10 child safe yoga poses

One of the questions educators and parents ask me most often is which poses are safe for children. It’s really important to feel confident in the poses we share as some can put too much strain on children’s more delicate spines. It’s also important to remember that although children are naturally flexible we don’t want to push them to their limits as it can cause injuries later on.

Here I have compiled ten child safe poses for you share with your class or children.

1. Tree Pose (Vrksasana): Stand on one leg and place the sole of the other foot on the inner thigh of the standing leg. Balance and grow your "tree" by reaching your arms overhead. Avoid pressing the foot into the knee joint either resting it above on below the knee.

2. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana): Sit on the floor, bring the soles of your feet together, and gently flap your knees up and down like butterfly wings.

3. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): Lie on your belly, place your palms under your shoulders, and lift your upper body off the ground, arching your back like a cobra.

4. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana): Start on your hands and knees, then lift your hips up and back to create an upside-down "V" shape.

5. Child's Pose (Balasana): Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and reach your arms forward while lowering your chest to the ground.

6. Cat-Cow Pose: Begin on your hands and knees. Arch your back while looking up for the "cow" pose, and round your back, pushing your heart to the ceiling, while looking down for the "cat" pose.

7. Happy Baby Pose: Lie on your back, grab the outsides of your feet, and gently rock side to side, resembling a happy baby.

8. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Lie on your back, bend your knees, and aim for your fingers to just touch your heels. Liftyour hips off the ground, creating a bridge with your body.

9. Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Stand tall with your feet together, arms by your sides, and palms facing forward. Imagine you're a strong mountain.

10. Corpse Pose (Savasana): Lie on your back with your arms and legs relaxed, like a "corpse." Focus on deep breaths and complete relaxation.

Remember to make these poses playful and engaging for children, using storytelling and imagination to enhance their experience. Encourage them to move gently and listen to their bodies. You can find yoga lesson plans, stories and printables with even more poses in my resource bank and handbooks.

Please always remember to listen to your body in yoga and only do poses which feel good for you!