Yoga offers a wealth of perks, from harnessing emotions to the physical benefits for its adult practitioners, and now’s the time to get our kids more involved. Throw a stone in any direction, and you’re likely to hit a studio or gym offering classes. Yoga offers such incredible advantages, so why is the average age of yoga practitioners in the US and the EU between 30 and 40 years old? Why aren’t we getting our little ones involved?
Many yoga practitioners have asked the same question, and some have found a solution. In the early 2000s, a boatload of books emerged teaching children all about yoga. The fact is that yoga is so much more than stretching, although that is a common misconception. Yoga is a way of life. It teaches kids about being happy with who they are, how to tamp down any temper tantrums, and how to socialize effectively. Here are a few book recommendations to get them started as early as possible.
Recommendations for Our Elementary Yogis
Llamaste and Friends
Llamaste and Friends by Pat-A-Cake is an enchanting introduction to the expansive world of yoga. This book is recommended for children from babies to three years old, teaching them about different poses and the importance of kindness to others. The terminology is very familiar, foregoing the traditional or more common names for the poses, but that’s all what makes this such a great option to get your children involved in yoga: they’ll learn vocabulary they can use (such as the names of different animals) and start figuring out the poses while they’re still flexible enough to slide right into position.
You Are Lion!
Illustrator Taeeun Yoo wrote an instant classic with You Are a Lion! And Other Fun Yoga Poses. This book is a perfect way to follow Llamaste and Friends, as it is geared toward children aged two to five years. Yoo introduces seven easy-to-follow poses, moving through the jungle from animal to animal. Kids are encouraged to flutter, hiss, roar, and more throughout the story, and the rhymes are only interrupted by yoga poses.
Good Night Yoga
The perfect way to get going in the morning and settle down at night is the trio Good Night Yoga, Good Morning Yoga, and Yoga Friends by Mariam Gates. Gates earned her master’s degree in education from Harvard University and has spent the last 20 years perfecting her Kid Power Yoga program. These books help kids develop coordination, balance, and flexibility, as well as confidence and friendship, and are recommended for children aged two to five.
Good Morning Yoga
Yoga Friends
Sophia’s Jungle Adventure Book
Giselle Shardlow’s book, Sophia’s Jungle Adventure Book: A Fun and Educational Kids Yoga Story, is a great place to continue your child’s yoga exploration, suitable for children aged three to seven years old. Sophia takes us on a journey through Costa Rica’s jungles while teaching how to accomplish certain poses. The two things I really liked about this book are that the poses are all easy to follow, and there is a chart at the back of the book with the standard terms for each asana, its Sanskrit name, and a picture of the pose for reference.
Yoga For Kids: Simple First Steps in Yoga and Mindfulness
Yoga for Kids: Simple First Steps in Yoga and Mindfulness by Susannah Hoffman will keep your kids moving while giving them the equipment to know how and when to stop. Hoffman has been teaching for over 20 years and practicing yoga her entire life. It may feel daunting for a toddler, at 74 pages in length, but it is, in fact, recommended for ages three through eight. (Though many parents also admit to loving the book as a starter guide!) This book has excellent visual aids and is easy to follow. Hoffman teaches the poses with their common names, and she includes a glossary and a chart of the Sanskrit words for the asanas. What’s more is that children will learn about what it means to be mindful, a priceless trait to instill.
Yoga Bear
Children’s book author Sarah Jane Hinder’s stories, Yoga Bear, Yoga Bug, and Yoga Bunny, get those little legs moving from as early as one year old. You’ll stick your tongue out and roar like a lion, hum like a bee, and twist like an owl in these delightful animal-based yoga books. The phrases are simple, and the illustrations keep the super-young interested and coming back for more. The only criticism from parents was that the poses tend to repeat in the books under different names; even so, 4.9 out of 5 parents and teachers on Amazon absolutely loved this series.
Yoga Bug
Yoga Bunny
Animal Asanas
Animal Asanas by Leila Kadri Oostendorp bursts with vibrant colors, engaging illustrations, and creative poses to draw kids aged five to nine into a magical world. This book provides a helpful list of the physical and mental benefits associated with each pose, alongside the pose itself. Depending on the edition you purchase, a poster may also be included with the book, with skillfully executed illustrations of each pose.
This Moment Is Your Life (And So Is This One)
If you’re trying to get your teens or tweens interested in starting yoga, try This Moment Is Your Life (and So Is This One), also by Mariam Gates. This book not only introduces adolescents to yoga, but they also get a taste of mindfulness and meditation, two important skills for healthy cognitive development. It teaches tweens and beyond to be in the present, rather than worrying about the future (“What if I don’t get the part in the play?” or “I have a huge test tomorrow!”) or the past (“She spread a rumor about me!” or “I tripped and fell in front of everyone!”). Gates condenses these concepts that I’ve been reading about my whole adult life into easy-to-understand stories that they’ll carry for a lifetime.
Yoga for Teens
Another worthy title is Yoga for Teens by Shawna Schenk. This book uses breathwork, poses, meditation, and writing “AUMwork” to help guide your teens through the struggles of adolescence. With personal stories, Schenk addresses the taboo topics that parents sometimes don’t know how to approach, like alcohol, sex, and body image issues.
Yoga for Teens explains the eight limbs of yoga and chakras in a way that any teenager can relate to, which will guide your teen through the difficult decisions that kids have to make every day. The exercises help your teen to open up and be honest about who they are absent their friends, peers, and parents. This book helps lead your teen to peace within themselves.
Strike a Pose: The Planet Girl Guide to Yoga
There is a wonderful book by Karen Birkemoe called Strike a Pose: The Planet Girl Guide to Yoga. This book has riveting anatomical illustrations, designed by Heather Collett, to show the girls how to step into every pose with confidence. The book is not full of fluffy characters and hilarity; it is an honest, rational approach to a sacred practice.
Strike a Pose: The Planet Girl Guide to Yoga can help your teens learn how to de-stress, maintain focus when they really need it, and dodge injuries by teaching them how to build slow-twitch muscle fibers. It also introduces concepts like meditation and mantras to ease their worries and develop their ability to center themselves when they feel stressed, anxious, or embarrassed. A really smart feature of the book is its ring binding, which allows your teen to look at the book hands-free while mastering the yogic theories.
Yoga Exercises for Teens: Developing a Calmer Mind and a Stronger Body
The final book is an exciting selection from Helen Purperhart, Yoga Exercises for Teens: Developing a Calmer Mind and a Stronger Body. This book teaches teens about the value of a low-impact style of yogic practice and how to move their bodies fluidly from asana to pose. It has a playful tone and is an all-around fun book to read.
Yoga Exercises for Teens begins by discussing yoga through a historical lens and then presents the asanas for various skill levels, from beginner to advanced. It provides teens with a first-rate explanation of why and how yoga is good for the mind and body. The only complaints were from yoga instructors that the poses don’t go into enough detail.
You Can’t Go Wrong
The point is that there are numerous avenues you can take when introducing your kids to yoga. The market opened in the U.S. 25 years ago and has only grown stronger, leaving you with many options. There are books for every age and variety of kid, from infants to teenagers, so there’s no shortage of ways to bring a little yoga into your kids’ lives.
Yoga is a fabulous way to introduce concepts that help calm your kiddos and teens and harness their emotions. It teaches about mood regulation, how to cope with life when things don’t go their way, how to manage distractions, and how to center themselves and stay focused when needed. These books provide kids with invaluable introductions to the worthwhile lessons you’ll want to instill in children from infancy, helping them grow into physically and emotionally well-rounded individuals. I can’t think of a better leg up in life.
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