Learning and Teaching Yoga

What You Need:

• Yoga Poses worksheet
• Crayons

What You Do:

1. Ask your child if they have ever heard of yoga. Do they know what it means? Do they know about any of its benefits, or how it may help us?
2. Explain to your child that yoga means "union" or "connection."
3. Take out both hands, with your fingers spread wide and facing each other. Ask your child to do the same.
4. Say each of the following phrases, pausing after each one for your child to repeat after you:
   1. "Yoga means..."
   2. "Mind," (Move your hands closer together as you say this.)
   3. "Body," (Move your hands closer together.)
   4. "Breath," (Move your hands closer together.)
   5. Then, join your hands together and say, "Union." (Pause again for your child to repeat.)
5. Do this exercise again, bringing your hands together and having your child repeat each phrase after you.
6. Show your child the Yoga Poses worksheet, which has ten yoga poses. Explain to them that they will practice the poses, then teach them to someone else.
7. Guide your child through each of the yoga poses, and pause for them to take 3–4 breaths in each pose.
8. Afterwards, ask them how they feel. What do they notice after the yoga poses? Do they feel more calm?
9. Ask your child what they think some of the benefits of yoga are. Tell them that yoga gives us calmness, clarity, and helps us focus.
10. Ask your child to now share the benefits of yoga with a family member, and to guide the family member through the poses they have learned. (They can guide you through the poses if there is no one else available.)