3 out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank Smith Publicity for a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an open and honest review.
What an informative and interesting book. I found it a great the way it helped answer some of my questions and concerns about children doing yoga, as well as offering some great advice on how to make it more enjoyable for all involved. The routines at the end were fantastic too as it gives the reader some helpful instructions to start with while also encouraging and inspiring them to try other ideas and routines.
I loved the positive feel of this book; it’s all about encouraging children to try yoga due to the long list of benefits they would gain from it. I also liked that it was flexible in how children can be taught, while still reminding the reader of some important safety and comfort things to ensure the child got the best out any poses they tried.
I do have some very minor niggles about this book though. Firstly the way ‘in sum’ was used instead of ‘in summary’ came across as a little sloppy to me and didn’t gel well with this particular reader. Made it come across as rather unprofessional and lazy.
Another minor disappointment I had was that, for a book on yoga, there were no pose instructions. Yes there was the occasional picture of a child doing a pose, but I had really been hoping for a chapter that went through at least the basic poses. As a novice to yoga and having never tried teaching it to my children, I would have preferred a book that took me through some of the basic poses (not just the routines and one sentence description of what the pose aids) to ensure I was doing it right.
Would I recommend this book to others?
Possibly. More likely to those who already have an understanding of yoga poses when working with children. As the book talks about doing yoga, and explaining the benefits and all that, but without instructions SHOWING the poses… I don’t think those new to yoga would gain anything from this book.
Would I buy this book for myself?
Sadly, no. Again, the lack instruction on how to do the poses has left me feeling like I am missing out on something. Due to my little knowledge of yoga for myself, let alone when doing it with my children, I need a book that includes these instructions.
In summary: A good reference book to aid those who already know the basics of yoga with children who want to incorporate it more into their home and school life. Not the best book for beginners wanting to learn how to do yoga with their children.
Until next time,
Janis.
