Itsy Bitsy Yoga:

What is Itsy Bitsy Yoga®?

Itsy Bitsy Yoga® is a loving, child-centered program that helps parents better understand their young children's physical development, needs and abilities through yoga. Through gentle Itsy Bitsy Yoga poses, songs and activities, parents and young children can develop a deeper bond. Babies as young as 3 weeks and children as old as 4 years can enjoy the structured one-on-one interaction Itsy Bitsy Yoga provides them and their parents. Parents, with or without yoga experience, gain a toolbox of calming techniques, healthy activities, and supportive friendships through IBY. There are nearly 125 yogic and developmentally sound activities created and adapted by Helen Garabedian, developmental movement expert and founder of Itsy Bitsy Yoga, to enhance the lives of new families.

Are you wondering if yoga is safe for babies? According to pediatricians and nurses, the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Itsy Bitsy Yoga is safe, gentle and very effective when done with instruction at home or in a class setting. The parent is responsible for carrying out all of the baby's yoga movements until the baby is walking. In the more active program for tots, parents are there to support and assist their toddler into yoga poses whenever necessary. Parents also enjoy the time to practice yoga poses, while letting their children imitate and explore yoga on their own two feet.

For spirited babies, Itsy Bitsy Yoga includes a number of "Magic Poses" that can literally calm crying in seconds when practiced with the right intensity.

Founder of Itsy Bitsy Yoga®

Helen Garabedian, RYT is a Certified Yoga Teacher; Infant Developmental Movement Educator; USUI Reiki Master/Teacher; IAIM Certified Infant Massage Instructor who has formally trained in Brain Gym and Pregnancy Yoga. Helen is an innovator in the field of yoga for babies and toddlers. She is the creator of Itsy Bitsy Yoga® that includes over 75 yoga poses to calm and nurture babies from age birth to 2 years. Additionally there are 35 IBY poses for the Little Families IBY program suitable for almost 2 to 4 year olds with a parent or caregiver. Helen is the author of a book on yoga for babies and toddlers called Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger (Fireside/Simon & Schuster) can be bought in stores nationwide with and can be ordered now at Amazon.com.

Jill Recchia

Jill Recchia, CIBYF of The Spirited Child, happily brings Itsy Bitsy Yoga®, Radiant Child Yoga®, and a series of “Parental Support” workshops, to families looking for nurturing and developmentally sound practices to enhance their lives and relationships with their young child.

Jill is an experienced early childhood educator and educational consultant, who has engaged her respect and affinity for young children, knowledge of their developmental growth and needs, and her personal love of yoga. Jill has found herself blessed to have been trained and guided by some of children’s yoga’s great visionaries, working directly with Shakta Kaur Khalsa, and Helen Garabedian, the founder of Itsy Bitsy Yoga.  As a kindergarten and first grade teacher, and most importantly as mommy to her twins, Jill has seen the great and varied benefits and beauty of regular yoga practice for little ones first hand.  And now as a certified children’s yoga instructor, Jill shares this joy with young children and their families.

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