We are a yoga family and we weave the practice into our daily lives to help maintain wellness and proper balance of mind, body and soul. For example, we love to start (and end) our days by reaching up towards the sky like mighty trees and then stretching out down towards the floor to elongate and release the tension in our spines like cats after a long nap.

I introduced my littles to yoga when they were babies and we have always enjoyed it as a fun form of family fitness. It is such a great parent-child bonding activity and it makes everyone feel more relaxed and connected. I’ve written about the many virtues and health advantages of yoga, and how children can reap the benefits from it for a lifetime.

There are many ways to practice yoga with kids. If you haven’t tried it, don’t feel intimidated by the need to follow strict yoga rules. Make it fun, creative and free-flowing. We have used books, DVDs and the internet to inspire our yogic adventures.

We are always looking for fun new ways to experience the joy of yoga, so I was thrilled when I discovered Giselle Shardlow of KidsYogaStories.com and her wonderful books. I was even more excited when she asked me to review her book, Sophia’s Jungle Adventure. This lovely children’s fiction not only includes a sweet and engaging story, but also great illustrations to demonstrate kid-friendly yoga poses and an insightful parent-teacher guide.