Yoga for Tots!

Yoga is a combination of exercise and meditation that brings together peace of mind, spirit, and body. It aims to harness our inner energy in order to attain balance between the mind and body. Although they seem simple, these exercises have a great impact on our daily lives. Yoga can assist in achieving a more content life and brings harmony to all of our vital organs. Yoga is becoming increasingly popular in schools and in after-school activities.

Yoga is beneficial to toddlers in many ways. It promotes:
Yoga
  • physical and emotional development
  • confidence
  • brain development
  • concentration
  • calmness
  • a boost to the immune system
Apart from the individual benefits, parents and toddlers can practice yoga together with playful poses while listening to music. This enhanced interaction between parent and child increases bonding and builds trust. They can do yoga anytime and anywhere!
Yoga pose
The Mercer County Library System provides a variety of yoga classes for everyone. Call your local branch or check our website for upcoming yoga sessions.

The library system also has a solid collection of yoga books and DVDs for every age. Here is a sample:
Babar; Bunny; Good Night
Babar's Yoga for Elephants by Laurent de Brunhoff 
Summary: Babar the elephant demonstrates and provides step-by-step instructions for basic yoga techniques and positions, then shows how he and Celeste use them to relax and have fun as they travel around the world.

Yoga Bunny by Brian Russo
Summary: "It's a perfect day for yoga, and Bunny is practicing his poses and wishes his friends would do yoga with him! But Lizard is too tired, Fox is in a rush, and Bird has the hiccups. Will Bunny ever be able to get his friends to slow down and realize that yoga just might be the solution to their problems? Yoga Bunny helps readers relax and unwind as they learn beginning yoga poses, from downward dog to tree pose.”
Good Night Yoga by Diane Kovanda
Good Night Yoga by Diane Kovanda
Summary: Children demonstrate beneficial yoga poses that can be done anytime and anywhere.

Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story by Miriam Gates
Summary: Good Night Yoga is both a bedtime story and a series of simple poses for following the natural world as it comes to rest at day's end.
Downward Dog with Diego by Pamela Prichett
Downward Dog with Diego by Pamela Prichett
Summary: Introduces yoga through simple directions in rhyming text and illustrations of a child's image superimposed on the silhouettes of the animals for which various poses are named. Includes a list of poses, their Sanskrit names, and brief descriptions of their purpose.

I Am Yoga by Susan Verde
Summary: As a young girl practices various standard yoga poses, she imagines herself as a tree touching the sky, a playful dog, a warrior, and more while relaxing and seeing how she fits into the world.
The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story by Uma Krishnaswami
The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story by Uma Krishnaswami
Summary: Embarrassed by her clumsiness, eight-year-old Meena is reluctant to appear in the school play until she gains self-confidence by practicing yoga.

Sleepy Little Yoga by Rebecca Whitford
Summary: Pictures and simple text portray toddlers in yoga positions.

DVDs

Yoga for Kids. Outer Space Blast-off by Jodi B. Komitor
Summary: Let your imagination blast-off into a galaxy far, far away! Kids’ yoga instructor Jodi Komitor leads three star-filled yoga practices for kids ages five and up.

Athletic Yoga. Yoga for Strength by Eddie George
Summary: NFL running back Eddie George joins sports yoga instructor Kent Katich for four dynamic, athletic yoga practices designed to increase mobility and build strength.

Yoga for Beginners & Beyond by Michael Wohl
Summary: Yoga for beginners & beyond is the perfect way to explore and experience the numerous benefits of yoga. Each of these 40 routines focuses on different physical and mental aspects of yoga, such as building strength, improving flexibility, reducing stress and more.

Yoga for Kids. Mind & Body by Wonderscape Entertainment
Summary: Exercise and have fun together. Volume One is about movement and play, along with rest and relaxation. Children train their balance, concentration and flexibility in imaginative yoga exercises such as the dog, the cat and the warrior! Volume Two introduces yoga instructor Tiffany Belzer and her family and friends, as she leads you through a playful and challenging yoga sequence for all.

YogaKids 2, More Poses, More Fun! by Marsha Wenig
Summary: Yoga expert Marsha Wenig leads children in three 15-minute yoga-based sequences to increase flexibilty, strength, coordination, and balance.

Quick Start Yoga for Weight Loss by Suzanne Deason
Summary: Presents a diet-free program for weight loss via yoga. The workouts boost metabolism, shape lean muscle, and provide additional energy.

—Chetna Kukreja

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