At-Home Yoga With Kids In Lockdown: 7 Top Tips

Namaste… Whether you’re a newbie or have been carefully mastering the art of yoga for years, now is the perfect time to hone in your skills and teach them to your kids! Being stuck inside can sometimes mean that we forget to take time to focus on ourselves and de-stress. Through practising yoga daily, not only is it a great way to spend quality time with your kids but it also gives grown-ups and youngsters the opportunity to take some time out of the day to relax and engage in the basics of mindfulness. However, we recognise that getting started with yoga for children isn't as easy as it may sound so we've rounded up our top tips and some children's yoga classes so that you and your little ones can get stretching in no time!

With so many good, free yoga resources available online, yoga for kids doesn’t have to mean high tech equipment and expensive teaching, all you need is a clear floor space and either a phone, tablet or laptop that you can access Youtube on and you’re all set! Getting kids into the swing of practising yoga can be a little challenging, especially if they’ve never experienced it before so our top tip is to utilise the super interactive, engaging and fun tutorial videos online. Check out some of our favourite ones here:

Cosmic Kids Yoga

Up first, Cosmic Kids Yoga on Youtube - yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+. With everything from at-home yoga classes set to your favourite children’s stories and nursery rhymes, to top tips for super simple relaxation techniques and even easy meditations to inspire kids confidence, Cosmic Kids Yoga is a super family-friendly resource that you’ll wish you would have known about earlier. Each video ranges from just five minutes or if you’re looking for something a little longer, they have videos that are over 60 minutes long. Plus, with  100s of videos to choose from, you’ll be able to learn new moves daily!

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Yoga For Kids with Alissa Kepas

Alo Yoga on Youtube is next and whilst not explicitly being a kids yoga channel, Alissa Kepas has created a special, interactive 15 minute video where she tailors her normal yoga routine for kids and makes it super easy to follow along. Full of energy and positivity, Alissa’s video is aimed at kids under the age of 8 and at just 15 minutes long, there’s no reason not to follow along with Alissa daily!

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STORYHIVE Yoga For Kids

STORYHIVE Yoga For Kids on Youtube is run by instructor Sophia Khan and her two mini helpers and this video is a great option for those wanting a more structured, traditional yoga class, featuring breathing exercises, warming up and cooling down. Helping engage kids in yoga, Sophia uses clear and playful instructions and bold, animated illustrations that are super engaging and exciting for youngsters. Plus, with the kids demonstrating the moves themselves, it’s a great way to introduce even the youngest of yogis to the practise of yoga.

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Yoga with Adriene

With over six million subscribers, Yoga with Adriene on Youtube provides some of the best yoga tutorials out there! Her video Rainbow Yoga - Yoga For All Ages, is the perfect 17 minute yoga practice that is bound to brighten your day and turn darkness into light. Using child-friendly language to explain the poses and moves, Adriene makes it so easy to follow along without the need for any animations or illustrations. Plus, look out for a cameo from her adorable dog!

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Everyone knows that the best way to make something a habit is to practise it continually - and there’s no exception with yoga! Just like making your bed, doing your homework after school and taking the dog for a walk, they soon become second nature after weeks of practice. We recommend setting aside time everyday, whether it be half an hour in the morning or ten minutes to help you wind down before bed - that way, you’ll ensure that you are practicing it daily and it will slowly form part of your everyday routine. Not only does it give you something to look forward to, it also holds you accountable which is proven to be super effective. Plus, if your kids are scheduled to do PE daily, you could even work 10-15 minutes of yoga into their PE lessons - they won’t even realise they’re exercising.

Another top tip is to set up a specific yoga spot - be it the living room, play room or even a corner of the bedroom - ensure that you and your kids know that when it’s time for yoga, that’s where they head to. This way, you are able to establish a clear spot and allow practising yoga to become more natural and part of daily life. Maybe you want to add a few pillows or a yoga mat if you’ve got one? Plus, if the weather stays super sunny, why not take it outside to the garden - then you can catch some rays whilst getting your daily dose of mindfulness! We can’t think of a better way to start our mornings.

Who says yoga is just for people inside your home? Hop onto FaceTime and video call friends and family so they can get involved too! Or if you want to go even bigger, set up a Zoom call - you can have up to 100 participants! Perhaps, you’ve got neighbours who you share a garden with - let them know as well. The more people, the better! Plus, for those self-isolating and unable to leave the house at all, taking part in a yoga routine could really help brighten their days and put smiles on faces!

One of our top tips for staying super focused is to get kitted out! Now we’re not talking full on gym gear and fancy trainers (unless, of course you want to), instead just a few accessories. For example, whack on some sweat bands and sporty clothes. Or if your kids have their PE kits at home, it might be fun to wear it whilst doing yoga - that way, they'll really feel like they are getting into it. Plus, it's super helpful for concentration!

With yoga, the best thing to do is take it slowly - a bit like anything else you do for the first time. We recommend keeping it pretty basic at the start, with help from the brilliant Youtube tutorials, and easing your little ones into it with the more simple poses. Once you've mastered the basics then you can build up to the more complicated, extended moves that require a little more focus and attention - that way, there's no pressure to master the harder moves straightaway and everyone can work at a pace they feel comfortable at.

Everyone knows that the best way to get good at something is to really have fun with it! We recognise that most people, especially kids, aren’t yoga pros but there’s no reason not to be after you’ve taken on board all of our top tips and followed the guidance from our favourite Youtubers! Plus, after you've exhausted all the yoga for children videos that Youtube has to offer, why not come up with your own unique yoga routines, incorporating your favourite poses and moves that you've learnt? Or why not try and make up your own yoga poses and have members in your family name them? The possibilities with kids yoga are endless!

If you liked this article and would like more suggestions for kids' relaxation, check out our articles on the 9 Best Calming Apps For Kids as well as 15 Mindfulness Activities For Teenagers.