This week I am featuring restorative poses that you AND your child can do at home!

It's important to take time to let yourself and your child rest and restore their body. A rested body thinks more clearly and promotes positive thinking and actions. One of our first classes of 2015 was a Restorative Yoga class where kids had the opportunity to work with a partner in learning restorative poses that help rest and relax the body.
Read the poses below to learn how to recreate this at home for yourself and your child!

Lower Back Release Pose

How to: Roll the yoga mat about a 1/3 of the way up. This will be dependent on the height of your child. Have your child lay on the unrolled part of the mat with the back of their knees placed directly over the rolled mat. . Place an eye pillow over the eyes to encourage them shut. Use lavender oil to gently massage the hands, fingers, and forearms.
Benefits: By having the knees slightly bent over the roll of the mat, this encourages the lower back to release and relax. A sore back can be caused from many things but one may be from long periods of sitting down such as in a school desk or work desk. Massaging the hands spreads kindness and encourages empathy.

Heart Opener Pose

How to: Roll the yoga mat about a 1/3 of the way down. This will be dependent on the height of your child. Have your child lay on the unrolled part of the mat with their shoulder blades directly over the rolled mat with the edge of the mat lined up with their underarms. Use lavender oil to gently massage the head and hair.
Benefits: By having the shoulder blades laid over the roll of the mat, this encourages the chest and front of the shoulders to open. This can help with improving posture in the upper back.

Legs up the wall Pose

How to: Sit with your right hip against the wall and knees bent. Roll onto your back with your bottom touching the wall. Straighten your legs up the wall. Relax the arms on your thighs, belly, or sides.
Benefits: This pose restores tired feet & legs, improves digestion, stretches the back of the body, relieves backaches, and calms anxiety.

Enjoy these Restorative Poses for you and your child! Try staying in each pose 5-15 minutes depending on how much time you have or need. :-)