With the way society is today, our children need to learn ways to stay healthy both physically and emotionally. As adults we need time outs to recharge so that we can do what we do everyday. Children are the same. We cannot push them, provide no outlet for recharging and expect them to excel in it all. As a teacher, I have met many children who are drained and exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. We see these kids break down and fall apart, sometimes hurting themselves in the process. It is heartbreaking. We need to provide children with opportunities to relax. Yoga helps children learn to be one with themselves and their bodies. It also provides them with calm quiet time that is away from the hustle and bustle of our busy life filled with technology. It is also a great way to teach children to care for their bodies, mind, and soul.
Storyland Yoga teaches children simple yoga poses through two stories. The stories allows children to use their imaginations as they take on poses of different scenes in the story and each story also provides an eco-conscious message. Storyland Yoga is recommended for children ages 3-8 and has won 4 national awards: Parent’s Choice, Mom’s Choice Gold, Dr. Toy’s Best Green Product, and Creative Child Magazine’s Preferred Choice. I was very excited to review this with my class. Go here to learn more about StoryLand Yoga.
My Review
It was a perfect rainy day and my students were getting rather antsy. As with 3 and 4 year olds, they had boundless of energy and our little classroom could not contain that energy. So I whipped out the Storyland Yoga DVD and told them that we were going to do some kids yoga. Of course I got some confused looks, so I told them to pick a spot and just follow along. I wasn’t sure if the yoga poses would be easy for them to follow or if they would be able to stand there quietly holding poses so I was really glad to see it told as a story. It took some prompting to get them started in the beginning. They were not too sure about whether they were supposed to just watch or join along but with some prompts from the adults, they got into it. My younger students (3 year old) joined in every now and then but mostly they watched the older ones do the poses. I really liked that the poses were linked to the story. My students especially loved doing the animal poses. I was actually quite surprised that they kept their attention on the story the entire time. The poses were very achievable for my 4yr old. It was a fun, calming activity that they all were able to enjoy at their own level.
doing the snake pose in the Condor Trek
Buy It
StoryLand Yoga is created by Playful Planet and is available on DVD for $14.99. You can purchase directly from their website.
Win It
Thanks to Playful Planet, one lucky reader will win their very own StoryLand Yoga DVD. Enter below for a chance to win. This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ and ends on 5/27/12 at 11.59pm. Please see the terms and conditions for more information.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
This sounds wonderful plus the packaging is all made from recycled materials! Great review!!
i am excited that there are things out there like this that have the kids doing something else besides sitting around and getting physically unfit.
Yoga is great exercise and helps to calm children, giving them greater focus and increased clarity.
it connects them with nature while teaching them yoga
Yoga with an eco-conscious message for our children! Great!!!
I learned the DVD has an eco-conscious message.
connects them with nature while teaching them yoga
A proactive way to maintain calmness and connectedness with self
I love that it is away for the family to work together and for children to get the benefits of yoga
I learned that the dvd is packaged in 100% recycled materials
I connects kids with the understanding of nature while they also learn yoga
I learned that the kids get to imitate animals, which my kids would love.
the dvd is packaged in 100% recycled materials
My daughter would absolutely love this. It’s a great feeling to teach your child positive and healthy habits!
I’m happy to find such a nice activity to involve my children in
I learned that Yoga is great exercise and helps to calm children, giving them greater focus and increased clarity – emscout9 at Hotmail dot com
I learned it uses imaginative storytelling and tells two stories.
connects them with nature while teaching them yoga
That it helps get the kids off the couch!
I like that part of their mission was to empower people.
I learned that yoga helps to calm children.
It was started by a husband wife team in 2000