3 breaths to bring calm energy to the kids in your life

By Kathryn Boland, Flow and Grow Kids Yoga Blog Manager 

Many parents of kids of various ages -- from toddlers to teens -- will tell you that their children are either in dysregulated hyperdrive or totally lacking energy. Among many other benefits, yoga can create calm and balanced energy -- calmly controlled but with the energy to take on one's day to one's potential. 

Yogic breathing (pranayama) can be accessible to kids and youth, and also simply fun! Try these yogic breaths with the young people in your life to help them reach that wonderful state of calm energy. 

Power of the Sun Breath ~~ pair movement and breath to bring greater energy to the body 

1. Stand in Mountain Pose and bring your hands just below your heart and above your belly button. This spot, known as the solar plexus, can store energy and power for you. As you inhale, reach your hands to the Sun and spread out all your fingers. 
2. At the top of the inhale, imagine grabbing from the Sun’s rays and pulling the energy in.
3. As you exhale, draw your fists toward your solar plexus. Your elbows will bend and go behind you. 
4. When your elbows are back and hands are in front of your solar plexus, yell, “HA!”
5. Repeat several times.
6. Stop after a maximum of 5 repetitions.

Lion’s Breath ~~ bring a smile, enjoying a little silly energy, and also create greater calm through an emphasized exhale 

Ocean Breathing ~~ channel and focus energy, built through strong inhales, to bring a greater sense of calm

1. Close your eyes, if comfortable for you, or gaze softly ahead.
2. Feel long and tall through your spine.
3. Breathe in deeply.
4. As you breathe out, feel a slight closing in the back of your throat, so that there's a gentle rasp when you breathe out -- loud enough for you to hear but not necessarily anyone around you to hear.
5. Try that 3-5 more times.
6. Breathe normally to rest.

Interested in learning more about self-care tools for children? Check out our Self-Care for Children course! Take it individually or as part of our95-hour Kids Yoga Teacher Training -- our next one starts on June 22, and we also have one planned for the fall! Questions? Email the Teacher Trainer Lara Hocheiser atlara@flowandgrowkidsyoga.com, or book a call with herhere!