Olivia's Pick--22 March 2009

I love yoga, though I don't pretend to be all that good at it; I'm proficient enough to enjoy it.

Lately, Olivia has been loving it, too. We took a class last fall, at Growing Tree Yoga (a link for my Fairfield County readers) and since then, she's shown increasing interest.

Apart from it being a healthy habit for her mind, body and spirit, it's also a lot of fun to be able to share something I enjoy so much with my favorite little person.

Some of our favorite yoga resources for kids are:

Yoga Pretzels--Don't have a half hour to commit to a DVD? This oversize card deck is perfect for the yogi on the go! Pull out an illustrated card with simple instructions and then you and your little one can twist yourselves into a few of your favorite poses before you head out to the supermarket.

The Treasure in Your Heart--A wonderful guide for parents, this book by Sydney Solis weaves the ancient art of storytelling with the ancient practice of yoga. Solis' volume is a handbook focusing not just on yoga, but on compassion and communication.

Yoga by the Dozen--I'll be honest; it isn't easy to find a yoga-for-kids DVD that doesn't make me roll my eyes and apologize for recommending it. But JoAnna and the kids at Yoga by the Dozen have managed to make a yoga DVD that's actually a lot of fun. But don't let her flair fool you, JoAnna knows her yoga, too.Namaste, Mamas!

Olivia's Pick--21 June 2008

An entrepreneurial Mama I know who owns the cutest baby store in town gave me a suggestion that has turned out to be Olivia's latest favorite: Ballet on YouTube. We're not big on TV around our house and Olivia is generally nonplused by it when she sees it. But show her a video of a twirling ballerina and she just can't get enough! Within moments, she's spinning, trying to point her toes and stretching for her best arabesque. It's a quick and cute distraction that's brought both of us a lot of smiles.