Toddler Yoga is a fun, bonding activity for children ages crawling through 3 and an adult guardian.
The 45 minute class is dynamic, fast paced, and offers toddlers many opportunities to engage in developmentally supportive play that can aid in their:
- vestibular sense (sense of balance),
- proprioception (sense of where our bodies are in space),
- language development (for example, naming body parts and learning new rhymes),
- gross motor skills (for example, rolling over, standing, and sitting),
- fine motor skills (for example, the hand muscles needed as they begin to grasp crayons and other tools),
- sense of coordination (moving different body parts at different times),
- sense of community (socializing, sharing space and class props with others – read more on what types of props you can expect below)
I have been teaching Toddler Yoga at Carambola Community Music and Surya Yoga in El Paso, Texas, for over a year. Some of our parents also report that Toddler Yoga has helped their children with self-regulating, providing them age-appropriate tools that let them know they are safe, loved, and create space and prompting for deep breathing.
As a mom, everything I learned in my toddler yoga training with ChildLight Yoga has come to be an indispensable part of my parenting toolbox. I learned to find fun, creative ways to connect to my child, help him ease peacefully to sleep, and encourage mutual understanding and cooperation.
What sorts of props can you expect in a Toddler Yoga class? We play with some of the usual yoga props such as blocks and bolsters – but also others such as hula hoops, tunnels, scarves, stuffed animals, balls, glass-less mirrors, books, and more.
The first three years of life are incredibly important not just for physical and neurological development, but for social and emotional development.
Toddler Yoga provides a way for grown-ups to come into the child’s world – to observe how their children take to the multiple offerings the class provides, to engage without having to be ‘in charge,’ knowing that a trained facilitator is holding the space for everyone to enjoy.
