Itsy Bitsy Yoga (books)

To gain more knowledge in my independent study, I checked out the Itsy Bitsy yoga books by Helen Garabedian. Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, Grow Stronger and Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers: 8-minute Routines to Help Your Child Grow Smarter, Be Happier and Behave Better.

I have to set aside my marketing head because I was put off, at first, with the titles, particularly the subtitle "claims". Even with the word "help", they seem to say that yoga can be a quick fix for problem children. This is not true. And if you are already an attentive parent, you don't need these poses to make your kids better. It's more than yoga that makes a good kid.

This aside, I thought the poses and routines that Garabedian comes up with are creative and age-appropriate. She even respond to new moms in cute ways with a little itsy bitsy baby character that "talks" to parents as though it was their baby.

After reviewing Itsy Bitsy yoga online, and the training courses, this is a great marketing gimmick to encourage people to incorporate yoga into their children's lives and into their own lives. She offers great advice for teachers who are working with these age groups--for instance how to hold short-attention spans and adapt to children in this highly-exploratory stage of life.