3 Yoga Inspired Activities for Your Child's Day.To wake up, to have a movement break and to calm down!

By Sue Heron Paediatric Physiotherapist and Head of Training at Tatty Bumpkin.

General advice

Before doing these activities with your child:

Check you have space around you to avoid bumps.

Find a clean mat or clear area of carpet and take off socks and shoes to avoid slips.

Respect your body. Check with a health professional if you’re unsure whether the activity is suitable for you right now.

Find a clear place on a mat!

Morning Wake up - Friendly Frog Pose!

If your child is drowsy in the morning frog jumps will help them to become more alert.
If your child is wide awake, curling up under a lily pad combined with the frog jumps will help them feel more ‘organised’.

Curl up on the mat or carpet with your heads tucked in – you’re frogs sleeping under lily pads! Do a few yawns just for fun.
‘Brrinng!’ That’s the froggy alarm, it’s time to wake up. Move into a squatting position with your feet on the floor and your arms between your knees so you can place your hands on the floor in front. Younger children may just wish to crouch.
Poke out your tongue a few times to catch delicious flies for breakfast!
It’s time to go! JUMP UP to ‘reach for the sun’ with your froggy hands. Younger children may just bend and straighten their knees, which is fine. Children don’t usually learn to jump from the floor until they are about 2 years old.
Do 4 leaps before curling up again to have a rest! If you have time repeat the game.

Hiding under the lily pad

Catching flies!

Jump up to 'reach for the sun!'

During the day - Clever Cat Pose for Clever Hands

Cat pose activates the shoulder muscles which are essential for dressing and writing skills. In addition, as your child waves their hand in cat pose they will be doing a pattern of the movement which is very similar to writing. Cat pose is also a great movement break for your child if they have been sitting for a-while.

Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders.
Gently curl your back upwards and back down – not too far mind.
Stretch one arm or leg to wave your cat paws or magic tails.
Repeat with your other arm and leg and ‘meow’ at each other!
Then crawl forwards and backwards or around the room to look for mice…
Try doing cat pose to Tatty Bumpkin cat song https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-is-the-life/id376347823

Wave your magic tail and then the other one!

Cat drinking the milk

Drowsy Ducks for Bedtime

Time for bed and a good night’s sleep means more energy in the morning. Often children find it hard to calm down so they are ready for sleep. Drowsy ducks game will help your child take deeper, slower breaths which will automatically slow their heart rate – allowing them to relax.

Find two bath-time toy ducks – make sure they don’t squeak!
Lie down with your child on the mat or carpet and place your ducks on your tummies.
With your child looking at you show them how they can make their duck bob up and down just by moving their tummy! As you breathe in your duck should move up, as you breathe out your duck should move down. This is abdominal breathing.
Only do 3 – 4 of these deeper breaths in a row. Then breathe normally for a little while. Repeat a few times.
It's can be helpful for your child to do this activity to calming music. If you use the same music each time your child will soon start to link the music with the activity. Tatty Bumpkin's relax song is very peaceful and has been specifically written for relaxation https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/bendy-giggly-clever-strong/id376349531.

Make the duck bob up and down on your tummy

Relax together for awhile!

Love Tatty Bumpkin x

To find more about Tatty Bumpkin please visit http://www.tattybumpkin.com/