A little lotus love for Spring!

c/o JQ loves U

Let your precious flower share his or her inner light!
Adorable onesie comes in red, olive, brown + grey styles.

(Lotus Flower Infant Baby Onesie 6/12 Months, $20.00/each at jq loves u on etsy)

KidsYogaDaily for Mindful.org!

http://www.mindful.org/parenting-mindfully-through-divorce/

Bliss out in style!

Young yogis can take savasana in style!

This eye-catching eye-pillow with pink lotus design is filled with soothing flaxseed and lavender.

Made of cotton with a silk backing. Happy shuteye!

(Soothing Pink Lotus Eye Pillow With Lavendar, $28.00 at BuddhaGroove.com)

Yoga with sass!

Kids can set their inner animal free with this bright and sassy, kid-sized pink zebra yoga mat. Grippy, no-slip surface and 3 mm cushioning. Latex and 6P free. Ideal for ages 5-8.

(Kids Pink Zebra Yoga Mat. $17.98 at Gaiam.com)

Live happily - no excuses!

c/o Chronicle Books

Goofing around with dad. When a butterfly lands on you. Having a friend who always boosts your mood. Starting a daily gratitude practice just got easier with a new mindful living book by Lisa Swerling and Ralph Lazar.

"Happiness Is....500 ways to be in the moment," (Chronicle Books, $12.95) adorably illustrates as many ways to slow down, unplug, de-stress, connect with others and relish the simple moments in life.

Teaching your kid to see the glass of life as half full is a life skill made easy with this little guide book. Makes a great gift, too!

Yoga tie dye to die for!

Spring fresh colors and a flattering fit will delight young spirited yogis.

The signature ombre, halter top comes in XS - L sizes and include a built-in shelf bra for extra support.

Made of cotton, modal and spandex jersey.

($86 each at Tanya-b.com)

Tofu Lunchbox Change-up!

 Give PB & J a rest for the day and try a Tofu protein alternative!

 

The USDA’s National School Meal Program has approved Tofu and many school districts are incorporating tofu in to their programs 

Made from soymilk, the Asian diet staple may reduce the risk of cardio vascular disease and is one of the few plant-based proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids we need to stay healthy.

House Foods Tofu is homegrown in the U.S. and offers a range of tofu-based recipes on its website in a range of cuisine styles, including Mexican, American, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.

https://www.house-foods.com/recipes/  

Sold in most larger grocery stores in the vegetarian or Asian sections, House Foods Organic and Premium brand tofu are sold at Sprouts, Kroger and Costco stores nationwide for $1.99- $2.49 per package.

For House Foods recipes for above images, visit the below links:

http://www.house-foods.com/recipe/Chocolatey+Banana+Tofu+Pudding/
http://www.house-foods.com/recipe/Crispy+Tofu+Sticks/
http://www.house-foods.com/recipe/Tofu+Oatmeal+Raisin+Cookies/
http://www.house-foods.com/recipe/Mango+Beet+Tofu+Pop/
 

Latest for Yoga Journal!

http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow/10-minute-homework-break-yoga-sequence-kids-teens/

Ready, set, Mermaid!

If your young one loves the sea as much as practicing yoga, don’t miss the 5^th Annual Mermaid Challenge coming soon to Instagram.

To participate in the 30-day, online  yoga party, snap a photo of your child, or with your child, practicing the designated daily pose and upload it to one or more of the contest host's social media handles below.  

The fun-spirited, month-long event unites water-loving yogis worldwide -- in breath, flow and positive vibes!

Mermaid Challenge Starting April 1st, hosted by:

@stoked_yogi
@zengirlmandy
@seavibesyoga

 

Release the chi!

Tech gadgets are major inhibitors when it comes to setting a restful, bedtime vibe.

 “The most disruptive factor I see in tween and teen bedrooms these days is from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets that are kept turned on all night while recharging, usually place dnext to the bed or even under the pillow,” says Karen Kingston, author of, “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui,” (Harmory Books, $14.99).

While kids want to stay connected to their friends, “They don’t realize the health impact of such high levels of WiFi and electromagnetic field exposure so close to the body all night, every night, or the busy thoughts this causes, which means they do not get deep levels of rest. I always recommend turning off the WiFi at night and recharging the device in another room, or at least as far away from the bed as possible,” says Kingston.

While such practice is sure to be met with resistance, “Being connected it cool, but not sustainable. Something has to give, and it’s usually health or vitality. Don’t let FOMO run your life. It’s for the weak and insecure, and is just not worth it,” says Kingston.

