LOUISVILLE, Colo., July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Gaiam, a leading yoga, fitness and wellness company, announced the release of its new Yoga for Kids product collection. The new line features pint-sized yoga mats and several colorful yoga accessories, including yoga socks, backpacks and water bottles. Designed to get kids moving, the collection is available now on Gaiam.com and at select retail partners.

In the past 30 years, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of children were overweight or obese in 2012. Summers can be particularly challenging, as many children have less daily structure with school being out.

Helping to combat the issue is the growing trend of yoga for kids. Schools are starting to offer yoga in the classroom, new kids focused yoga organizations are emerging and kids' yoga studios are becoming a growing trend. Children's yoga expert Jodi Komitor has seen a 20 percent growth year over year in certified kids' yoga instructors through Next Generation Yoga's teacher training program.

Responding to those trends, Gaiam designed the Yoga for Kids collection to give parents and teachers everything they need to not only introduce kids to yoga, but get them excited about it.

"Research shows us that yoga helps build concentration, coordination and mindfulness – great benefits for adults and kids alike," said Susan Haney, SVP and GMM at Gaiam. "Yoga is a fun way for children to develop these important skills in a creative, noncompetitive environment."

Gaiam's Yoga for Kids collection includes:

• Yoga Mats in kid-friendly sizes and fun designs, including geometric patterns and animal prints. The mats are latex free, and like all Gaiam yoga mats, are free of harmful phthalates.
• 2-Pack Yoga Socks/2-Pack Yoga Headbands
• Yoga mat-friendly Backpacks for kids on the go
• Leak proof Water Bottles
• Stay-N-Play Balls that promote healthy posture and active sitting

To complement the collection, Gaiam released two new kids' yoga programs earlier this year – Yoga for Kids: Outer Space Blastoff and Yoga for Kids: Dino-Mite Adventure. Led by Komitor, the programs are designed to be fun, educational and get kids' bodies moving and imaginations soaring.  For ages 5 to 10, the programs are available digitally and on DVD.  

Gaiam's Yoga for Kids collection is available now at select Target stores, Amazon and Gaiam.com. Product SRP ranges from $9.98 to $19.98.

About GAIAM

Gaiam, Inc. (NASDAQ: GAIA) is a leading lifestyle company for yoga, fitness and wellness products and content. With a wide distribution network that consists of approximately 38,000 retail doors, 17,000 store within stores, 5,000 category management locations, and e-commerce, Gaiam is dedicated to making yoga, fitness and wellness accessible to all. Gaiam TV is a global digital subscription service with approximately 7,000 exclusive videos available for streaming and download. The Company dominates the health and wellness category and owns the largest library of conscious media. For more information about Gaiam, please visit www.gaiam.com or call 1.800.869.3603.

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SOURCE Gaiam