Yoga for Kids by Ms. Rose
As a mother of an pre-schooler that needs A LOT of physical activity, yoga is my go to on those stay indoor type of days. I have learned that if my daughter doesn’t get enough movement during the day then it will take her hours longer to fall asleep at night and you can kiss that nap goodbye no matter how tired she is and how much she’s yawning. There were certain parts of April (all of it) where it felt like it rained EVERY SINGLE DAY and when summer finally gets here there will be days where it is just too hot to play outside.
Fortunately for me, my daughter’s amazing pre-school teachers have instilled a love of yoga in my daughter. Check out some of our favorite yoga videos from YouTube and Hoopla.
Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube. There are an infinite number of yoga stories based on favorite books, movies and more for every age. The videos range in length from 5 minute Super Yoga’s (no story; more like a video game) to hour long Saturday morning specials that include multiple stories and meditations. My daughter’s favorites are all the Super Yogas, Ruby Broom and Pokemon.
Storyland Yoga on Hoopla. There are two episodes about 20-25 minutes long. This is very similar to Cosmic Kids in that a lot of the focus is the story. The stories have a conservation theme and skew a little bit younger. My daughter says that the Save the Whale episode is a lot better then the Condor Trek.
Gaiam: Yoga for Kids Dino-Mite Adventure and Outer Space Blast Off on Hoopla. Each set consists of four episodes that average 15 minutes. These felt more like a traditional yoga class and skew a little older; there isn’t a real story to all of them. The theme just provides a framework. My daughter always requests Dino-Mite Yoga.
Zoo Zen A Yoga Story for Kids on Hoopla. The first 10 minutes of this movie is the story from the book Zoo Zen; the last 10 minutes of the movie is Lyla’s zoo flow yoga routine. My daughter always does the yoga poses during the story but when it’s time to do the flow routine gets bored, but sometimes I need a more traditional yoga routine to keep myself happy.
Backyard Games with Ms. Cheryl
With the weather getting warm, it’s time for my family and I to get moving outdoors. Some fun outdoor games that we like to play include bowling, croquet, potato sack races, and bocce ball.
If you want to make your own bowling game, all you need is a yoga mat, 3 pool noodles, (2 pool noodles will be used for the bumpers, and 1 pool noodle will be used for the back of the bowling game), a scissor, toothpicks, 10 empty soda bottles filled halfway with beans or sand – make sure the caps are on the soda bottles, and a beach ball. Cut the pool noodles to fit the mat and use toothpicks to attach the pool noodles together. Then arrange the bowling pins on the yoga mat and have fun bowling!
Croquet is fun game to play with your family. All you have to do is hit the ball through the hoops using a wooden mallet. If you don’t have a croquet at home try making one with this video by babble.
Another fun activity for your family are potato sack races. All you need for this laugh out loud activity are some potato sacks or old pillow cases. Each person gets inside the potato sack/pillow case and holds it up with their hands. The first person to hop their way back to the finish line wins.
Finally, try a game of bocce Ball! All you need are a few balls that are the same size and a smaller ball. Each player takes turns trying to get their ball closest to the little ball while knocking out their opponents ball. The player who gets their ball closest to the little ball wins!
Working out with Ms. Charlotte
Working out will keep you in good physical shape and improve your mood. I start off my day with a weight training class, a HIIT, Barre, or other type of class to stay happy and healthy. There are so many different types of physical activity that you can incorporate into your daily life. Walking, yoga, running, and dancing are just a few. It may seem hard to find ways to work out at home, but there are plenty of online resources to help keep you active.
Here are some video links to get you started or for you to keep up with your routine:
For 26 days, track your progress and aim for 1 mile per day.
New content every week for elementary, middle school, and high school students.
Hip Hop Public Health has put together a collection of free, fun, instructional videos for hip-hop dance. Click on the resources page and then filter by age and videos.
Workout from Home: Options for People with Disability and Chronic Health Conditions
The National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability has curated a playlist of exercise from home videos for kids and adults. It has 32 options for all abilities.
Yoga Foster offers Yoga videos in English and Spanish along with journaling activities!
PowerUp Fitness at Home offers workout videos that can be done in small spaces and don’t require any equipment.
If you’re in need of a more quiet option, try downloading a fitness e-book from Hoopla using your library card. Hoopla offers e-books with how-to tutorials on all different types of physical activities for all different levels!
