More and more, people are getting their kids involved in Yoga for its various health benefits. Beyond being excellent for the body, it is also great at clearing the mind, reducing stress levels, and encouraging patience. Because kids have shorter attention spans than grownups, it's important that the learning process be made fun. Also, especially where preschool age children are concerned, sessions should be limited to just 10 to 15 minutes. Anything more and you'll have a very fidgety child on your hands.

From my personal experience, I have found that taking your child to the Yoga supply store is a fun experience for them. You can let them pick out a mat, their own water bottle, perhaps a cool carrying bag; this is sure to get them excited about getting into Yoga.  You can further introduce the subject through artful storytelling. This story, of course, will include lots of animals that both you and your child will then emulate. I've listed a few of the poses, with appropriate code names, below. 

Most of you have probably heard of the pose, Downward Facing Dog, which will fit perfectly into your child's Yoga session. You don't even have to change the name for accessibility, although it does kind of remind me of the way my cat arches her spine while stretching, so I sometimes call it the cat pose. This pose is accomplished starting on your hands and knees. You then lift your butt into the air, forming an upside-down V with your body.

Upward Facing Dog can be transitioned into from the downward pose. You simply lower yourself to the floor and rise up on your arms, arching your back in the process, with your wrists positioned below your shoulders.  The legs should remain flat. I like to call this the wolf pose because it's reminiscent of a wolf baying at the moon. I encourage the children to howl when they're in this pose. Learning should always be entertaining when you're young.

This simplest standing pose is the Tadasana or Mountain pose. You basically just stand very still with your feet a comfortable distance apart. A child may quickly become bored with this pose so, again, it's best to make a game of it. Pretend you're in the jungle. There're all kinds of animals roaming about, so you have to stay very still so they can't see you. As the name indicates, you can also pretend that you're a mountain. We all know how still a mountain can be.

The Tree pose can be transitioned into from the Tadasana (Mountain pose). In the tree pose you balance on one leg, the other foot pressed against your inner thigh. You might want to help your child with balance here, possibly even lifting their foot into place. Once balanced, raise both arms high into the shy, like you're reaching up to grasp a star.

You can find other simple poses online at http://www.yogabasics.com/yoga-postures.html and, in addition to the storytelling method I proposed, you can also play with different mood setting music, calming aromas and innovative area setups, to enhance the Yoga experience. During the session be sure to praise your child for their participation. Assist them with any pose they find difficult. Learning can be a frustrating process. Afterwards, it's a good idea to follow up with a healthy snack or lunch. Teaching your child healthy eating practices with benefit them all throughout their life.