Teach Your Child Yoga: 4 Reasons to Practice Yoga With Your Kids by Melissa Hurt

If you’re a parent of an active child and want to practice yoga, don’t think it’s impossible with your child near you. Here are four benefits to practicing yoga with your child:

1. You model how you take care of yourself.
2. You increase your focus on mindfulness to commit to your alignment and breath when your child talks to you (or climbs on you). Stay safe. Don't allow climbing while balancing or on unstable knees.
3. You can teach favorite poses and do them together.
4. You can involve your child if you practice with an online streaming service and ask him or her to see if you look like the pose on the screen. Your child learns how to pay attention and discern the shapes of the body and how it moves.

I have been practicing with my 5-year-old since she was a baby. She knows how to initiate deep breathing when she needs to calm down. Over time, I became able to take her to yoga class and set up her mat with coloring books and crayons. She goes between doing yoga, laying on me and coloring. She knows studio etiquette (leave the others alone, no talking) and understands self-care. The “snuggle Savasana” pose is the best!

Try it! Please comment below on how it works for you.

Savasana, or corpse/dead body, yoga pose

The content on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information on this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal healthcare provider. The opinions or views expressed on 30Seconds.com do not necessarily represent those of 30Seconds or any of its employees, corporate partners or affiliates.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get inspiration in your newsfeed daily. Inspire and be inspired.