Peace, love, yoga! Happy Holidays - see you in 2016!

Courtesy Google Images

Holiday Gift Watch: Stylish protection!

Young yogis can keep their mats clean, dry, and portable with this cargo style mat bag. Front pocket and full zip front. Roomy enough for 5 mm thick mat. Also available in Citron Storm Grey.

(Gaiam Yoga Mat Bag in Deep Plum Surf. $19.99 at Target.com)

 

Make holiday wishes come true!

Courtesy UncommonGoods

World peace. Family. A new puppy – p-l-e-a-s-e!

Support your kiddo’s power of wishful thinking and thoughts of gratitude with this fun, cool-looking novelty gift.

Each handblown glass ball comes with 52 strips of paper for you to pause weekly to record a thought of hope or thankfulness. Tuck messages through tiny hole near base for safe keeping and creative display.

 (Wishing Ball, $32.00 at uncommongoods.com)

Holiday Gift Watch: Blend in with camo-cool kids yoga mat

Little warriors will love this kid-sized camo yoga mat.

 

Grippy, no-slip surface ensures you’ll stay put during asana practice.

 

Comfortable, 3mm cushioning keeps young yogis comfortable and relaxed during savasana. Ideal for ages 5-8

 

 

(Kids Camo Yoga Mat (3mm), $17.98 at Gaiam.com)

 

One for the Christmas Tree (Pose)!

c/o Zazzle.com

Add yoga spirit to the focal point of your holiday home.

Artistic, ceramic piece comes with string of gold thread to make it easy to display.

(Yoga Heart Ornament, $20.00 at zazzle.com/heartandsoles)

Book this! Library yoga is catching on.

 

Courtesy Boston Globe via Google Images

With all of the hip yoga studios to try a kids class, beginning this January, Boston tots can hit the books and their yoga mats at Boston Public Library.

Free yoga classes for kids ages 8 – 11 will be offered at the Mattapan branch on the second Tuesday of the month.

Given that many library spaces are under-utilized, adhere to a “please whisper” ambiance and serve as community enrichment hubs, it’s understandable why such environments are increasingly offering yoga programming.

One for the books!

Holiday Gift Watch: Lounge with presence

Courtesy Rie + Ryn

The perfect gift for young yogis who want to wear what they practice.

Designed and sold by music and movement-inspired apparel company. Tops and bottoms come in XS sizes.

(Off the Shoulder Sweatshirt, $99.00 at rieaneryn.com)

 

Protect your pucker! Crafting fun with health benefits

Courtesy UncommonGoods.com

Keep young ones’ lips from chapping while developing an organic product from scratch, together!

Using included natural ingredients such as cocoa butter, spearmint essential oil, sunflower oil and beeswax, this make-your-own lip balm project is ideal for gift-giving or for a rainy day.

(DIY Lip Balm Kit, $40 at uncommongoods.com)

Habla yoga? Brooklyn kids' studio offers bi-lingual classes

Courtesy Monkey Do! Yoga

Yoga is permeating America almost as quickly as is the Spanish language.

To help kids tackle both, a Spanish-infused class called, Yoga Para You!, is included in the lineup at Monkey Do! Yoga, a kids and family yoga studio, which opened this month in Brooklyn, New York.

“It’s a wonderful draw – the idea of learning a language with physical movement through it. A lot of kids can better integrate the words when moving around,” says Marni Sandler, RYT and owner of the new studio, which offers yoga and creative movement classes for all children.

For 30-something year-old Sandler, the idea for the bi-lingual class occurred to her while she was traveling in Mexico post-college.

“I’d joined a gym class there and it proved to be the best way for me to learn Spanish. It stuck with me more. I wanted to bring this format in for the kids,” says Sandler, who took action on her long-standing dream of opening a kids’ yoga studio earlier this year, while on maternity leave.

The weekly bilingual classes aimed at kids’ ages 5 and up will be taught by a Spanish-speaking yoga teacher, with a background in social work.

“She works with girls in urban programs. I’m happy to have her on board,” says Sandler.
 

My latest guest post for MindBodyGreen.com

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22827/5-kid-friendly-yoga-poses-to-help-children-cultivate-patience.html

Holiday Gift Watch: Pop the cork! Eco-friendly yoga gear honors nature

Courtesy Yoloha

For earth loving young yogis, this line of cork yoga mats and props can sustain bodies and Mother Nature at once!

The non-traditional material provides a non-slip surface when wet (with sweat!) and is a 100% natural, renewable and recyclable material. Trees need not be cut down to harvest cork, rather, “The bark is stripped by hand,” according to the manufacturer’s website.

This company believes in giving back, too. For every giving cork yoga mat ordered, Yoloha donates a mat to a child in need through the Holistic Life Foundation.

A cause for celebration!

(Yoloha Yoga Cork Mats, $99 and up at yolohayoga.com)
 

 

 

Holiday Gift Watch: Dream Bright!

Courtesy UncommonGoods

Let little ones keep their hopes and wishes close with this colorful dream catcher kit.

Using embroidery floss, feathers, beads, and more, little dreamers can create their own inspirational and artful token to hang beside their beds or at their bedroom entry. For ages 5 and up.

(Dream Catcher Kit, $40 at uncommongoods.com)

Holiday Gift Watch: Positively charged up!

Courtesy PB Teen

Juice up your cell in cheerful style!

Thread your charger through the underside of these adorable phone holders.

In Smiley Smirk, Watermelon and Rainbow styles. 100% polyresin.

(PB Teen MayBaby Phone Holders, $35/each at pbteen.com)

Spread the love and warmth!

Baby it’s cold outside!

These plush and cozy cotton knit mittens, lined with super soft Sherpa Fleece, will keep fingers toasty as temperatures drop.
Check out your palms for an affectionate style detail. 

Cuff blocks wintry air from getting in. Comes in grey/pinkalicious and blue/Caspian blue colors.

(Snow Salutation Mittens, $34/pair at ivivva.com)

Positive vibes! 2nd Annual National Kids Yoga Conference a Hit

Courtesy YoKid

It was a meeting of the hearts and minds in kids yoga at last month's 2nd Annual National Kids Yoga 

“We had a great response from people and a great conference,” says Michele Kelsey Mitchell, executive director of YoKid, which produced the November 13^th – 15^th 2015 event held at George Washington University (GWU), in Washington, D.C. The non-profit provides instruction in yoga for kids and teens.

Courtesy YoKid

With 335 participants –some educators, some mental health professionals and others who are kids’ yoga instructors, “People came from...

Holiday Gift Watch! The yogi's meow! Mindful feline makes great plush pet



Courtesy AziamGirlz

Little yogis can turn to this soft, adorable and wise companion for cuddle sessions or a chuckle.

Paws Velcro together and hind legs are sewn in lotus meditation pose. Comes wearing monk robe.

(Dharma Kitty, $19.95 at www.aziamgirlz.com)

5 Reasons You Should Be Doing Yoga With Your Kid

My latest for The New York Post...

 

http://nypost.com/2015/12/01/5-reasons-you-should-be-doing-yoga-with-your-kid/

 



 

Holiday Gift Watch: A pouf of their own! Snatch this crocheted yoga cushion for mindful kids

Courtesy Etsy.com

Plop down and relax a while.

 

The Mini Pouf is the perfect height for toddlers and kids to use for pranyama, imagining, or just chilling.

Crocheted of cotton yarn and filled with Styrofoam pellets, this little ottoman comes in lavender, green, blue and multi colors.

Additional tones can be custom-ordered.

(spellitwithPEAS MINI POUF. $59.66 at etsy.com)