Yoga Storytime for Toddlers

I know what many of you are thinking… yoga AND toddlers?!?!?!  We’ve done one yoga storytime last year and it was so popular, we’re bringing it back again!  A few housekeeping things before I explain what we do: I am not a yoga instructor, but I’ve done some yoga in my past and we use only very basic poses so as not to get hurt.  We use a large meeting room and encourage parents to participate as well as the children.  We do not require anyone to bring a mat, everyone takes off their shoes and we combine books and yoga.  And the most important thing is to remember to have fun!

Here’s what we did for our first yoga story time:

• Warm-up (Included: Egg Roll on Spine, Raise Shoulders with deep breaths, Cat Pose, Cow Pose, Downward Facing Dog)
• BOOK: What Shall We Do With the Boo-Hoo Baby? – Cressida Cowell
• Sun Salutations (at least 2-3 times)
• BOOK: How to Catch a Star – Oliver Jeffers
• Focus: Balance (poses included: Mountain, Star, Shifting weight in Star Pose, Falling Star, and Tree Pose)
• BOOK: A Girl and Her Gator Sean Bryan
• Relaxation (poses included: Alligator, Bridge, Happy Baby, Star Pose – laying down with deep breaths)

Some great resources that I found are:

• Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Helen Garabedian (This book offers quick routines that are perfect for young children.)
• Storytime Yoga: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story by, Sydney Solis (This book has some great stories to share that are paired with yoga poses throughout the story.  This book works much better for older children in elementary school.)
• Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises and Meditation for Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children by Lisa Flynn (This has become an invaluable resource for my storytimes!  This is a must read!)
• Yoga for Toddlers DVD from the website http://www.namastekid.com/  (I can’t say enough about this DVD – the poses are clearly shown with 10 different sequences that work well for toddlers, but also older children as well!  This is a must-have for planning yoga storytime.)