5 Easy, Effective Yoga Poses To Teach Your Little One

Looking for a new way to bond with your little one while getting some positive energy flowing?

Yoga might be the perfect activity to introduce.

The ancient wellness practice has countless physical, mental and spiritual benefits—at any age!—but introducing your child to mindfulness early creates a solid foundation for health and wellness as they grow. Kids yoga can help your little one build strength and coordination, promote relaxation and enhance focus. Bonus: It can also lead to deeper, more peaceful sleep (and we know just the PJs!)

But knowing how to get started can be tricky, and we know safety is also a concern. So, we rounded up five kids yoga poses to try, along with easy-to-follow steps from a registered yoga teacher.

Start With Butterfly Pose

Photography: Angelli Nguyen

Butterfly pose is a calming posture that strengthens the inner thighs, opens the chest, and stretches the hip flexors! To help your little one safely perform this kids yoga pose, follow these cues:

1. Help them sit on their yoga mat with the soles of their feet together in front of them, knees pointing outward.
2. Next, have them place their hands on the mat under their knees as they hinge forward.
3. Encourage them to hold the pose for 30 seconds, while focusing on taking deep breaths! If they need to "keep it moving" (...we get it), have them gently move their knees up and down. They'll love flapping their butterfly wings!

*This pose is simple enough for baby yoga.

Stretch Out & Calm Down With a Seated Forward Fold

Photography: Angelli Nguyen

We love seated forward fold because it creates space in the spine, calms the nervous system, and reduces stress. Says dancer and performer Allie Fogel, "To me, this pose invokes a feeling of grounding, introspection and relaxation. When doing forward folds, I like to imagine that all my stress and worries are escaping my body and pouring out through the very top of my head." It's an easy pose kids can do safely that doesn't require any experience with yoga! Here's how to practice:

1. Have your child sit on their mat with their legs outstretched comfortably and their hands on the floor at their sides. (For the older kiddos, "Make your body into a Right Angle" is an illustrative cue that reinforces their math skills!).
2. From there, encourage them to reach their arms up high, and then hinge forward, gently, from the hips.
3. Once they've come as far forward as is comfortable, have them rest their hands on their legs or feet. They can round from the mid-spine up, letting their head hang heavy.
4. Ask your child to close their eyes for a few breaths.

*This pose is simple enough for baby yoga.

Ignite Their Back With Cobra Pose

Photography: Angelli Nguyen

Cobra pose will help strengthen your child's spine, improve their posture and enhance their sense of balance! It also stimulates the internal organs and stretches the chest, shoulders, and belly. Pretty amazing, right? To safely practice cobra, follow these steps:

1. Have your little one start by laying down on their yoga mat, facing down, with palms below shoulders.
2. With toes pointed, they can begin to press their hands against the floor to gently arch their back, lifting their chest off the floor.
3. Encourage them to hold this pose for 30 seconds, or for as long as is comfortable, before lowering back down to rest. Deep breaths, always. "To add a little extra fun, encourage your child to imagine themselves as a snake," shares Fogel. "You can even encourage them to hiss like a cobra while practicing this pose."

Get Strong With Warrior Two Pose

Photography: Angelli Nguyen

Warrior Two pose is one of the most effective yoga poses to teach your child mindfulness! It works to strengthen their lower body, improve balance and focus, calm the mind, and release tension. It's a little more challenging than the other kids yoga poses mentioned, so be sure to follow these cues closely:

1. Encourage your little one to start in a standing position, with their feet together.
2. Have them take one big step back, bending the front leg so that it forms a 90-degree angle. The front knee should stack directly over the ankle. The back foot should be parallel to the short edge of the mat, while the front foot should be pointing forward. Take a moment to check their alignment.
3. Once legs are in position, have them extend their arms out parallel to the ground and turn their head towards their front hand.
4. Voila! They can stay in this pose for 5-10 breaths. "For an extra element of mindfulness, ask your kids, 'what makes you powerful?'" shares Fogel. "You can even encourage them to make up their own warrior chant."

These five easy and effective kids yoga poses are a great way to introduce mindfulness to your child. And what better way to encourage your little yogi than with some adorable new clothes to practice in? Our Zen Zoo print features koalas, bunnies, bears, and more. All your favorite sizes and styles will be available for those sweet family matching moments—on your yoga mats and beyond.