4 Family Yoga Poses to Try at Home!

By Bretton KeatingInterested in getting the whole family involved in yoga? Turns out, it’s actually a lot easier (and more fun!) than you may expect. Here are four simple yoga poses you can do with your kids right at home. Along with the physical benefits of each, these poses incorporate mindfulness by bringing us into the present moment, promoting body awareness, and facilitating connection.1. Lizard on a Rock PoseThe grown up becomes a rock by folding into Child’s Pose. Arms can rest by the sides with palms face up, or extend out in front with palms down for added shoulder opening. The child becomes a lizard by placing his or her seat against the grown up’s hips, and then slowly laying back so that the two spines rest on top of one another. It’s a great stretch for both partners! Children: be sure to communicate with your grown up while coming into and out of this posture. Remember to be gentle on your rocks!2. Partner BoatSit facing each other. Slowly bend one leg at a time and place your feet against your partner’s opposite foot. Bend your knees as much as you need to clasp hands. Lift your chest and give one another a smile! Option to "row your boat" by moving backward and forward in sync, to work deeper into the abdominals and hip flexors. Another option to sing “row, row, row your boat” as you do so. Singing works deeper into the pose’s fun factor! :)3. Seated TwistSit cross-legged facing one another. Wrap your left arms around your back and lift your right arm in the air. Twist toward the left and find your partner’s hand. Inhale to lengthen the spine and as you exhale, pull gently on your partner’s hands to deepen the twist. On an inhale, come back to center, and switch sides, twisting in the opposite direction.4. SupermanThis one takes some leg strength, for both grown up and child! Grown ups come to laying flat on the ground. Bend the knees and face the bottoms of the feet up toward the sky. Children stand facing their grown up, and place the crevice of the hips against the feet. Hold hands as grown up slowly extend the legs straight. Children, fly! Lift your chest and your legs. We incorporate these and other partner and group poses in family yoga at Yoga Heights. If you give them a try, let us know how it goes! The important thing is to remember to have fun with it; it’s not about getting it right, it’s just about exploring different ways to move together.

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Take class with Bretton:Wednesday at Takoma – 7:45 pm (Intermediate Flow)Thursday at Georgia Ave. – 12:00 pm (All Levels Flow)Friday at Georgia Ave. – 6:30 am (Hot Flow)Saturday at Takoma – 12:15 pm (Ashtanga) and 3:30 pm (Family Yoga, beginning 3/17)Yoga Heights' other family and prenatal yoga classes include: Tuesday at Georgia Ave. – 10:15 am (Baby & Me Yoga)Wednesday at Takoma – 10:00 am (Baby & Me Yoga) Wednesday at Takoma – 4:30 pm (Family Yoga) Thursday at Takoma – 6:45 pm (Prenatal Yoga) Saturday at Georgia Ave – 1:30 pm (Family Yoga, beginning 3/10) Sunday at Georgia Ave. – 3:45 pm (Prenatal Yoga)