AVON, Conn. -- Many grown-ups turn to yoga for exercise and to ease everyday stresses, but those at Kula Yoga Center in Avon said it's good for children, too.

YogaKids is a special children-only yoga class at which youngsters learn the "downward dog" and a plethora of other poses.

"Right now, this particular class is ages 6 to 12," instructor Julie Erasmus said.

Erasmus said she believes there are benefits to teaching children yoga at an early age.

"It gives them a foundation of body awareness, becoming more comfortable with their bodies and learning to listen to their bodies," she said. "It also helps them with breath, learning to breathe, which is really helpful at school."

Addie Waskowitz, 11, said she knows firsthand how well it works.

"Like, sometimes at school you have a rough day and then you come here and you just really relax and calm down, and you leave feeling much better about yourself," she said.

The philosophy is much the same as it is for adults, Erasmus said.

"It's resting poses and active poses," she said.

But the poses are taught in a way that's fun for kids, Erasmus said. "Many of the favorites are named for animals. Take the snake, for example."

"Lift up, hiss all the air out of your body -- hissssssss," Erasmus directs.

"My favorite pose would probably be the pigeon pose," said Emily Cole, of Simsbury.

The shark is another favorite.

"Lift your shark tail," Erasmus tells the students. "Remember, the tail swims side to side, side to side, and then open your jaws."

Nancy Showalter, 8, said she loves the spider pose.

"It just feels good on your spine," she said.

In the classes, students even combine a bunch of poses in what's known as a vinyasa.

Denise Firestone said she signed her 6-year-old daughter, Julia, up for the class. She said she's glad she did.

"I wanted my child to be able to learn how to, you know, to find a quiet place," she said.

"They have so many responsibilities with school, even from a young age -- homework, activities -- and I just think it's a great skill for them to learn early on," Erasmus said.

For more information, visit the Kula Yoga Web site. To obtain a YogaKids video, click here.