Winter Yoga

January 14, 2015 in Free Resources 0

Are you looking for easy yoga poses for kids?

One of the challenges readers have shared over the years is how to add yoga into their curriculum, classes, or home life with ease and simplicity. There are tons of ways to integrate yoga, but teachers and parents with limited time are finding it difficult to focus on quick ideas.

That’s why I’m excited to partner with Spanish Playground on a new monthly theme project that will focus on a single breathing technique, yoga pose, and yoga book. It will also include a 3-pose flow sequence, a Spanish-integration idea, and links to other theme resources. This way, I hope it will give you one thing to focus on each month and make it easier to bring the benefits of yoga to your children.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

December’s Theme: Winter

Our third theme is “winter.” This is a perfect opportunity to bring the fun of winter activities indoors, where it’s warm. Also, yoga for kids is another great way to get active indoors during the cold winter months.

After years living in San Francisco and Sydney, we are slowly adjusting to our new life here in New England with its four distinct seasons. Our daughter was used to playing outside all-year round in San Francisco, and she has been learning about snow and cold weather here in Boston. We have found some great winter-themed books in the library, and she’s getting into the local winter activities like sledding and skating.

My daughter on her first time ice skating.

Learning about winter can come from discussions, reading books, doing related kids’ activities, art projects, and science experiments. It can also come from doing breathing techniques and practicing yoga poses.

Winter Yoga Practices

The “WINTER” FOCUS BREATH is power breath.

Choose a standing or comfortable upright position (such as sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged, or sitting on your heels). Take a deep breath in through your nostrils for three counts while raising both of your arms straight up above your head. Then exhale vigorously through your mouth and say, “Ha!” At the same time, take your clenched fists quickly to your chest. You could also practice this technique doing one arm at a time. Think of taking the power of the winter sun into your body through your chest. Repeat this breathing technique a few times to bring warmth to your body.

Find this Power Breath technique in the Yoga4Classrooms Card Pack.

The “WINTER” FOCUS YOGA POSE is Warrior 2 Pose.

From standing position, step one foot back, placing the foot so that it is facing slightly outwards. Take your arms up, parallel to the ground, in the same direction as your legs. Roll your shoulders back, open your chest, bend your front knee (so that your knee is over your ankle), and look forward. Pretend that you are a snowboarder cruising over the powdery snow.

My niece in Warrior 2 Pose

The “WINTER” YOGA POSE FLOW is Warrior 2 Pose, Warrior 3 Pose, and Downhill Skier Pose.

Warrior 2 Pose (Snowboarder): From standing position, step one foot back, placing the foot so that it is facing slightly outwards. Take your arms up until they are parallel to the ground, bend your front knee, and look forward. Pretend that you are a snowboarder cruising down the mountain.
Warrior 3 Pose (Ice Skater): Stand on one leg. Extend the other leg behind you, flexing your foot. Bend your torso forward and take your arms out back alongside your body to pretend that you are gliding on the ice like a skater.
Downhill Skier Pose (Downhill Skier): Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart and then bend your knees. Rest your elbows slightly above your knees, clasp your hands together, keep a straight spine, and look forward, pretending you are skiing down the mountain.

You can flow gently over and over through the three poses. Talk to your children about various winter activities and ways to stay warm over the winter months.

The “WINTER” FOCUS YOGA BOOK is Jenny’s Winter Walk.

Experience the benefits of yoga with your children or students by acting out what you see and hear in winter with this interactive yoga book. Join Jenny as she meets various animals on a winter walk with her mom. Be a squirrel, a fox, and a bunny. Discover winter, explore movement, and learn the five senses.

Images from Jenny’s Winter Walk, our winter yoga book

DOWNLOAD MONTHLY KIDS YOGA THEMES EBOOK

Quick and easy monthly kids yoga ideas!

To spark your imagination, each monthly theme includes one breathing technique, one focus yoga pose, a three-pose flow sequence, and one focus yoga book. This 55-page eBook is for teachers, parents, kids yoga teachers, caregivers, and health practitioners looking for simple, convenient ways to add yoga into your curriculum, classes, or home life. Age group: Toddlers to Early Primary, ages 3 to 8.

“Great resource for children’s yoga teachers, preschool teachers, classroom teachers, and parents.” – Anita

Purchase your Monthly Kids Yoga Themes 55-page eBook here

Download a 5-Pose Winter Sports Yoga Poster

DOWNLOAD YOGA POSTER HERE >>

DOWNLOAD POSTER HERE >>

Spanish and Yoga Winter Activities

Check out these links below for easy Spanish-easy yoga ideas for your studies of winter:

Winter Activities Yoga	Winter Olympics Yoga
Arctic Animals Yoga	Spanish Winter Words

Other Easy Spanish-Easy Yoga Themes

November: Gratitude Yoga
December: Kindness Yoga

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How did you go with your Winter Yoga theme? For more yoga tips and kids yoga resources, sign up for our weekly Kids Yoga Stories newsletter by adding your email address to the box at the top of the page.