‘Enlightening Conversations’ - Kids Yoga
COVID-19 hasn’t just been stressful for parents, but also for our kids. With the prospect of up to 6months of home schooling, my girls are already starting to stress and worry about having me as their substitute teacher. I am too. I spoke to Sophie Miller (primary school teacher and kids yoga instructor extraordinaire) from Mindful Me Yoga about tips and practical advice for keeping our kids happy and calm during this unprecedented times.
Homeschooling, stressed parents, not seeing their friends or doing extracurricular activities, and having to stay home. It’s no wonder our kids are becoming anxious and stressed. Do you have three morning tips to help kids start the day stress free?
Move! - Whole family dance-off, a yoga flow sequence or sun salutations such as the ‘Yogi Pokey’ – Quick, fun and uplifting!
Practise Gratitude - Practising gratitude is proven to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. You could do this as a family around the breakfast table - What’s one thing you are grateful for? or you can take the Mindful Me 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge on my Instagram page (@mindfulmeyoga)
Breathing exercises - eg ‘Finger Breathing’ - Breathe in as you trace up one finger and breathe out as you trace down. Trace all ten fingers.
Another good one is the ‘Square Breath’ - breathe in for 4 counts, hold breath for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts and hold breath for 4 counts.
To make these part of your morning routine you can do them as a family around the breakfast table or after you brush your teeth looking in the mirror.
A sugar- free breakfast with calming warm foods like porridge with banana, chia seeds and peanut butter - yum!
Do you know of any online resources which parents can use to keep the kids active with yoga practices during isolation?
Cosmic Kids Yoga is a bit of fun – you can find this on YouTube
Karma Kids Yoga, New York has some great online resources.
I am in the process of putting together 1/2 hour online classes come May for Children aged 3-12 years. Parents can follow my Facebook page (Mindful Me Yoga) or Instagram page (@mindfulmeyoga) for updates and links.
Pinterest has some wonderful printable resources and activities. Type in ’Yoga for Kids’.
Sit still like a frog by Eline Snel and the Smiling Mind and Headspace apps have fantastic meditations for adults and children.
What are your top 3 activities you recommend for kids to do at home as a break from the school work?
Children need to move regularly to maintain concentration and regulate their bodies and minds.
Yoga provides kids with a short break from school work whilst not loosing them completely!
A yoga game provides kids with all the benefits of yoga in a fun and interactive way. Games like:
Simon Says with yoga poses
Musical Freeze with yoga poses
Making their own yoga sequence to teach to the family.
Yoga Olympics with different stations
For more yoga game ideas see my Facebook and Instagram pages.
Get outside to stretch their legs - go for a nature walk or play in the garden. A nature treasure hunt is such fun - e.g. Can you find a stick as long as your foot? A yellow flower? A bug? - This activity encourages mindfulness and an appreciation for the natural world around them.
Bake wholesome treats - The Wholesome Child, One-Handed Cook and Wholesomely Hungry are some Instagram accounts I follow that share tasty, kid-friendly, healthy treats. In my kids yoga classes we place a large emphasis on caring for our bodies and discuss how good nutrition is so important.
Bedtime is another anxiety trigger for our girls. Winding down after the day is always difficult and our three seem to get a ‘second wind’ 5 minutes before bed time. Do you have any tips to help calm the kids before bed?
Belly breathing – Children place a soft toy or comforter on their stomachs and take big belly breathes which expand the stomach not the chest. Children enjoy seeing their toys rise and fall with their breath. Belly breathing encourages relaxation and mindfulness.
Lying in bed, children can do a ‘Body Scan’ meditation. Starting at their toes, they move their attention up the body to focus on each body part. Children can tell each body part to ‘relax’ or say ‘goodnight’ to each body part. For younger children it’s best if parents lead the meditation.
A discussion with your child about things they look forward to doing the next day can also put them to sleep with a smile on their faces.
Lastly, how are you and your family coping with isolation?
We are going for plenty of walks around our farm, my daughter climbs trees and explores the gardens and bush. We’ve been having many picnics in the Autumn sun where my 3 month old gets a hit of Vitamin D and some nappy-free time! My toddler and I have been doing some baking, painting, playdough and reading.
I have been practising yoga regularly and am also doing postnatal pilates online with Soph Carroll and Fluid-form Pilates.
Thank you Sophie x