Practice Yoga with Your Toddler

Toddlers are a special group. As they rapidly learn about the world around them, they can go from happy-go-lucky or sweet to a puddle of tears or an anger burst in just seconds. Toddlers have short-attention spans and tend to run from one thing to the other quickly.

If you practice yoga and wish to share your love of the practice with your toddler, you may be in for some rewards and challenges. Creating a short home practice with your toddler can be tremendously rewarding both as a bonding experience and for a new, fresh way to "play" with your child. Keeping your child engaged and finding an ideal time can be the challenge. Below are some tips to approaching the practice. I offer Toddler Yoga in Middlesex County for those of you local to Massachusetts. Visit HERE for more info. Not local? Reach out to me HERE, and I'll get you on the mailing list for a new program starting July 1.

Tips for a Toddler Yoga Practice

Be ready to move the practice off the mat - Toddlers tend to like to move around the room or the house if you are at home. Keep the practice moving along wherever your child may roam, or choose one room for practice. You won't even really need a mat.

Songs, Toys & More - Toddlers I work with typically like to sing songs, dance, move around, and play with toys during their practice. Anything that lights up is even better. Making your practice fun and playful will keep them engaged and interested.

Short & Sweet - Keep your practice to around 10 minutes to start. In a studio setting, we can just barely keep toddlers engaged for 30-40 minutes. Starting small with some breathing, a few poses, and a story is a great way to get your toddler interested.

Let's Get Physical - If you have a toddler you already know that they love to jump on you and pretend your gym equipment. Partner poses can bring the two (or three or four) of you together. They get to play physically while also learning how to work as a team.

Snuggle Time - Don't skip rest time at the end of practice! Even if it's just for a minute or two, your toddler will learn how to calm their bodies through rest. Add a head or foot massage and enhance bonding with your child.

Have fun, and enjoy! Let me know how it goes!