Yoga for Kids

Gr 4 Up—The program opens with a young woman on a mat introducing a variety of yoga poses. Then, mostly in voice-over, the steps to doing the pose are enumerated as the instructor demonstrates them. The audience may have trouble understanding some undefined terminology, such as "start with your spine in neutral," and the vague instructions which tell viewers to repeat each pose several times without giving an exact number or range. The need for a mat and proper attire is not covered. The final 20 minutes of the video discusses "Eating Healthy," "Food Safety," and "Food Labels." In "Eating Healthy, the strongest segment, a young man explains how to make a smoothie and talks about the importance of calcium in your diet and how to choose healthy snacks. "Food Safety" features a family putting away the groceries and preparing dinner while an ominous voice-over offers tips on keeping food safe and the kitchen clean, such as "stop food poisoning before it stops you." The final section describes the food label and teaches viewers how to read it and make wise food choices. While the DVD cover features a preschooler, the information here is appropriate for upper elementary and middle school viewers. Marsha Wenig's YogaKids series (2004) and Yoga for Families: Connect with Your Kids (Bayview Entertainment, 2009) are better choices for those who want to learn yoga.—Veronica Schwartz De Fazio, Plainfield Public Library District, IL