Little Yogis Cheshire

“Our job is not to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.

Our job is to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”

Yoga postures and movements to help your child’s handwriting ✏️✍️

Yoga encourages children to activate their shoulders, back, tummy and hip muscles - the ‘power-house’ for good posture and the building block for fine motor skills and handwriting development.

Lion pose 🦁 (sitting on knees with hips on heels, hands in front with fingers turned towards the body) encourages little ones to extend their wrists so they can keep their forearm on the table. It also supports and strengthens individual finger movement. As well as improving handwriting, it’s great for the lungs, throat and vocal chords, too!

Downwards dog pose 🐶 (from all-fours, lifting hips up and back as far as possible to create a long spine) has the extra benefit of encouraging children to take weight through their hands, helping to strengthen arms, shoulders and hands. This pose also helps to relax tense muscles. 😎

Did you know that handwriting skills have been linked to children’s understanding in literacy and numeracy? If not, have a read of Little Yogis’ last post! ➡️➡️➡️

Let’s talk about hands! 🙌🏼

Like it or not, there’s no escaping the fact that technology has changed the nature of children’s play and it’s affecting their hand muscles more than you might think.

Of course, lots of digital games and apps have fantastic educational benefits, but there is a growing concern amongst experts that our little ones aren’t getting enough ‘muscle-building play’, such as building blocks, drawing and sticking. 🧱🎨

And it is this type of play that helps to build gross and fine motor skills which together support the development of children’s mark making and handwriting skills. ✍️

There is an argument that handwriting is less important these days; after all today’s children will be typing and swiping rather than actually writing, won’t they? Well, to an extent this is true, yes. However research has established links between hand (fine motor) skills and future maths and literacy academic achievement. ✏️📚

Want to know how yoga can help to improve your child’s handwriting? See our next post!

A reminder to use positive words with our children…💕 those little ears and incredible minds are constantly listening and processing what we say 👂🧠

These kids? They're listening.

They hear us when we complain. They know when we are talking about them.

They're not ignorant. They're not dumb.

They are so smart. They're processing everything we say. They are building their vocabulary, their character, and developing little personalities based on what they hear.

When I say, "He's my stubborn child..." He hears me.

When you say, "She is wild..." She hears you.

I'll never forget the day my oldest told me he was giving his food to his younger brother because "he's the good eater."

My mouth dropped. I probably said my younger was "the good eater" a dozen times.

You guys, they're listening to everything we say.

If you want your kids thinking they're "hard, stubborn or defiant..." keep telling your friends this out loud in front of them.

But in that same vein… If you want your kids knowing they are brave, adventurous, creative and kind, say it for them to hear.

Because they will.

(Art by Amanda Oleander Art)
***

Subscribe to my email for my posts straight to your inbox. It's free and I will send you my new writings each week. HTTPS://theultimatemomchallenge.ck.page/subscribe

I D E A S • L O A D I N G 💡

I have so many ideas for the future of Little Yogis, which will be launching in Altrincham and surrounding area later this year!

If you have any ideas or suggestions about venues, particular classes you’d like to see or age groups you’d like me to offer classes to, please get in touch!

@ littleyogischeshire
Email: [email protected]

“Let’s do Happy Baby, Mummy” 👶🏼

Happy Weekend!

T H E • T H R E E • C ‘ S • 💜💛💙

Children learn by observing and copying EVERYTHING we model to them 😳😂, from the languages we speak, to the quirky gestures we use, to the hundreds of reactions and interactions we make on a daily basis.

Yoga allows children the space and time to imitate and learn how to practise cooperation💜, compassion💛 and to make a connection💙 with themselves, with others and with the natural world that surrounds them.

K U N G • H E I • F A T • C H O I 🇨🇳

Which means “congratulations and may you be prosperous” in Cantonese. 🎉

2022 is The Year of the Tiger, and according to the Chinese zodiac, anyone born under the tiger sign will be:

🐯 adventurous
🐯 energetic
🐯 hungry for excitement
🐯 will crave attention
🐯 possibly short-tempered
🐯 outspoken and rebellious, preferring to give orders rather than take them…

Errrr… is it just me, or does this not sound like the perfect description for a toddler too?!? 😩😩😂😂

We all know what yoga can do for us as adults, but a regular yoga practice has amazing benefits for children, too.

Yoga can help your little yogis to…

🌈 increase their focus and concentration
🌈 reduce anxiety
🌈 develop resilience
🌈 regulate emotions
🌈 sleep more peacefully
🌈 increase their body awareness
🌈 build strength, flexibility and co-ordination
🌈 learn self-calming techniques, and
🌈 improve balance and posture.

# kidsyogaAltrincham

Namaste… to all your little yogis from my little yogi, Theo! 🙏

Little Yogis Cheshire will be offering toddler and children’s classes later this year 🙌🏼🤸‍♀️🙌🏼🤸‍♀️.

#2022