Healthy Technology for Your Kids
A team of mothers,writers and artists have put together the very first kid yoga application for the iPad. Based on the original yoga lesson plan written by Rachel Glowacki (M-HYI), children can learn and practice yoga at their own pace. In this fast growing tech world, it’s an engaging tool that helps guide children toward making healthy physical choices as they grow older. If you have children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or any relationship with a child, download and try out this app. Various studies around the world have shown us that exercise not only improves our physical health, but our mental health too. If we can help children form positive exercise habits at a young age, when they become adults it won’t be necessary to fall into harmful damage control diets and fads. Talk with children about the importance of being healthy as they grow, and how yoga can benefit them at all ages. Visit www.kidsyogajourney.com to read more about the creators of this fun pocket yoga app available on Apple’s iPad and iPhone/iPod, the Android, and now Barnes & Noble’s NOOK color Reader’s Tablet.
August 14th, 2011 at 12:01 am
wow. I can’t believe we’ve got yoga on a video. As humans we spend too much time in a virtual world. Yoga teaches connections, not dis-connections. I don’t see the benefit of it, seems contrary to everything yoga teaches.
August 27th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Mark, it’s easy to be critical about other people doing yoga a “different” way than how we practice. We can’t bash everyone who does a different style of yoga, or uses different names for poses, or does a 10 minute practice vs a 90 minute practice, or uses a home video instead of going to a class. (That would be seriously judgemental, don’t you think?) And since we all can’t be yoga teachers, sometimes if we want to fit yoga in our schedules, we’ve got to be creative. When I can’t make it to class, I like to do a 15 minute series in my living room. It gets me breathing, feeling a bit more grounded, and my body always is a bit happier. So, if kids wanted to do this, you expect a 4 year old to remember a bunch of yoga poses and do them correctly?! haha, I don’t think so! The app in this case is the perfect tool for them to guide them through some healthy mind-body poses. (It’s better than sitting on their butts playing video games!)
I don’t know if you have any children in your life, but here’s another thought- Do you think most young children can sit still and focus for an hour long class!? (Especially without personal attention?!) Unless you’ve over medicated your child, the answer probably no. This app is a perfect intro into yoga, so when it’s time to take your child to a real kids yoga class, they will know some of the poses so they can get excited instead of being frusterated. I’ve seen adults who are new to yoga go into beginner classes and get very frusterated. Then they quit. Other adults (have done a few videos beforehand and don’t feel as clueless and unconfortable to do a class for the first time.)
I have a niece who’s three. I tried to teach her yoga moves one day and she seemed to get confused. The next month, I opened the “I Am Love” kids yoga app and told her she could press any button and see different yoga moves. She LOVED it and we did all of the moves about 3 times each. I couldn’t believe how much fun she was having with this thing! It was the cutest ever. And I know when she’s old enough to do a class, she’ll be excited and ready to learn and grow as she ages.
So, my point in writing this reply isn’t to convince Mark to get the app. He obviously doesn’t need it. But to everyone else who’s trying to fit into yoga society and worried about being “judged” because it has something to do with technology (which is non-yoga, haha), don’t be silly. Try it for yourself (well, for your kids) and then make a decision.
Megan
August 29th, 2011 at 10:14 am
Megan, thank you so much for honoring and respecting, Kids’ Yoga Journey. I love that you were able to connect with your niece with the “I am Love,” app. As a mother and kid yoga teacher, I have found that this app, like books, cards, music, as a tool to speak the language of our kids today. I recently subbed a kid class at holy cow yoga and shared the app. It was such a fun experience, each child read a page, pressed a breath affirmation and Guess What Fact, then we together flowed through the sequence and the story came alive for them. Yoga is all about connection with your self and others. So by a class, DVD, app, book, or in your car, wherever you are yoking your heart, mind, and soul, that is yoga.
September 3rd, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Megan,those are all your words and perceptions not mine. The nice thing about this public forum is it’s public, which means everyone has an opportunity to voice their opinion without getting emotional. Only one “bashing” in a passive aggressive way madame, is you. Don’t take yourself so seriously.