Self-control
Toddlers watch a caregiver (or older child) engage in a downward dog pose (yoga).
Be Prepared: Be familiar with the pose. Arrange for another adult or preschool-age child in your center to demonstrate the downward dog pose if you do not wish to do so. Adapt the pose if you anticipate it will be too challenging for toddlers in your room.
[Invite toddlers to watch a yoga pose.]
We are learning how to do yoga. Do you remember holding our body still while pretending to be a tree and a frog?
Today we will learn a new pose. Remember, a pose is a way of holding our body. Doing a yoga pose can help us feel calm and relaxed.
I am going to show you how to make a downward dog 
pose.
[Display pictures when you describe each.]
This is a picture of a dog that is stretching its legs and wanting to play. Look at how the dog’s legs are stretched. Dogs stretch their bodies like this when they want to play with another dog or a person.
This is a picture of a child doing the pose I will show you today.
[Move your body into a downward dog pose. Describe the position of each body part, as suggested below.]
I get on my hands and knees like a dog. Then I put my arms out and my hands flat on the floor. I lift up my hips and straighten my legs.
I am stretching my body to look like a dog that wants to play. Do you think my body looks like a dog?
[Pause for and acknowledge toddlers’ responses.]
Now I am going to hold my body still and breathe slowly, in and out. We know that breathing slowly can help us to feel calm.
[Demonstrate breathing in and out two times while holding the pose.
Move out of the pose and into a normal stance. If time and toddler interest permit, demonstrate again moving into the downward dog pose and breathing slowly.]
We learned how to do a downward dog pose. I breathed slowly while holding my body still. Yoga can help us feel calm and relaxed.
Self-control
Toddlers practice moving into a downward dog pose (yoga).
Be Prepared: Be familiar with the downward dog pose. Arrange for another adult or preschool-age child in your center to demonstrate the downward dog pose if you do not wish to do so. Adapt the pose if you anticipate it will be too challenging for toddlers in your room.
Invite several toddlers to join you in making a downward dog pose with our bodies. Explain (or remind) toddlers that a pose is a way of holding our body. Holding a pose with our body can help us get calm. Today we will practice a downward dog pose. Show and describe the picture of a dog stretching its legs. Draw attention to how the dog’s legs are stretched. Also show the picture of the child engaged in the pose.
Demonstrate a downward dog pose as described in Option 1. Then invite toddlers to make a pretend downward dog with their bodies. Describe each action with legs and arms. Use a calm voice. 
Emphasize that it is okay for each of our poses to look different. Encourage toddlers to hold the pose as long as they can without losing their balance. Invite several attempts. Talk with toddlers about how their body felt while doing the pose.
Self-control
Toddlers practice holding a downward dog pose (yoga) while breathing slowly and deeply.
Be Prepared: This activity is for toddlers who have recently participated in Option 2 (and possibly Option 1). Be familiar with the downward dog pose. Arrange for another adult or preschool-age child in your center to demonstrate the downward dog pose if you do not wish to do so. Adapt the pose if you anticipate it will be too challenging for toddlers in your room.
Invite several toddlers to join you in doing a downward dog pose. Show the provided pictures as a reminder of the pose. Explain that we will practice breathing slowly and deeply when we hold our body in a dog pose. Offer a demonstration that emphasizes the two important parts: slow and deep breaths. Quietly say “in” and “out” to describe your breathing. Then engage toddlers in practicing how to breathe slowly and deeply while standing in a relaxed position. It is not necessary for toddlers’ breathing to be uniform.
Next, move into a downward dog pose. Use the strategies suggested in Options 1 and 2 to describe your body. Encourage toddlers to also move into a dog pose. Support toddlers’ efforts with strategies suggested in Option 2. Remind toddlers that each of our poses can look different.
After toddlers are in a downward dog pose, use a gentle voice to encourage breathing slowly and deeply while holding the pose. Invite several attempts. Talk with toddlers about how their bodies felt while doing the pose and breathing slowly and deeply.
Yoga is a popular activity among young children and a demonstrated way to promote self-regulation skills. The benefits of yoga for very young children are described in the ELM Curriculum User Guide: Birth–36 Months.
This is the third yoga pose introduced to children 24–36 months of age in the ELM Curriculum. A tree pose was introduced in Block 8, and a frog pose was introduced in Block 11. Prior practice in breathing slowly and deeply is offered in Blocks 2 and 5 as well as part of calming-down practices in ELM Curriculum activities for children 12–24 months of age.
Some toddlers may find it challenging to hold their body in a pose while also focusing on breathing (Option 3). A slow pace with a quiet, soothing voice can be helpful to toddlers. It also is highly appropriate to focus on Option 2 with toddlers who need more time and practice in holding a yoga pose.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Power, *picture of child engaged in downward dog pose
Display the book in a calm area of the room with a blanket or yoga mat. Invite toddlers to practice one of the poses introduced to date: the tree, the frog pose, or the downward dog pose. Some toddlers may enjoy looking at the yoga book and talking with you about other yoga poses. Encourage toddlers to compare the provided picture of a child engaged in the downward dog pose to the picture of the pose in The ABCs of Yoga for Kids book.
*Printables provided
Materials Needed: *pictures of a child and a dog used in Options 1–3
Preschool-age children may enjoy participating in Options 1–3 as well as the Interest Area activity. Older infants will enjoy watching toddlers and others try a downward dog pose.
*Printables provided
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