Yoga sea creature poses for kids.

Find pictures of relaxing settings and visions for children and use on whiteboard to stimulate further relaxation eg. a sunset, a tranquil forest/lake.  With continued observing of these pictures with breath work, a calming feeling can arise.  Practice studying the pictures with the children and concentrate their mind to the details and colours of the picture and how it makes them feel.

Sea creatures pictures to inspire yoga poses and yoga stories.

Sea Star Pose. (Five pointed star pose, Trikonasana).

1.From mountain pose, step your feet wide apart, with arms out to the side.

2.Press your weight into your feet, pull up at knee caps and squeeze your thighs, tuck the tailbone.

3. Feel the legs strong and solid, rooted into the floor.

4. Reach out through the fingertips, like your trying to touch the side walls.

This is an advanced pose (drawing arms under and forward without shoulders under and back is fine for children).

Tortoise Pose.

(Kurmasana) helps with quiet centeredness. Lengthens and strengthens spine.

1.     Bend your knees, and keeping your feet flexed, bring them closer to your hips, just past hip length apart.

2.     Extend your chest forward and down between your legs.

3.     Try to extend your shoulders o under your knees or forward.

4.     Once there, stretch your arms out to the sides.

5.     Spread the front of your chest forward and down.

6.     Then stretch your heels forward and down to stretch and straighten your legs.

Fish Pose. (Matsyasana).

Strengthens back and abdominals.  Good for backache, respiration. 

You can encourage knees bent or legs flat on the floor. Only hold for a couple of seconds to protect their necks.

1.     Lie down and inhale and lift pelvis off the floor and slide hands, palms down, below the buttocks.

2.     Be sure to tuck your forearms and elbows close to the sides of your torso.

3.     Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the floor. 

4.     Encourage child to lift their upper torso and then release their head back onto the floor.

5.     A child can use a thick blanket to support back.

6.     Head to rest softly and throat soft.

Tracey Maclay (F:Yogamotorskills)