To lead by example, “Make it a house rule –no WiFi after a certain time, and no devices recharging next to the bed. You can’t ask your kids to change unless you change first,” says the author.

 

Restful eye pillow helps kids unwind

c/o Etsy

Count sheep elephants!

Drift off to dreamland or just chillax for a while in style!

(Kids Yoga Eye Pillow Cover, $6.11 on Etsy)

What a charmer!

Young yogis will shine wearing this golden Om pendant! Dipped in 24K gold, the 14K gold filled necklet comes in 2 chain lengths (16" and 18").

 

(Tiny Gold Om Necklace, $36.00 on Etsy)

 



New styles for the sling with yoga soul and sole!



c/o Sanuk

Spring off to yoga class in Sanuk's popular and stylish slide, with footbeds made from real yoga mat.

Spring varieties come in solid Fuschia Pink, Torquoise and a choice of three prints.

Youth girls sizes 1-2, 3-4, 5-6.

(Sanuk Yoga Sling Burst, $28/pair)

Homework Break! Try this 10-minute yoga sequence for a mind/body reboot

L

c/o Bend + Bloom Yoga

 
Long days grow even longer for kids when schoolwork piles up. With curriculum to keep up with and cramming for tests, the workload never seems to end.

Yoga can help children to pace their study efforts and reduce mental and physical burnout, says Amy Quinn Suplina, owner of Bend + Bloom Yoga of Brooklyn, New York (bendandbloom.com).

 “From a mental health perspective, getting the blood flowing and the energy back up, improves kids’ ability to focus and regroup,” says Suplina. “Movement breaks help them to return to work in a more effective manner.”

c/o Bend + Bloom Yoga

 “Kids’ heads and shoulders are hunched over their computers and electronic devices all day, which has long term implications for spinal health. Yoga can help to counter the effect of that forward flexion and return healthy curves to the spine,” says Suplina.

When there are hours of homework to tackle, Suplina recommends that kids take a yoga time-out.

“Doing so can make them more alert,” she says. “Instead of turning to social media or television, practicing can enhance focus, clarity, and make them more present in their work and thinking. With a renewed ability to focus on what’s in front of them, they’ll be more efficient about their work.”

c/o Bend + Bloom Yoga

Try this 10-Minute Seated Yoga Homework Break Sequence!

Lateral Neck Stretch

While seated in your desk chair, take your right hand to the left side of your skull and encourage your right ear toward your right shoulder. Hold on to your chair for extra leverage. Practice on both sides.

Eagle

Wrapping one arm under the other, lift your elbows to shoulder height. Imagine your elbows are the tips of a paint brush and you are painting a horizontal line back and forth across your computer screen. This opens up the space between the scapula and the musculature of your upper back. Practice on both sides.

Seated Cat and Cow

With your hands in your lap, inhale as you slide your hands back to your hip creases, point your elbow tips back and broaden your collar bone. Gaze up as your chest rises. Exhale and slide your hands down the thighs to cup your knee caps as your belly draws back to round you in. Practice three to five rounds.

Simple Lateral Side Bend Using Chair

Hold your left hand under your chair and breathe in to raise your right arm up. As you breathe out, bend toward the left using the chair as leverage to lengthen your right side body to open the musculature between your side ribs. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Spinal Twists

As you inhale, sit tall feeling a sense of spaciousness in your spine. Exhaling, twist to your right, taking hold of the back of your chair with your two hands, hold for a few cycles of breath. Repeat on the left side.

Seated Figure Four

Come to the edge of your chair in Ankle to Knee shape, taking your right ankle above your left knee. Fold forward from the creases of your hips, lengthen your chest past your chin bone, elongating the front of the spine. This shape can ease low back pain that results from hours of sitting at your desk. Try on both sides.

If you need to revive yourself…

Breath of Fire

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Draw sharp, short inhales and exhales through the nose of even length, pumping the navel in and out for about one minute. This rhythmic breath ignites your energy. If you need to focus your attention…

Villoma Breath

This is an interrupted breathing technique where you take pauses on the inhale and enjoy a nice smooth exhale.  Draw in a third of a breath on a count of two seconds, pause for two seconds, draw in the next third, pause, then completely fill the lungs and pause.  Slowly exhale all the breath out to a slow count of 6.  Villoma means "against the natural flow" and will release anxiety and enhance mental clarity.