Yoga Twist, Balance and Co-ordinate!

We all know that kids are way more flexible than us as adults, they can get into yoga poses and positions much more easily than we can!

A key aspect in a child’s development is also their balance and co-ordination as it really helps  children to function effectively across environments and tasks. Improving this provides the ability to maintain controlled positions during both static (still) and dynamic (moving) activities.

When we are doing physical activities, we are not only improving our physical wellbeing but also our emotional wellbeing, mindset and self regulation, which are important as we grow up as it builds resilience, strength, motivation, determination and focus.

There are lots of aspects to building our balance and co-ordination that help us in different ways:

• Attention and concentration
• Body Awareness
• Bilateral integration helping brain function and development
• Hand eye coordination
• Muscular strength
• Self regulation
• Postural Control
• Sensory processing
• Isolated movement (The ability to move an arm or leg while keeping the remainder of the body still needed for refined movement)

A really fun way that can help us improve and progress is by using yoga poses and really challenging ourselves working on our own progression. Yoga is meeting your body where you at now, and building upon this. Our balance, strength, co-ordination and abilities (both physical and academic) can also be affected by our moods and energy levels!

So, one of the ways that I get the kids engaged is by using the game Twister. I use the mat and the spinner but create my own version (obviously the normal version will also help with all of the above points too).

Get your mat, all take a position and choose one person to be in control of the spinner, taking this in turns so that everyone has the opportunity to play and don’t forget to grab your pack of mini me yoga cards too!

Spin the spinner and all players must stand on the correlating coloured spot, then get the person who has the spinner to pick a yoga card out matching the colour and each player must do the post on their spot (for some you might need to do the pose and then stand back on your spot!). Repeat this as many times as you want. If you fall over, become unbalanced or if you wanted, the last person to get into the pose, then they swap with the person spinning!

Lots of laugher and fun is always had with this version and we all know that laughter is the best medicine which supports our wellbeing! It will definitely keep everyone entertained for a while!