Child’s Poses

ALTERNATE ARM/LEG KICKS

Benefits: Energizes and warms body. Develops core strength, postural muscles, and balance. Activates and integrates both hemispheres of the brain. Develops cross-lateral coordination and outer hip stability necessary for walking. Accessible to a wide range of students.

How to: Come to all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Stretch right leg straight back and point toes down. Hips and leg are level with floor. Now lift and lengthen left arm, with thumb pointing up. Look slightly down, lift belly, and lengthen from top of head to tail. Keep hips and body still for 5 to 10 seconds. Extended leg and arm stay horizontal and parallel to floor. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then switch sides, lifting left leg and right arm.

Variations and integration: Lift opposite arm and leg in unison for greater integration of brain hemispheres.
While in pose, take raised arm and leg out to the side and then back, squeezing into the midline.

Notes: Because most mental processes involve both sides of the brain, integration problems between the two hemispheres can result in inefficiencies in brain processes.  Thus, some children with reading difficulties, central auditory processing disorders, language delay, and other learning problems may be suffering from a lack of hemispheric integration. This activity activates and integrates both hemispheres of the brain. Research indicates that this integration is related to ease of learning to read for school-age children. This activity also can help with underdeveloped postural (extensor) muscles that can result from the amount of time children and babies spend sitting and on their backs.



BACK DRAWING

Benefits: Calms and relaxes. Develops trust and ability to give and take. A great group exercise and a good reward.

How to: Stand in a close circle, turn to the right, and sit in a cross-legged position. (This can also be done in chairs.) Place hands on the back of the person in front of you. Begin by making rain on the person’s back—gently tapping the back. Now, make it rain all the way down the back—fingers sliding gently down the back. Then, make very light thunder—gently tapping the back. Then, lightning—draw lightning strikes. Now, draw big, puffy rain clouds. Brush those clouds away—gently sweeping hands across the back. Now the sun comes out—draw a big sun with a happy face and sunglasses! Place palms on the back in front of you. Close eyes and feel the warm hands of the person behind you. Imagine yourself in a beautiful or favorite place with the sun warming your back. When the sun comes out, the flowers begin to grow—draw a beautiful flower for your friend. Now draw either a gift or a secret message on the other person’s back. Whisper into the person’s ear what the gift or secret message is. Activity takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Variations and integration: Create imagery on the back that relates to a specific time of year, current event, or theme such as holidays, snow, a parade, or a nature scene. Have students share what gifts they gave and received, or the messages they sent to one another. After drawing the gift or message on the back, have each student draw the image on paper or write down the message so they can remember it. For students who are sensitive to touch, try “short-stroking,” an occupational therapy technique that uses alternating palm pressure down the spine with one hand starting before the first stops. Other options for students sensitive to touch are to use firmer pressure or let them sit and watch the group.

Notes: This activity works well for virtually all students and is a great family activity. Children request this activity all the time! For older students, a group shoulder massage in a circle is a special treat before or after a test—or for a relaxation break. With teenage students, it works best if boys and girls form their own circles. Also, you can use more sophisticated imagery.



DOWNWARD-FACING DOG

Benefits: Energizes, calms, and strengthens. Increases flexibility in shoulders, hips, and backs of legs. Deeply seats the leg and arm bones into their sockets, providing a sense of integration. Weight-bearing through arms and upper body stimulates development of strong, healthy bones.

How to: Come to all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under and slightly behind hips. Point fingers straight ahead and spread them like rays of the sun. Press down through the four corners of the hands and feet. Activate and straighten arms.  Turn toes under and press thighs and hips toward wall behind you, creating an “A” shape. Keep arms straight with head and chest slightly lifting up to create a flat back from head to hips. Knees can be slightly bent to keep back from rounding up. Hold for 5 seconds to 2 minutes.

Variations and integration: Time the pose, and as students get stronger, lengthen the time they hold.
Chair Dog: Place hands on the back or seat of a chair or a table to adapt pose.
Heel Pumps: Inhale and lift heels up; exhale and lower heels.
Alternate going from Downward Dog to Plank and back. Keep belly, head, and heart lifting up.
Leg Lifts: Inhale and lift one leg up, away from the floor and bring in line with arms and upper body. Keep arms straight, lift belly, and press out strongly through the four corners of the raised foot. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds; exhale the foot back to the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Notes: Children can have tight hamstrings, resulting in upwardly rounded backs in this pose. To take the strain off the lower back, have them look up, bend their knees slightly, and press their thighs back. The inverted nature of this pose facilitates a complete exhalation, activates the vestibular system, and helps to calm the nervous system. Stretching the calf muscles helps prevent common sports injuries.



