Yoga to the rescue: how to stay sane during your next family vacation

(By Charlotte Burgoyne)

Family vacations are a fun and amazing way to bond with your kids but let's be honest - it can also get quite stressful. Flight delays, traffic, waiting lines, you name it... there are an endless number of reasons why you and your little one can get overwhelmed. In these moments, practicing yoga is not the first thought that comes to mind but it can really be a great help. Jensen Wheeler Wolfe, a yoga teacher specialized in kids' yoga and the founder of The Little Yoga Mat - a company making yoga mats for kids - explains how and why it can be used during travelling to relax both body and mind.

PRACTICING YOGA IN A PLANE OR A CAR? IT IS POSSIBLE!

Even when you are strapped in your plane or car seat, yoga can be handy to calm nerves and relax the mind. Here are ways you can use it, depending on your child’s age:

  • Babies: Obviously they can’t do much but they can certainly watch and feel you; they can benefit from yoga through you. Put them on your lap facing you when you practice a simple breathing exercise.
  • Toddlers: You can create an imaginary ball with your hands. Breathe in through your nose while making the ball bigger with your hands. Breathe out making the ball smaller. Repeat this exercise five times. It will shift their focus and calm them.
  • Older Kids: They will be able to practice breathing exercises just as you do them. Sit up tall, place your hands on your knees, close your eyes and relax your face. Talk to yourself, telling yourself to let go of things while breathing in and out, for five minutes.

BEST POSES FOR KIDS

When you are waiting for a plane, making a stop on the road or needing to relax in your hotel room after a long day of visiting, there are simple poses you can practice with your kids. At seven years old, kids should be able to hold a pose. For younger ones, try making up stories with the poses. Keep in mind that these poses do not have to be long, even little sequences will help tremendously.

  • Warrior 2 - The best pose for kids! Kids usually like jumping into this pose; it gives them strength.
  • Triangle pose - For younger kids, accompany this pose with nursery rhymes such as 'Twinkle Twinkle'.
  • Lion pose - It consists of stretching your face by sticking your tongue out and opening your eyes wide. With little ones, make a roaring sound at the same time.
  • Sun Salutation - It is a simple lovely sequence that does so much. Open up your arms and make a circle above your head, breathing deeply in and out. Repeat three times.

If you have extra space don’t forget to bring Jensen’s Little Yoga Mat with you. Designed specifically for kids, it will fit in your diaper bag and will make a fantastic play mat as well as practice mat.

IS YOGA REALLY EFFICIENT FOR LITTLE ONES?

"Yes,” insists Jensen, "kids have been doing it in India for ever, it is their gym! You might not have noticed but yoga has spread rapidly in the US in the past few years because kids spend more and more time in front of screens and it overloads their head. School is also becoming more competitive and therefore stressful. Kids have to deal with more adult things at a younger age so it is important for them to have a way to calm, relax and focus," she explains. Although she agrees that younger kids will most likely run around during a yoga class instead of focusing, she highlights that there are ways to keep them interested - like involving their senses - and that yoga will, for sure, promote self-esteem and make kids feel good about themselves."Nobody will ever tell you to hold a pose for a certain amount of time; yoga is forgiving and thus open to all."

    

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