A Blog For Mums
There’s something quietly magical about unrolling a yoga mat with a small person beside you. One moment you’re trying to stretch out shoulders shaped by years of prams, feeds and carrying bags of snacks, and the next you’ve got a giggling child attempting tree pose and asking why your toes look like that.
Yoga is already brilliant for our own physical and mental health, but doing it with your child brings its own set of unique benefits. It strengthens connection, helps children learn emotional skills in a practical way, and builds habits that stay with them far beyond childhood. And importantly, children copy what we do, not what we say. If they grow up watching you make time for movement, rest and a bit of calm, it lays foundations that last.
Here’s a clear look at what’s available in the UK, how the in-person and online options work, and why sharing yoga with your child is worth considering.
Practising yoga solo is wonderful, but doing it together changes the experience. Research on mother–baby, parent–child and family yoga highlights several consistent themes: it can strengthen attachment, support emotional regulation in children and reduce parental stress. Shared movement, eye contact, rhythm and touch all contribute to that sense of connection.
As children get older, family-style yoga adds a playful element. They learn to follow instructions, take turns, stay focused for short stretches and pay attention to how their bodies feel. These aren’t abstract “wellbeing” ideas – they’re skills children practise naturally through movement.
And because you’re participating alongside them, you model calm, focus and self-care far more effectively than if you simply encouraged them verbally. This is the heart of it: children learn from what they see lived out in front of them.
Across the UK, in-person classes now cater to different stages of childhood, from newborn babies to school-age children.
Mother–baby sessions usually combine postnatal-friendly yoga for you with simple movements, gentle massage and sensory play for your baby. They’re designed to help mums rebuild strength safely while creating a warm space to bond and meet other parents. You don’t need to worry if your baby cries or feeds halfway through – these classes are built around real life, not silent studios.
As children grow, parent–child and family yoga sessions become more interactive. Studios often use stories, animal poses, games and partner balances. It’s light, imaginative and structured enough to keep little ones engaged without feeling rigid. Many classes end with a short relaxation, which often becomes a child’s first experience of simply lying still and slowing down – something surprisingly powerful in a busy family routine.
In-person sessions offer a few advantages:
If you like the idea of an activity that feels nurturing rather than frantic, these classes can be a good fit.
If getting to a class isn’t realistic – childcare, naps, tiredness, logistics – practising at home is just as valuable.
Online options for kids’ yoga are now vast. Story-led channels, themed flows and short sessions designed to match children’s attention spans make it easy to drop yoga into the day without planning. More importantly, many platforms include sessions designed for parents and children to do together, not just child-only videos.
Some simple ways to make home practice work:
The beauty of home yoga is that there’s no pressure to make it look polished. You’re simply creating a calm space where movement and breath become familiar and comforting.
Yoga is widely associated with benefits for children’s attention, emotional regulation and body awareness. Doing it with a parent adds an extra layer because it becomes a shared activity, not a lesson.
Practising alongside you can help children:
Partner poses, mirroring movements and balancing together can subtly build trust. And because yoga is non-competitive, it gives children space to explore movement without comparisons or pressure.
For children who find busy environments overwhelming, the slow pace and predictability of yoga can be especially calming. Even simple breathing practices can become tools they turn to naturally during tricky moments.
This idea sits at the core of family yoga and is backed up by plenty of parenting and behavioural research. Children are far more influenced by parental behaviour than by parental instruction. In other words, if they see you choosing movement, stretching, breathing and resting, it becomes normal for them too.
Yoga offers a particularly powerful form of role-modelling because you are demonstrating:
These small moments build into a picture of adulthood that is kinder and more balanced. Your child seeing you make time for yourself is more influential than any pep talk about “self-care”.
You don’t need to be bendy, spiritual or experienced. You don’t need perfect mats or child-sized leggings. You simply need a willingness to join in.
Your version might look like:
Whatever shape it takes, yoga together offers connection, calm and a shared sense of fun. It supports your wellbeing and gently teaches your child that looking after yourself is normal – and something worth copying.
Parenthood Self Care and Health