PLANK

Benefits: Strengthens abdominal muscles, arms, and legs. Develops discipline, perseverance, and stamina. Great for developing a strong core—which is important for a strong life!

How to: Come to all fours, with knees several inches behind hips. Point fingers straight ahead and spread them like rays of the sun. Press down through the four corners of each hand. Straighten one leg back, turn toes under, and place foot on floor. Do the same with the other leg and come into a push-up position with shoulders directly over or slightly behind the wrists. Lift legs, hips, belly, and head until body is straight like a board. Tailbone is kept tucked toward the floor. Press out through heels and top of head. Keep breathing! To avoid sagging at the hips and belly, breathe into your low back and imagine it lifting up to the sky like a balloon. Hold for 3 seconds to 2 minutes.

Variations and integration: Stretch a string out straight and line up ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and ear. Lift low back up into a partner’s hand. Develop more core strength by pressing the thighs toward each other—using a yoga block between thighs to help—and pressing out through head and heels.
Alternately lift one leg and then the other off the floor.
Alternate going from Plank to Downward Dog and back, keeping the belly and thighs up.
Elbow Plank: Try Plank with elbows and palms on floor.
Side Plank: From Plank, pull legs together, roll to outer edge of right foot while lifting the left arm up to the sky. Keep toes pulled back, lift hips, and lift heart to the sky. Repeat on other side.



PULSE COUNT

Benefits: Quiets and calms. Develops inner listening and personal awareness. Educates about the heart and circulatory system. Teaches about bodily rhythms and cycles of nature. Develops awareness that we do have control over our bodies.

How to: Take two fingers to the side of the mouth. Tip head slightly back and draw a line down with fingers into groove along the neck. Press gently to find pulse. Raise other hand when pulse is found. Count pulse beats silently to self. Now, count the pulse for 15 seconds. Later, expand to 30 seconds, and then 1 minute. Ask students what their count was. (Note: Counts will vary and some students may have trouble counting or may make up exceptionally low or high counts.) Activity takes 2 to 20 minutes.

Variations and integration: Run in place for one minute, then take pulse again. Discuss the reasons the pulse is different after running. Then try the opposite. Relax the muscles, slow the breathing, and concentrate on “thinking” your heart rate lower. Try playing relaxing music. What happens to the pulse? Time the group for 30 seconds, then have them do the math to calculate their pulse rate per minute. Older students can track their pulse during daily activities. Graph results, determine averages, and explore the relationships between activities
and pulse.

Notes: Pulse Count and breath awareness are simple biofeedback tools for determining healthy activities and for training the sympathetic nervous system to be less reactive to stressors. Athletes use pulse and breathing rate information to set their workout difficulty levels, and to gauge their condition and recovery rates. An 8- to 10-year-old child’s resting pulse rate is usually about 90 beats per minute, with rates varying from 60 to 110. Resting pulse rates much above 120 or much below 50 are uncommon and should be checked by a doctor (Lawrence Hall of Science, Family Health Program, 2001).  Children’s maximal heart rate is much higher than adults, and is generally 200 to 205 contractions per minute (Riner & Sabath, 2003).



TREE

Benefits: Energizes and calms. Develops balance and focuses attention. Strengthens postural muscles. Good for students with attention difficulties as it demands their immediate attention.

How to: Stand with legs and feet together. Shift your weight onto the left foot. Slowly bend right knee and draw the right foot up, placing the sole as high as possible on the left inner leg (i.e., ankle, shin, or thigh) without strain. Activate your body and press standing leg down, rooting yourself like a tree to the earth. Press palms together in front of heart to help with balance. Then, stretch arms and head up like branches to the sky, while rooting your standing leg. Hold for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Repeat on the other leg.

Variations and integration: Dancing Trees: While in the pose, take the right arm back and the left arm forward, then switch, taking the left arm back and right forward. Try the pose with your eyes closed! Time students, lengthening holding times as the students grow stronger. Have a few students who are good at the pose demonstrate.

