22 Mar 2017
Best Music for Kids Yoga Playlists
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” ~ Plato
Music is such a wonderful way to teach yoga to children!
Kids love to dance, move and sing. Music provides fun, playful cues for teaching yoga poses, especially for preschoolers. Music can set the tone for certain movements, as well as guide them through a yoga sequence. The children in my classes have their favorite songs which they ask me to play every class and they love to sing along! I like mixing up lively songs for stretching and fluid yoga poses with some soothing songs for relaxation. I’ve compiled my favorite kids yoga songs on several fun itunes playlists for many themed classes.
The Kids Yoga Essential Playlist includes the absolute MUST HAVE Yoga Songs for your kids classes.
These playlists are kid-tested and my little yogis ask me to play them in my classes all the time!
I am an iTunes and Amazon Affiliate and would really appreciate it if you use the links and Playlist links below to order your music.
CLICK this LINK KIDS MUSIC PLAYLISTS to find some more ready made playlists of songs you can download from itunes for your classes or to use at home!
KIDS MUSIC PLAYLISTS
All songs can be found on Amazon or iTunes by following the links below.
Enjoy!!
Kira Willey’s Dance for the Sun includes my favorite kids yoga songs:
Dance for the Sun (perfect for teaching Sun Salutations)
Namaste Song (great for closing class and bowing Namaste)
Colors (a sweet lullaby for Relaxation time or closing circle)
Dance for the Sun also contains bonus yoga tracks with guided yoga sequences for the kids to follow along.
Yoga Child: A Peaceful Place Inside by Bingo Kids has lots of fun songs, movement, breathing and relaxation exercises to choose from.
Paint the Sky (A cool warm up exercise for stretching arms up and “painting” to the music)
The Butterfly and the Seagull (for Butterfly pose and flapping their “wings” in the air)
Savasana Song (prompts kids to lie down-“bellies, up, eyes closed, backs on the ground…”)
Snatam Kaur’s Feeling Good Today is a beautiful album which contains both lively and peaceful kids yoga music.
Two of my favorite songs are Longtime Sun and Make the Love Grow
12 Aug 2020
Creating a CALM SPACE for Kids
Children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, have BIG FEELINGS.
When kids feel overstimulated or “flooded with feelings”, they don’t know what to do with them. That is why they usually ACT on them or ACT OUT- by screaming, throwing things, hitting, biting, or some other physical way to release their feelings.
It’s our job as parents to teach them how to regulate their feelings. This takes patience and practice. We can model how it’s done by remaining calm, taking a deep breath and offering them an alternative to having a meltdown or tantrum.
One way to promote mindfulness and emotional regulation is by setting up a SAFE SPACE for kids to calm down and manage their feelings in a healthy way. You can call it a Calm Space, Calm Down Spot, Cozy Corner or Tune In Nook. This offers a more gentle option than Time-OUTS by giving them a safe space to take some Time-IN and move through their feelings in a way that is free from blame or shame.
It’s never too early to make room for a Calm Space. You can introduce your baby to a quiet corner with soothing music and sensory objects like stuffies and a blanket, then continue to build on its use as your child grows by adding tools for mindfulness.
5 STEPS TO CREATING A CALM SPACE FOR KIDS
1. Choose an area in your home that is QUIET and not too busy. It could be an cozy corner or area in their bedroom, playroom or family room.
2. Delineate the space by setting up a tent/teepee, hanging a canopy or curtain from the ceiling, using a soft comfy chair, or simply laying out a cozy blanket or rug. Make the space COZY and welcoming with pillows, a floor cushion or blankets. Let your child make the space their own by adding their own items like a favorite blankie or stuffie.
3. Create a CALM DOWN KIT ( like the one below) for your child to use when they are feeling stressed or upset, Fill a bin or basket with mindfulness tools and items that will help calm them down. A few favorite books (yoga and mindfulness books are a plus), play dough, affirmation cards, breathing props such as feathers or a pinwheel, an eye pillow for relaxation, some coloring sheets with crayons and a stuffed friend to hold and hug.
4. Practice using the space by having a daily routine of spending time there together. Choose a daily affirmation card, practice taking deep breaths, do a yoga pose together, color mandalas or journal together if your child is a bit older. Let them know it’s their special place where they can go when they need break or some time to calm down. You can also have some items for YOU to use in the calm space with your child, like an eye pillow or mask for relaxation.
5. When you notice your child is starting to get frustrated or upset, remind your child that it’s ok for them take a break in their Calm Space.
If you would like a MINDFUL ME KIT like the one below, click on the image below. It comes with a set of adorable animal puppets to prompt yoga poses, bubbles and feathers for breathing, pom poms to play “TOE-GA” and choice of lavender flax seed eye pillow- in yoga cats and dogs or yoga monkey pattern- all in a handy drawstring bag for kids to take their mindfulness tools on-the-go! An instruction sheet of the activities is included.