Yoga for Kids: 10 Fun Ways to Incorporate Yoga into Your Daily Routine

When I roll out my mat and take time for me, it feels so needed. Whether I do a challenging practice or a really restorative one, when I come to savasana at the end my head feels clearer and the stress and tension I’ve been holding in my body just melts away.

There are so many ways to practice, no matter how I feel, there is a practice that can help bring me back into balance. Whether I need more energy, more calm or time to process my day.

As a parent and a family/children’s yoga teacher I have also seen the positive impact this practice can have on children. The practice may look different to my own personal practice but it always gives the kids what they need in that moment.

When you are practicing yoga at home with your child, you don’t need a big long hour session with them for yoga to become a part of your routine. It could be a simple 5 minute practice or a fun filled half hour together. There are so many ways you can add yoga into their day to support your child’s well-being.

In this post I am sharing 10 ways you can incorporate yoga with your child into your day. No need for big long sessions or years of expertise. I am here to help you make yoga fun and accessible!

1. Start the day with a simple Sun Salutation. It’s a perfect way to energize and stretch.

This sequence has been used for centuries and is still widely practiced today because of its incredible ability to focus the mind and promote presence. The sun salutation A sequence has its roots in ancient Indian practices. It is believed that this sequence was created as a way to express gratitude to the sun, which is considered a symbol of life and energy.

2. Play a yoga game together while the dinner is cooking!

Got a few moments when the dinner doesn’t need your attention? How about a quick game? Not only does this make dinner time a really fun and connected time but it makes for a great movement break before sitting down to eat too!

Give this game a try. It will take some time to set up and get ready but once you have done that, it’ll be a really quick and easy one to get out at any time:

Yoga Bowling

For this game you will need ten paper cups and a small ball.

Label each of the cups with a different yoga pose. Set the cups up in a triangle with four cups at the front, three cups in the next row, then two, then one. Each person has a turn at knocking the cups down by rolling the ball. If a cup falls then everyone must practice that pose. If multiple cups fall, you must put the poses together to create a flow. Encourage the children to think about how they can move from one pose to the other. Everyone has two turns each and then set the pins up again for the next person.

3. Incorporate yoga into story time by acting out the characters and their movements.

When reading a short story together see if you can act out the story in yoga poses and fun movements. This works great for animal themed stories. Combining story and movement is a great way to practice yoga together.

4. Play a fun yoga game using cards with different yoga poses.

Make your own or check out some of the amazing ones already available. I like Yoga Pretzels Cards and Enchanted Wonders A-Z Cards. There are so many fun games you can play here and the help of having the card really helps our visual learners.

5. Host a family yoga session. Get the whole family involved and make it a bonding experience!

Family Yoga to me as a single parent is me and one or both of my children. When I have taught family yoga classes I love seeing all the different families joining in. From both parents, to family friends joining in too. Family Yoga can be 2 people or EVERYONE! 😂 The main thing is practice together, whatever that means for you and your family. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, friends and even pets are all welcome to join in the fun!

6. Teach your kids breathing techniques like “tracing hand breath” or “lions breath.” It helps them to relax and focus.

Breathing practices can be a great tool for children to calm their body and mind. When kids are feeling anxious or overwhelmed, taking a few deep breaths can help them shift their focus to the present moment and ease their racing thoughts. Additionally, practicing breathing techniques can help children build self-awareness and self-regulation skills, which can be beneficial in all areas of their life.

You can get my free guide with 5 fun breathing practices for children here.

7. Use music and dance with yoga. Give it a funky twist and let your kids show off their moves!

Adding music and giving children the space to move freely is a great way to practice joyful movement and get that feel good energy going. You can combine the free movement with yoga poses through games like ‘freeze yoga’ where when the music stops, you stop dancing and freeze in a yoga pose or you can go through a yoga sequence together with the music. You can check out one of my favourite playlists on spotify here.

8. Introduce mindfulness practices in your day.

It is so easy to add in mindfulness into your day and there are so many different ways to do this. Here is one practice that is really easy to add into your day whether it’s at home or on the walk to the shops or school.

Mindful walking

You could take a mindful walk (inside or outside your home) taking notice of each step you take, what you can see in your surroundings, any sounds, smells, tastes and even reach out and feel the different textures.

At home, see if you can both notice something you’ve never noticed before. Really pay attention to your surroundings even though you’ve probably seen them a million times – is there something you never noticed?

The same goes for a familiar walk you may be taking. I love doing this on the walk to school. There may be a sign we never saw or a new flower growing through the cracks of the pavement. There is so much to see when we really pay attention.

9. Set up a yoga obstacle course in your living room or garden. It’s a wonderful way to combine movement with yoga poses.

A yoga strap (or dressing gown rope) becomes a tight rope, the floor becomes lava, yoga blocks become stepping stones and a long the way you can add in a few challenges with different yoga poses. Can you practice tree pose on a yoga block (or a thick book)? Can you blow the pom pom across the mat using a straw? Use whatever you have lying around the house to make your own fun obstacle course – use your imagination and get really creative.

10. End the day with a relaxing bedtime routine that includes gentle yoga stretches. It will help calm their minds and prepare them for a peaceful sleep.

Yoga is a great way to prepare the body and mind for sleep. Make your own calming yoga bedtime routine You could even add the yoga story time we mentioned in this post earlier!

It may feel like you don’t have time some days to include yoga into your day but I hope these tips have helped you see how easy it can be to include a few mindful moments into your routine together.

If you’d like monthly inspiration with yoga games and fun practices, I’d love to welcome you into the Family Yoga Game Night Community where we prioritize fun and well-being!

See more details here: Family Yoga Game Night | Family Yoga with Natasha