5 Yoga Poses To Do With Kids

One of the greatest benefits to working out at home is setting a positive example for my kids. I love that they're watching me live this healthy LIFEstyle, and I hope they grow to care, nourish and appreciate their own bodies.

I don't always love it when they're rolling balls and trucks across my feet while I'm working out (and that's exactly why I try to wake up super early and exercise before they're awake for the day), but we do enjoy practicing yoga together - especially on the weekends.

There's a wonderful (and free!) kids yoga program on YouTube called Cosmic Kids Yoga that Tory, Aden and I like to do together. The instructor uses imaginative stories to get kids doing yoga without even realizing it. They love it!

Here's a few other simple yoga poses to do with the kids in your life:

Invisible Chair
Instruct chair pose by saying something like, "Pretend to sit down in an imaginary chair." Then, reach the arms up overhead and SMILE big!

Happy Baby
Get down on the floor with your kids and have everyone (yourself included!) lay on their back. Instruct kids to bend their knees and hold onto their feet with their hands, with the bottoms of their feet facing the sky. This pose is especially wonderful at the end of the day or after a long car ride because it opens up the hips and feels awesome after sitting. Oh, and it pretty much guarantees a breakout of giggles. This pose just feels good.

Downward Dog
Even the youngest of kids can participate in yoga by practicing downward dog. Place both feet and hands on the ground and point your tush toward the sky. Encourage kids to keep their arms close to their ears and to straighten their back and legs.

Cat / Cow
This is an awesome stretch for the spine and feels good for kids and adults alike. Have kids get on their hands and knees. For cow pose, drop the belly and lift the chin. For cat, bring the chin to the chest and lift your upper back to the ceiling. Move between cat and cow poses. You can even make "moo" or "meow" noises while you do these stretches for extra fun.

Table Top
This move might be a little challenging for kids under the age of three, but that doesn't mean you can't try! Have kids place their hands and feet on the floor, then lift up their tummy toward the sky. The goal is to make yourself into the shape of a table - just like the one you sit at for breakfast!

Give these poses a try and let me know what you think!