All toddlers get to the point where they could benefit from calming and relaxing activities. Turning to mindfulness and yoga are great options.

Mindfulness is the practice of being in the moment. Removing the worries and fears and distractions around us and tuning in to the here and now. This allows our minds a break and our bodies to calm. Yoga for toddlers is all about supporting their natural development while tapping into their curiosity and playful nature. It fosters a sense of security and belonging, while helping kids explore breath, stillness, and self-regulation. Physical poses also aid in building important skills like coordination, balance, strength, and both gross and fine motor development. Breathing techniques help them calm their bodies and minds. Interested in teaching your little one some basic breathing techniques? Blowing bubbles, blowing something light off a table or trying to fill their bellies with air are great places to start. Music is a great soother. Try playing solfeggio frequencies for a whole house atmosphere of calm. They blend nicely into the background and induce calm. You can learn more in this great post at mindeasy.com. The 9 Solfeggio Frequencies and Their Benefits

Mindfulness and Yoga Theme Book List for Toddlers

Reading books on theme helps create background knowledge for children. I have compiled my favorite Mindfulness and Yoga themed picture books to read with your toddlers. Use this list at the library, click the icons to read a review on Goodreads or purchase on Amazon.

Mindfulness and Yoga Activities

Here are easy and quick Mindfulness and Yoga themed toddler activities for busy moms and dads. You’ll find enough activity ideas to help you through a full week of Mindfulness and Yoga play.

Glitter Sensory Bottle

• Empty plastic bottle (VOSS bottles and sparkling ICE bottles are especially popular because they have smooth sides)
• Clear liquid glue or glycerin
• Water
• Glitter ( for a fun effect use different sizes)
• Gorilla glue or hot glue gun

To make your sensory bottle, first remove any labels from the empty bottles. Place a generous amount of glitter in the bottle. Then add your liquid filler. If using glue, use 1/3 part glue and 2/3 parts water. If you are using glycerin (you can buy it on Amazon) start with 1/4 part glycerin and 3/4 parts water. Do not fill the bottle completely. put the cap on and shake the bottle. Observe how the glitter is falling. If the glitter is falling too quickly, add more glue or glycerin; if it’s falling too slowly, add more water. Once satisfied, glue on the lid using the hot glue or gorilla Glue. when the glue is set, the bottle is ready to be played with. This glitter sensory bottle is a great calming activity for anyone!

Breath Control

• Ping pong ball or pinwheel
• Table

This activity involves your toddler using their breath to push something. Lay the ping pong ball on the table in front of your toddler. Show them how to take a big breath and push it out slowly to move the ping pong ball across the table. You can have your child place their hand on your belly and feel it get bigger when you breathe in and smaller when you let your air out. Encourage them to practice this on themselves getting their belly big with a breath in and smaller with a breath out. Then place a ping pong ball on the table in front of you. Demonstrate how you can make the ball move across the table with your breath out. Next place the ping pong ball in front of your toddler and challenge them to move the ball with their breath. Why not use a straw? Our toddlers are programmed to suck in through a straw so then to ask them to blow out gets confusing. Why not blow bubbles? Because there is a disappointment associated with blowing bubbles incorrectly. It takes a very controlled pointed breath to blow bubbles. A ping pong ball tends to be more forgiving and responsive.

Judgment Free Coloring

• Paper/coloring book
• crayons, colored pencils or markers

For this mindfulness activity, we must check our judgment at the door. This is an opportunity for your child to lose themselves in the coloring process. Consider this a process over product activity. This is not the time to teach our little ones to stay in the lines or practice “realistic” coloring. It’s not the time to show them how to hold a crayon properly or use controlled strokes. This is a time for your child to experience coloring the way they feel they need to in the moment.

I See, I Hear, I Smell ….

• You and your child can do this anywhere at any time

This is another activity that brings us into the present moment. To begin, ask your child to name two things they see (tree, car). Then two things they hear (airplane, birds). What can they feel? ( their shirt, you) If applicable you can ask them what they smell or taste as well. This activity forces your child to move into the present situation. It switches our brains from worrying about the past or future to the here and now. By engaging our five senses, we get in touch with our present self.

Learn a Sun Salutation

• Follow this link to Soul Mates Kids Yoga- Sun Salutation
• Yoga Mat (Optional)

Learn a basic yoga flow to do with your little one. This video explains the steps for a basic sun salutation. Once you get the hang of it, try it with your child! Remember you can slow down the playback speed as you learn. There is a longer class version here if you prefer that includes a 2 minute mindfulness story!

Mindfulness and Yoga Media Links

BrightenUp! Kids is a wonderful source for mindfulness videos for kids. Their channel has videos on a variety of topics from calming down, confidence boosting, self-soothing, gratitude and so much more.

• On The Farm | Yoga for Toddlers | Yoga Time! – Cosmic Kids
• 5 Mindfulness Exercises for Kids – Cosmic Kids
• Grow Into A Tree: Confidence Boosting, Mindfulness Activity For Young Kids – BrightenUp! Kids
• 7-Minute Emotion Regulating Activity To Help Kids Calm Down! – BrightenUp! Kids
• 5 Mindfulness Activities for Toddlers – Calm & Connect with your Toddler – SJ STRUM
• Nighttime Yoga Routine for Kids – Go with YoYo
• Peace Out | Guided Meditations for Kids by Cosmic Kids Yoga

Informative Links for Adults

• 5 Mindfulness Activities for Toddlers – Calm & Connect with your Toddler – SJ STRUM
• Raising Healthy Kid Brains Podcast- Episode 72: Yoga and Mindfulness for Kids with Giselle Shardlow

Yoga and mindfulness for toddlers is a great way to support their natural development while letting them explore their curiosity and playful side. It helps them feel secure and connected, while introducing them to breathing, stillness, and self-regulation. Plus, the yoga poses are a fun way to build coordination, balance, strength, and develop both gross and fine motor skills. Yoga is all about nurturing their physical growth in a gentle, engaging way. While mindfulness is about supporting their social emotional growth with self awareness and regulation skills.

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