Yoga Books for Kids

When I was first time around mother I did baby yoga for months on end and had long leisurely lunches with the ladies afterwards; those were the days (and they are long gone). When we grew out of baby yoga, Pud continued with toddler yoga at a local yoga studio and I vividly remember one yoga inspired incident. Pud was having a complete and utter three year old meltdown in the supermarket (a baked bean tin was even thrown), when something seemed to go *ding* in her frazzled little mind and she put herself into a perfect downward dog to calm herself down. How I wish that would work now for her frazzled tween mind…and how I wish we could all just put ourselves into a yoga pose when life overwhelmed us.

Second child and life meant that yoga classes were no longer, but I really do love the yoga principles and we’ve got several yoga books at home, including my favourites which I’ve listed below. The yoga pretzel cards are a firm favourite as Dan did these with the girls quite frequently, and I’ve found ChickPea doing them a few times by herself lately, which makes me simultaneously teary  and proud. For years now, on sleepovers at my parents, both girls have also enjoyed joining in with papa’s yoga stretches each morning – pretty sure their flexibility eclipses his!

For online yoga resources for little people, if you’re pregnant or a new mother I highly recommend the services and resources that Bettina Rae offers here.

To purchase any of the books below click on title links or cover images. Stayed tuned for my mindfulness post later in the week.

‘Yoga Babies’ by Fearne Cotton and Sheena Dempsey

This is one of the most delightful baby/toddler books I’ve come across in a long time. It reads aloud beautifully, the rhyming text works well and the author has worked with a yoga teacher to ensure the yoga positions are accurate, though this still isn’t an instructional text by any means. ‘Yoga Babies’ is a joyous celebration of yoga and the very young and is an absolute must-have. If I had any pregnany friends at the moment I’d be gifting this one with a voucher to a pregnancy or baby yoga class, or a yoga mat and book. And like the very best picture books – the endpapers give a little more to the reader and continue the story through well considered visuals. A must-have.

‘ABC Yoga’

Pairing simplified yoga poses with alphabetized animals and objects, ABC Yoga features colourful illustrations of children and animals practicing yoga poses along with playful rhymes to explain each movement.  This interactive title is perfect for introducing the ABCs, animals and basic, simplified yoga poses that promote health and well-being. Each letter of the alphabet is paired with an engaging illustration mimicking the various animals’ natural movements. The 26 yoga poses, one for each letter of the alphabet, are renamed for easy understanding, while an index at the end of the book identifies the correct name for each asana (yoga pose) for the adults.

‘I am Yoga’ by Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds

An eagle soaring among the clouds or a star twinkling in the night sky . . . a camel in the desert or a boat sailing across the sea—yoga has the power of transformation. Not only does it strengthen bodies and calm minds, but with a little imagination, it can show us that anything is possible. New York Times bestselling illustrator Peter H. Reynolds and author and certified yoga instructor Susan Verde team up again in this book about creativity and the power of self-expression. ‘I Am Yoga’encourages children to explore the world of yoga and make room in their hearts for the world beyond it.

‘Yoga Pretzels’

Stretch your way to a fun and healthy lifestyle with each of the fifty yoga poses in this colourful deck. Written by Yoga Ed., these cards include forward bends, back bends, partner poses, and balance poses. This great deck of cards combines yoga poses, activities and ideas to inspire children to have fun, stay healthy and grow more aware of how to care for themselves and our planet. 

‘Yoga Planet’ 

A companion volume to the bestselling Yoga Pretzels, this innovative product combines yoga poses, activities and ideas to inspire children to have fun, stay healthy and grow more aware of how to care for themselves and our planet.