3 Yoga Poses to wind down before Bedtime!
What we love most about kids yoga is that you can do it ANY time, ANY where - including before bed time! For many kiddies, routine is key and a simple bed time routine can help shift us into a more relaxed state. Here are a few yoga poses and activities to do before bed time that might help your little ones out!
That being said, these suggestions are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’. Each child us unique and may have their own ways of calming. What works for some, may not for others. Try them out and see what works best for YOU!
1. Bunny Hops
This may seem a bit counter productive - how does jumping around make me relax? Bear with us here! Sometimes we have a lot of remaining energy from our day, and this pose helps us release and jump out all the ‘energies!’. It gets the body and breath going, and afterwards you can bring your hands to your heart and connect to your heart rate and breath rate!
How to do it:
Start in downard facing dog and try kick your heels to your bottom.
If your kiddies dont want to jump, maybe just lift one leg at a time! The proprioceptive (deep weight bearing) input through the hands is also great!
For an extra xhallenge, try land with soft feet
Tip: Go as slow or as fast you would like
2. Rag doll
This pose gives us a moment to just hang out! As an inverted position, this pose works with our vestibular system (the awareness and movement of our head in space) and can be calming for some!
How to do it:
Stand with feet hip distance apart or wider.
Soften the knees and hinge from the hips. Take opposite hand to opposite elbow
Maybe with a little sway if it feels good otherwise really just try relax the head ( you should not be looking at your toes but through the legs or have your eyes closed)
Challenge: Be still or try a little soft 'bounce' side to side.
Child's pose
This one makes sense right? It's a safe space, your safe space.
Grounding yourself before you drift off to bed can help you have a good night's rest.
How to do it:
Come down onto knees.
Push hips back to heels and allow the head to rest down on the floor.
You can reach the arms forward or just let the hands relax
Stay here for at least 5 to 10 deep slow breaths