Toddler yoga

Yoga for your toddler? At that age already? Yes, within children’s yoga special toddler yoga is recommended for your child from (approximately) 1.5 to 4 years. They’ve outgrown the baby yoga stage, but they’re not quite as young as toddlers either. I explain to you what special toddler yoga is all about and why it is so good for your little one!

Why toddler yoga?

You would say: toddlers are pure, uninhibited, can be very good ‘in the now’ and they are flexible and playful. Why do they need toddler yoga?

Of course you want your toddler to hold all of this. In addition, your toddler is probably already busy:

  • watch movies
  • to the nanny or childcare
  • a trip to the playground

A toddler today gets to process much more impressions than a toddler from 45 years ago!
Toddler yoga can help them tremendously to process these impressions. And especially if they do this in a lesson that matches their concentration arc, impulses and playfulness.

What is Toddler Yoga?

Toddler yoga is therefore a playful form of yoga for children between 1.5 and 4 years. It consists of short exercises, because of the shorter concentration arc of these children. Themes are often used and the lessons are a combination of:

  • yoga exercises
  • dance
  • make (animal) sounds
  • being creative

These yoga exercises are of course not called ‘Virabhadrasana’ or ‘Urdva Mukha Svanasana’….. The toddlers imitate a lion, walk like a giraffe or stand like a real tree.

Playful breathing exercises are also done, the senses are used and attention is paid to what the toddler (or another child) does or does not want.

What are the benefits of toddler yoga?

Toddler yoga has many benefits! I’ll name a few. Your toddler:

  • Gets to know his/her body better
  • Gets better posture and motor skills
  • Gets a stronger and smoother body
  • Is stimulated in his/her fantasy
  • Learns how nice it is to be calm once in a while
  • Learns to know and indicate his or her limits
  • Learn to be kind to others

Note: it is important to realize that this can differ per child. One child develops different points (and to a different degree) than another child!

At the nursery we also use the toddler yoga cards.

We start the yoga with stretching exercises and end with lying quietly on the floor with soothing music to relax after all the effort.

At Lona Yoga classes they also give very nice yoga classes for all ages.