Happy Holidays! Take your kids on A Yoga Storytelling Adventure with this winter wonderland sequence and celebrate the solstice, and yuletide!
We encourage you to take time this winter break to
practice yoga with your child. Beginning or renewing a practice will help them
to develop healthy habits for overall well-being; physical, mental, and
emotional health.
The constant demand of schoolwork, relationships, and
responsibilities can overwhelm and exhaust kids. Yoga can help relieve stress
and help kids find their inner calm.
In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a part of
kids’ lives. Stress is the body’s natural response to demands or threats. When
we encounter a stressful situation our sympathetic nervous system kicks into
high gear and releases hormones that tell the body to fight, freeze, or flee.
Stress can lead to headaches, digestive issues, a weak
immune system and can even cause anxiety as well as sleep disturbances in
children. Yoga is a powerful tool for managing stress, it restores balance to
the nervous system relieving physical symptoms and the underlying mental and
emotional causes.
Over time, kids learn how to respond rather than react
when faced with challenges. Yoga gives kids an opportunity for self-reflection
and self-regulation while fostering self-care.
Even a simple practice offers significant benefits. Slow
mindful movements and awareness of the breath release tension in both body and
mind. Add in a bit of imaginative play and kids will find stress melt away!
Enjoy this short Winter
Wonderland story and yoga sequence. Hold each pose for a couple of
breaths. Move slowly into and out of the poses and remember to do asymmetrical
poses on both sides!
1. Winter Wonderland Circles – Seated Hip Circles
I sit at the window, it’s my favorite time
of the year. I watch and I wait, soon a winter wonderland will appear!
Sit tall in Easy pose with legs crossed. Place hands on knees.
Circle the upper body in one direction for a few breaths and then reverse the circle.
Benefit - promotes mobility and flexibility to the spine
and hips.
2. Falling Snowflakes – Standing Side Stretch
Big, fat flakes are falling. From the sky
they come down. They land on the earth and cover the ground.
From Mountain pose slowly inhale and lift one arm up then exhale as you
reach over for a gentle side stretch. Pause and feel the stretch. Switch arms
and repeat the stretch on the opposite side. Inhale as you lift your arm,
exhale as you bend. Mindfully move from side to side a few times. Notice the
strength of our arms and legs. Wiggle
your fingers!
Benefit – stretches the shoulders and arms, increases spinal mobility and
improves breathing capacity
3. Snowy Tree – Tree Pose
Snow settles on the big, old fir tree. The
branches are drooping, how heavy they must be.
From Mountain pose come onto the toes of one foot. Turn the knee out to
the side and rest the toes on the ground or place the sole of the foot on the
lower leg. Bring your hands together at your heart and slowly reach your arms
overhead. Balance and breathe. Release the pose and repeat with the opposite
foot.
Benefit
– improves balance, and develops a strong core
4. Sledding – bow pose
Now everything is covered in glistening white.
I think I’ll go sledding. Yes, I just might.
Lie on your belly and bend your knees, then reach back
and grasp your ankles. Inhale and lift the head, chest, and knees. Exhale in
the pose and take another breath in and out. Release the pose.
Benefit - tones the back and strengthens abdominal muscles
5. Downhill skier – chair pose
Mom likes to ski downhill. I haven’t tried it
yet. Perhaps, this year I will.
Stand tall in Mountain pose, inhale and lift the arms up
in front of the body, then exhale and bend the knees as you are sitting back in
a chair. Hold the pose for a breath or two. Release.
Benefits – strengthens legs, upper back, lower back, and shoulders
6. Snowboarder – Warrior II
Dad loves to snowboard. It looks like so
much fun. When he comes to what he calls the finish line he always hollers, “Scored!”
From Mountain pose step back with the right foot. Turn
the foot out and the torso to the side. Inhale and lift the arms to shoulder
height, exhale and bend the left knee as you look out over the left fingertips.
Release and step back into Mountain pose before repeating Warrior II on the
opposite side.
Benefits – strengthens the legs and opens the chest.
7. Ice Skater – Warrior III
The neighborhood kids gather at the
ice-skating rink. I’m not sure I would like it, what if the ice breaks? I’d
sink.
From Mountain pose reach
forward and lift one leg behind you. Arms can be stretched out in front of you
or opened out into a big T. Gently release and repeat on the opposite side.
Benefits – creates body
stability, strengthens feet and ankles, improves balance
8. Snow angels – Savasana
When all is said and done, I think snow
angels are the best. Come and join me, please be my guest!
Lie on your back. Sweep the arms and legs out to the side
creating a snow angel. Then bring the arms and legs into stillness and rest for
a breath or two.
Benefits – Savasana resets the nervous system
Take a look at some of the adventures we've had in the last couple of months. As always we are grateful for your support!
