Yoga Stretches for Kids
While taking a break from distance learning, stretching and Yoga are good ideas to help your child decrease stiffness throughout the day. You can do the following stretching exercises with your child and/or give them the verbal prompts provided.
Exaggerated Nod
- Sit or stand comfortably with your shoulders relaxed. With mouth closed — teeth touching but not clenching — look up to the ceiling.
- Pause here. Let your jaw relax and open your mouth. Now see if you can bring your head further back an inch or two.
- Keep your head still here and bring your lower jaw to your upper jaw, closing your mouth. You should feel a stretch in the front of your neck.
Chin tuck
- Sit up tall and keep your chin parallel to the floor. Without tilting your head in any direction, gently draw your head and chin back, like you are making a double chin. Be careful not to jam your head back. You should feel a stretch along the back of the neck.
- Now imagine there is a string pulling your head upward like a puppet, and actively elongate your neck. Actively push the base of your skull away from the base of your neck.
- Keep your jaw relaxed and hold this position for 3 deep breaths.
- Release your chin forward. Repeat.
Downward-Facing Dog
- Begin on all fours. Tuck your toes and lift your hips high, reaching your hip bones toward the ceiling.
- Reach your heels back toward the mat, but don’t let them plank on the ground.
- Drop your head so that your neck is long. As you stay here, make sure that your wrist creases stay parallel to the front edge of the mat.
- Breathe here for at least 3 deep breaths. Then release.
Doorway Stretch
- Stand in an open doorway. Raise each arm up to the side, bent at 90-degree angles with palms forward. Rest your palms on the door.
- Slowly step forward with one foot. Feel the stretch in your shoulders and chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds. Step back and relax.
- Repeat 3 times.
Cat-Cow
- Start on all fours with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, your hips stacked over your knees, and the tops of your feet pressed into the ground. Look down a few inches in front of your fingers and lengthen from your head down to your tailbone.
- To begin the ‘cat’ phase, use your abs to curl your spine toward the ceiling while tucking in your tailbone (making the shape of a Halloween cat) as you exhale. Lengthen your neck and allow your chin to reach down and in, toward your chest, so your ears come down by your biceps.
- To begin the ‘cow’ phase, swoop and scoop your pelvis so your belly drops down to the floor as you inhale. Broaden across your shoulder blades, drawing your shoulders away from your ears, and lift your chin and chest to gaze up toward the ceiling.
- Cycle through Cat-Cow a few times, keeping stress and pressure out of the head and neck.
Bow Pose
- Lie flat on your stomach with your chin on the floor and your hands resting on either side of you.
- Bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your bottom as you can. Reach backwards with both hands and grab onto your outer ankles. As you inhale (breath out), lift your heels up toward the ceiling so that your chest, thighs, and upper torso lift off the mat.
- To get a bigger stretch, try to lift your heels higher while keeping your tailbone pressed into the mat. Look forward and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
- Hold this position for 10 breaths. Release on an exhale by slowly lowering your thighs, and then the rest of your body, to the ground.
REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:
- 7 Morning Stretches for Perfect Posture: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercises/stretches-for-posture
- 6 Chiropractor-Approved Exercises to Fight Text Neck: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/text-neck-treatment
- What’s the Best Sitting Position for Good Posture?: https://www.healthline.com/health/sitting-positions
