga Opening Chants.
Physical
Exercises
Soorya Namaskar
(sun exercises), six times; relax in Savasana.
Sirshasan (head-stand), two minutes; relax in child’s pose a few breaths, then relax in Savasasana.
Sarvangasan (shoulderstand), three minutes; relax in Savasana.
Chakrasan (wheel
pose), two times, relax in Savasana.
Paschimothan Asana
(head-knee pose), three times; relax on abdomen in Crocodile pose.
Bhujangasan (cobra
pose), three times; relax in Crocodile pose.
Dhanurasan (bow
pose), three times; relax in Crocodile pose.
Cat-Cow- three
times;
Childs pose;
Padmasan (lotus
pose), two minutes.
Ardha Matsendrasan
(spinal twist), half spiral, three times.
Pada Hasthasan
(foot-hand catch pose), Variations three times each;
Trikonasan
(triangle pose), three times each side.
Breathing
Exercises
Abdominal deep
breathing, five to ten minutes.
Kapala Bhathi
(diaphragmatic breathing exercise), three rounds;
Anuloma Viloma (alternate
nostril breathing), ten rounds.
Guided Relaxation
Same as Lesson 1.
Recite Aum three
times and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra or Sivananda Yoga Closing Chants to end class.
Author is a Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher RYT-500, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre Yoga Acharya.
To read all articles by author