Notes: Balance stimulation activities like Tree develop both vestibular and proprioceptive systems, which play a key role in perception, spatial awareness, and the development of motor, tactile, auditory, and visual brain systems. These activities are foundational to efficient brain processing and both academic and athletic performance. Additionally, balance exercises ameliorate anxiety and increases self-esteem in children with balance disorders. Neurological screening tests indicate that 90 percent of children by age 5 to 6 should be able to balance on one foot for 10 seconds (Mutti, Martin, Sterling, et al, 1998). To prepare for Tree, use Tree Circle, or just balance on one foot at a time. For trouble balancing, place one foot on top of the other, or try the pose with the back against a wall for support.



TREE CIRCLE

Benefits: Develops balance, trust, and teamwork in a fun way. Teaches how to stay centered when challenged.

How to: Students make a large circle, facing in and standing about 3 feet apart. Raise both arms and stretch them out, fingers pointing up. Place hands together with the person on each side and lift right leg up in Tree pose. Press into each other’s hands and use each other for support. Hold for 2 to 5 minutes. Switch legs and repeat.

Variations and integration: Have several of the students come out of the circle to be “animals” in the forest. Then re-form the circle and have the animals challenge the others by making noises, running in and out of the circle, jumping up and down, and so on (but no touching or blowing on the others). Switch challengers. Drop hands and try again without the support of the circle.

Notes: In a forest, stands of trees shield each other from the wind, and intertwine their roots for greater support. Trees also provide habitat for animals. These and other themes can be developed from and explored through Tree Circle.



WARRIOR I

Benefits: Energizes and grounds. Quickly warms the body. Develops strength, endurance, and flexibility. Good confidence builder before a test or a major challenge.

How to: Stand with legs hip-width apart. Take right leg back, placing the knee on floor (bent-knee version), or take right foot back 3 to 4 feet with heel off floor and straighten back leg (straight-leg version). Move hips forward and slide the back leg back until the front knee is right over the front ankle. Take arms overhead, palms facing each other and fingers extending. Lift belly, head, and heart. Hold for 6 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat on other side. (If the knee is uncomfortable in bent-knee version, double up mat or place padding under it.)

Notes: The Warrior is a common archetype in many cultures, signifying the passage to adulthood, the protection of family and culture, and the ability to stand up for what one believes.



WARRIOR II

Benefits: Energizes and grounds. Develops leg and arm strength. Increases stamina.
How to: Stand with legs wide apart—about 3 to 4 feet. Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot all the way out to the right. Breathe in and lift arms up parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Exhale and bend the right knee until it is directly over the ankle, with the shin straight up and down. Keep both sides of the torso equally long, with shoulders directly over the pelvis (there is a tendency to lean to the bent-knee side). Shoulders are back and down. Extend out through top of head, tail, feet, and arms. Hold for 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat on other side.

Variations and integration: Work on widening the stance until front thigh is parallel with the floor, with knee over the ankle. Quite a workout!
Rising Moon: Reach your front palm up to the sky and take the back hand to the back thigh. In your heart, think of the people you care about and then extend your heart thoughts out to them.



WOODCHOPPER

Benefits: Releases tension. Energizes and stimulates the nervous system. Develops focus and strengthens breathing (diaphragm) muscles. Combined with use of voice, helps students find their personal power.

How to: Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Take arms overhead with hands together as if holding an ax. Imagine a piece of wood on the ground in front of you. On a count of three, swing hands down to chop the imaginary piece of wood. Make a loud “Huh!” sound as your ax hits the imaginary wood. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes.

Variations and integration: Make the “Huh” sound come from the deepest part of the belly. Ask if students feel a difference doing it this way. When students picture the piece of wood on the floor in front of them, encourage them to really keep their focus on the wood as they chop down so they don’t miss it. Have individual students lead the pose in front of the classroom.
Combine with Pulse Count activity (p. 83) before and after to check the effect of the pose.

Notes: Exercise empties lungs completely, creating a slight vacuum that pulls in fresh air.
Use before a test to increase alertness and reduce anxiety and tension.

**Excerpted with permission from Yoga Calm for Children: Educating, Heart, Mind, and Body, by Lynea and Jim Gillen. Learn more about Yoga Calm at yogacalm.org.