When I first started yoga many moons ago, our instructor maintained a very calm and focused atmosphere. There were times, however, that my friend and I found ourselves in an awkward position with fingers wedged between toes, and we did all we could not to burst out in laughter. The short of it is that we just felt plain silly. Our instructor frowned upon our little outburst of snickers and looking back, I now appreciate the need to maintain concentration. But when it comes to kids, there is no doubt that you must include an element of fun to make it interesting for them. Add the element of story-telling with an eco-conscious message, and you end up with a fun-filled adventure that incorporates yoga postures. And Storyland Yoga by Playful Planet does just that.

Playful Planet was founded by a Karen Duggan and husband Bryan. Their goal is to empower children with fun and engaging activities with enriching programs and hands-on experiences that embrace health and sustainability. When Karen met Ahmed Fahmy, a Certified Children's Yoga Instructor, she knew right away that his unique storytelling approach to teaching yoga to kids should be turned into a series for children and their families to enjoy anytime, anywhere. In Storyland Yoga, Ahmed tells two stories, Save the Whale and Condor Trek, that integrate imagination and yoga postures to help teach kids how to be calm, improve their focus and increase clarity. It also engages them by developing an awareness of the health and sustainability of our planet.

My kids and I sat down to watch both stories before we set out to participate in the postures. It sure was a nice change from the same old cartoons that they tend to watch and, because it teaches them about the importance of respecting animals and nature, it was reassuring to me that they are learning important lessons as well as yoga. It was also interesting to see that they stopped playing with their toys to listen to the story. That's how captivating it was for them. My daughter, who is five, has already been introduced to yoga so she was quite familiar with several of the positions. But this DVD adds the element of animal-themed stories and adds a fun twist to physical activity. Watching other children participate in yoga makes it more appealing for my kids, too. My son, age two, really enjoyed the animations as well. It's no wonder that Storyland Yoga is the recipient of the Parent's Choice Approved, "Dr. Toy "Best Green Product" award and the Preferred Choice by Creative Child Magazine award. I am also happy to know that a portion of the proceeds from this DVD are donated to the "Save the Whales" Foundation and that the packaging is made of 100% recycled materials.