Hot tip --warm up with hot yoga brand

Courtesy Mika Yoga

Brrrr!

As many East Coast yogis tough out Winter’s bone-chilling temps, spice up your wardrobe for asana practice with Mika YogaWear–a line favored by many hot yoga enthusiasts.

Most of the polyester/lycra-blended top and bottom styles come in size XS for teen yogis.

The family-owned company changes its vibrant colors over seasonally, but all available products are sold online – so get them while they’re hot!

(Celeste Legging shown in Hikikii. $78.00/pair at MikeYogaWear.com)

 

Happy (Yoga) Baby!

 

Nurture a zen fashion sense early on with yoga-inspired onesies. From Newborn to 24 month sizes.

Featured here:
Heart Center Tee Shirts (How Down Yoga artwork)

Peace Sign Organic Creeper (Temple Green artwork)

Elephant Practicing Yoga Dancer’s Pose Baby Bodysuit (Yoga Animals & Nature artwork)

(From $20.00 - $27.00/shirt at zazzle.com)

Snowday Meditations

c/o Google Images

How do you fare on Snowdays? Hours inside, waiting out a blizzard evoke cabin fever in some, but for others, time with the kids present many mindful teaching moments. Here's a list inspired by this past weekend's Winter Storm Jonas...

Patience please. As the first snowflakes fall, most kids are raring to be a part of the heavenly action. But winds and frigid temperatures aren't safe to get caught in. While conditions ease up, encourage kids to take in nature's awesome show of beauty. Discuss how snow is formed. Watch the peace and quiet of winter white cloak your neighborhood.

Lend a hand. Before frolicking in the snow outside, ask your kids to pitch in with shoveling and clearing pathways. Fun and games await, so tackle the busywork as a unit.

Imaginate!  Set imagination loose. Free to run wild, a child can pretend to be a snow angel or eskimo. Participate in the fun and build snow animals, forts and other playful snow creations together.

Be grateful. Not everyone is lucky enough to be safe and warm after a long day of snow fun. Remind kids of their good fortune and pause to count your blessings and wish those who are less fortunate well.

Yoga Takes Flight at Jet Blue Airlines

c/o Google Images

Ah --the flight departure waiting game.

Do nerves get the best of you and your family as you wait to board your plane? Unforeseen delays arouse frustration and anger in many airport travelers, too.

Yoga to the rescue! This week, JetBlue Airlines is launching a free, series of yoga classes in Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy’s International Airport.

The hour long sessions will be led by known area instructors from New York City and may continue as a regular feature if well received.

 

Bookmark this! Yoga handbook for special needs kids

Shawnee Thornton Hardy

Through her experiences teaching yoga to kids with autism and special needs, San Diego, California-based Shawnee Thornton Hardy grew excited about developing a program to encompass mindfulness.

Her teachings encourage children with special needs to be in tune with their bodies and emotions and how to use breathing strategies, yoga poses and visualization to support their social, emotional, physical and sensory needs.

Her new book, “Asanasfor Autism and Special Needs,” (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, $17.65 at Amazon.com) provides fun, interactive activities, pose by pose yoga instruction, creative yoga games, breathing and relaxation exercises and chair yoga poses.

Talk about cute!

 Adorable vinyl decals provide smart phone protection for young yogis.

 

 

(Menu Familiar, Om! Gorilla and Om! Monkey iPhone 6 Touch Skin. $15.00/each at society6.com)

Let's hang! Mompreneur's loungewear a hit with babies and tots

The owner of this baby and toddler organic clothing boutique started out designing cozy and cool garments for her mommy-and-me lifestyle.
 
As orders came in, her creations evolved to include harem pants, shorts, tops, rompers, skirts and more.

Made in Israel.

(Taluli Studio Boy Baby Toddler Harem Pant $18.50 @ etsy)

 

Try a kids' Yoga-cation

 How was your holiday break? For many New York-based little yogis (aged 3-5), they took time off to attend the Karma Kids Holiday Camp offered at KarmaKidsYoga.
 

Days began with yogi-themed crafting, and followed with music, dance, storytime, games, healthy snacks and an end-of-day pizza lunch.

The next Karma Kids Holiday Camp is scheduled for Monday, January 18^th, which is Martin Luther King Day. Future dates include February 15^th and 16^th for Presidents’ Day. Camp hours are 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Cost is $110/day per child. To pre-register visit www.karmakidsyoga.com.

 

 

Surf's up-dog! Practice good karma on yoga mats made from recycled wetsuits

Courtesy SugaMats

 Channel the California lifestyle and help solve an environmental problem while getting your Om on.

Suga mats are the brainchild of environmental attorney, entrepreneur, lifelong surfer and yogi practitioner, Brian Shields of Encinitas, California. Shields worked with engineering experts to recycle non-biodegradable, neoprene wetsuits into highly functional yoga gear. He recently launched a crowd-funding campaign on kickstarter to fund his first major production run and has already raised $16,000 of his $20,000 goal.

According to the founder, SUGA mats don’t sponge up dust, sweat, bacteria and dirt, since the material is made up of a uniquely closed-cell foam. Instead of ending up in landfills, the wetsuits get a second life and eco-conscious yogis strengthen their bond with Mother Nature while practicing.

Good vibes!

(Pledge $65.00 or more for one SugaMat at Early Bird Special price at kickstarter.com)

Glam it up-dog!

c/o onzie.com

 
 
Youth basics with sass.

(Youth Cap Sleeve Top -

c/o onzie.com

Charcoal - Love, $38/Youth Cap Sleeve Top - White Peace, $38 at onzie.com)

Kids Aerial Yoga - Taking Flight!

Does your child need to unwind his mind?

Aerial yoga is not only safe, but offers unique benefits for child yogis, says Ashley Goldberg, owner of Born Yoga in Birmingham, Michigan. Goldberg received her training in this special format at Yogapeutics of Austin, Texas

"Unlike aerial yoga for adults, upside down and challenging poses are done with children in a bucket seat, which prevents them from sliding out," says Goldberg.

"There are so many benefits. Children nowadays have such sedentary lifestyles, which takes a toll on their overall and core strength. It also prevents them from developing necessary body awareness. Aerial yoga provides a fun and active approach to get kids moving, while increasing their overall strength."

For kids with special needs, autism, ADD/ADHD, and sensory processing disorders, "Aerial hammocks can often have a soothing effect," says Goldberg. "I've seen kids come in to the studio running around, completely out of control in their bodies. Once inside the hammocks, the compression they feel provides a soothing, safe and calming space, which helps with their overall self-regulation. They become quiet, calm and are able to listen as I guide them through a visual meditation."

At Born Yoga, Goldberg limits aerial classes for kids aged 6-9 to 6 students and for those ages 13 and older, classes are capped at 10 students, so that she can monitory her students' needs.

"Creating a rapport with the children and families is important. There's typically one student in each class who is a little fearful and therefore, I'm there to help ease their anxiety and keep them safe. If there's something that they don't feel comfortable doing, they do not have to do it. Kids can just swing in the hammocks if we're working on a pose that they're afraid to try," she says.

Ready for take off?