Annie Buckley

Summer is here! Let the fun begin. The calm energy and imaginative play of yoga can boost the joy of any summer day. Here are some ideas for how to integrate the spirit of yoga into a variety of activities. I hope you enjoy them!

1. Host a yoga party! Next time you find yourself with a swarm of little ones on the grass or at the local playground, why not gather them in a circle and practice yoga together. Use nature to inspire a theme – the rainforest, the ocean, the forest – and let the children invent movements for all the plants and animals that live in this environment. Not an experienced yogi? Don’t worry. The children will have ideas for movements. You can help them to share the spirit of yoga by encouraging kids to take turns, listen to one another, give positive feedback, and try new things. Most of all, take time out to recognize the gifts of nature and time together.

2. On an outing that’s gone awry? Give yoga breathing a try. (Okay, yes, that’s a corny rhyme but I couldn’t resist – it’s catchy, right?) Maybe you and your family are heading to a local beach or zoo, or catching a flight somewhere farther from home. Either way, calm belly breaths can ease over-excitement or jittery nerves, smoothing the way for a fun time. Have your child put her hand on her belly and breathe in and out. If she can’t feel the breath, have her feel the breath in her ribs first, and then on her abdomen. Try this at home to familiarize little ones with the practice before taking it out on the road.

3. Yoga means union, joining together. If the day is too hot for outside play and you’re all in the mood for some relaxed fun, try drawing a picture of the environment that we all share together. Ask children to think about the area near your home. What plants or animals live there? How do we live together? What are the resources we share? Recognizing that we are all part of the same neighborhood, city, world, universe goes a long way towards building compassion and empathy, as well as a respect for nature.

Happy Summer everyone!

Namaste
~Annie

For more information on Annie Buckley’s Kids Yoga Deck or Once Upon a Time: Creative Writing Fun for Kids, please see Chronicle Books.com or anniebuckley.com.