Stress Management for Kids

Yoga for kids with special needs

If you are looking for a way to bring calm and to build stamina for folks with special needs, watch this video and read the article just published in the Chicago Tribune: “Yoga offers benefits for people with special needs“ As one of the teachers recognizes, “The beauty of yoga is that it helps you wherever you are at,” said Fakroddin. Gadi Revivo, a pediatrician who specializes in rehabilitation, says that even though yoga is thousands of years old, it brings something new to his special-needs patients. Listen to the video and look through the article for a lot of good information and links to more programs.

Photo: GreenTREE Yoga program, Final Relaxation SPLORE retreat on the COLORADO River.

Another way to help kids relax ~

If you are looking for a charming way for kids to learn how to relax, try introducing them to this book — Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Master and Buddhist Monk, gives us a book with simple diagrams and easy movements that will appeal to all ages, but especially to the young!

YogaBuddies helps kids learn to calm themselves ~

Visit the YogaBuddies website for a ‘Pose of the Week”. Yoga helps kids learn to recognize signs of stress in themselves and then gives them the tools to help them relax. Perhaps there is a child with whom you can share some yoga!

Helping Kids Relax Like a Sea Turtle…

There’s a lovely site with ideas on how to help kids relax called Kids’ Relaxation. A recent post talks about the importance of allowing and helping kids to create a safe place to relax, a cave of sorts. Another gives ideas on how to help them relax like a sea turtle. It’s a site with some easy ideas so visit it and let us know what you like!

Help Kids Learn to Relax

If you are looking for some resources on how to help kid learn to relax, try The Yoga Site, the online resource center. Lisa Orkin is a a certified Kripalu Yoga teahcer and occupational therapist. There are ideas on visualizations, books, and dvds.

Gifts that relax both kids and adults!

This isn’t just for yogis who are kids — I know grown ups who put these prints on their walls just to smile!Check out these 11 x 17 inch signed prints from Yoga Makes Me Feel — they make a fun gift for any yogi or anyone looking to smile. Six prints in all- great for a kid’s room or classroom! From the picture book Yoga Makes Me Feel… Artist Svea Lunoe! http://lilapress.com/Books/Books.htm

Helping Kids Learn to Relax

We had a lot of fun at the GreenTREE Yoga Kids’ Yoga Teacher Training at the lovely Avenues Yoga in SLC on Saturday. We talked a bit about how to offer yoga to kids, and then we invited some kids to join us so we could see how it works! For more information on kids yoga and how it gives tools to kids for their own stress management, visit our website at greentreeyoga.org. Here are some comments from the training. I feel such gratitude that I am able to connect with folks who work with kids and share what I have learned in my 30 years of teaching.

“The services you provide for children in our community is truly inspirational… I also really appreciated you talking about yoga as a safe place- that was really good to be reminded of. ~ JI, SLC

“Honestly, the training was amazing. I don’t wanna just give you useless, complimental fluff, but in all sincerity the training was amazing. I’ve been wanting to volunteer w you guys for a while but I was nervous to work w kids. I’m good w kids cause I’m energetic and love to play, but I didn’t know to incorporate yoga. That was one of the best things that you taught me, being fun and noisy is exactly the point. Also, the ‘safe’ and ‘choice’ principles helped a ton. Just learning that if they don’t want to, that’s fine. I def appreciated your shpeel at the beginning where you incorporated the scientific aspect of yoga. “ – RB, SLC

Many thanks to Avenues Yoga in Salt Lake City for sharing their beautiful site!

Ideas on helping kids and teens learn to manage stress

Find some simple to use ideas on helping kids and teens relax and destress. For more information, to look inside or to buy, click here and scroll down the page…

“Whether you are a parent, teacher, or youth, you’ll love this book because it’s so easy to use, filled with fun facts, creative yoga sequences, child-centered techniques, ready-to-use scripts for thematic lessons, with meaningful quotes and questions to ponder. I am inspired by the richness of this text and the authenticity of yoga for kids it expresses such as the importance of the breath, body awareness, proper alignment, relaxation, self-discovery, and positivity.” ~Jodi B. Komitor, MA, RYT, Author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga with Kids and Founder of Next Generation Yoga.

How to bring kids from silly to calm!

YogaKids is one of the pioneers in kids’ yoga. If you are looking for an enjoyable way to get the wiggles out for the younger kids and bring them to a place of calm, try this DVD. It’s fun and something kids really enjoy doing.

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Volunteer to help kids and teacher reduce stress!

If you are looking for a way to help kids and teachers take a quick stress break, then this book has an entire chapter for you! The new School Volunteer Handbook (click here) not only has a chapter showing you how to do the simple yoga breaks (and you don’t have to know any yoga), it also has an easy to use LittleTREE Yoga CD in the back of the book. Look at sample pages and listen to sample tracks at the website link. Please let us know what you think!

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