#StayandPlay – Get your kids to stay fit & have fun with yoga during lockdown

With schools shut and activity classes called off, many parents are looking for ways to keep their children creatively occupied during the coronavirus or COVID-19 lockdown. Here on NewzHook, we will bring you some fun activities that kids can do every day. We start off with basic yoga asanas.

With social distancing putting an end to any outdoor activities for your child, finding ways to keep him/her fit and stay calm is a challenge. For children on the autism spectrum disorder this is even more important as many of them are prone to meltdowns. For parents coping with managing household chores during the lockdown, this can bring additional stress.

One fun activity that you can look at doing with your child is yoga. Yoga is known to have amazing benefits for all children, especially for kids with disabilities like autism and ADHD. Preetha Anoop Menon, a parent in Kochi, ensures her son, Sivaa, does some asanas every day.

Sivaa has been learning yoga at the centre he goes to and I make sure he continues to do the asanas at home every day with his brother Siddhu. It’s something they get to do together and bond over. Sivaa loves to exercise and does many other physical activities as well to music. – Preetha Anoop Menon, Parent

Some tips to keep in mind

If your child has not done yoga before, don’t let that put you off. There are some simple yoga poses that kids can do at home. Make sure you have a yoga mat and ensure the room has low lights and a soothing look. Choose a quiet corner in your home and you can play some soothing music.

Here are seven poses or asanas your child would enjoy doing and relax with:

• Child’s pose with a bee’s buzz – Tell your child to sit on his/her knees and place the forehead on the floor with arms stretched out behind. Tell him/her to breathe like bee. This means taking a deep breath and then buzzing like a bee. Kids love to buzz like a bee and the deep breaths are soothing.
• Cat-Cow – Your child should get on their hands and knees. Start by inhaling and arching the back like a cat. This is followed by an exhale and dropping the stomach while looking at the ceiling. The exhale should be a long MOOO sound like a cow.
• Tree Pose – Ask your child to stand and pick the leg they feel most balanced on. They should lift the other leg and play it above the knee of the other leg as high as possible. Then they should fold their hands in a namaste and breathe deeply.
• Child’s pose – This is a comforting pose where the child sits on the knees and goes face down and holds the pose breathing deeply. The hands can be placed before them on the floor or behind them.
• Ragdoll – This calms the mind and relieves stress. Get the child to stand with the legs placed together. Then raise the arms and slowly bend at the waist. The arms should fall towards the floor and as the child breathes deeply, the knees should stay relaxed and the arms drop further towards the floor. Raise back after a few deep breaths.
• Cobra – This pose is great for stretching the back and legs, while opening the chest. Lie on the stomach with legs stretched out behind. Place the palms beside the shoulders on the ground. Join the legs together. Inhale deeply, press palms down and lift the upper body. Lift the head, chest and shoulders off the ground while keeping the stomach, thighs and buttocks tight. Look up to the ceiling keeping the neck and arms straight. Take a few deep breaths and hiss like a cobra.
• Lion’s Roar – This is a fun asana that all kids love to do. It’s great to relieve tension. While roaring like a lion playfully, the child gets to release unwanted emotions. The child should kneel down and cross the ankles behind. The hands should be placed on the knees with the palms pressed down on the thighs. The fingers should be spread out like a lion’s paws. Inhale deeply, open the mouth wide and bring the tongue out to touch the chin. As the child exhales, he/she should a roaring sound with the eyes open wide.

Do you have a yoga pose that is especially effective for your child with autism? Do share with us at editor@newzhook.com

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