Father's Day read: Creator of yoga cards shares how fellow dads can be their kids' superhero

A wife who’s a yoga instructor has influenced art director/graphic designer Garrick Tan to do more than just try out poses on the mat. He’s even created a set of yoga cards for kids together with her!

Graphic designer Garrick Tan (right) with his daughter and yoga teacher wife Yvonne.

Called, Inhale, Exhale, I am a Superhero, the deck of colourful story cards aims to show kids superheroes come in different forms while inspiring kids to try out different poses as demonstrated by these furry cute monsters.

He tells us more about how these cards came about and it means to be a superhero to kids as a dad.

You created Inhale, Exhale, I am a Superhero with your yoga teacher wife Yvonne Loh (a regular guru here!). Do you remember your initial response when Yvonne came to you with the concept of creating yoga cards for kids?
The first thing that came to mind was collectible cards! I had this nostalgic moment remembering being a kid who was playing and collecting different themed Top Trumps cards. These cards gave so much detail and information in such a small medium that it allowed me to imagine the real thing even if I had never been exposed to it. That was the basis for what came next in the conceptualisation of these cards. I wanted the cards to ignite kids’ creativity and imagination.

Why did you decide on monsters?
I was inspired by cartoon characters that I watched on TV growing up, like Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street and in more recent years, Disney's Monsters Inc movie. This helped me set the tone of the cards to be different from the traditional form of humans executing the poses. I wanted the cards to connect and appeal to kids universally as well without being too feminine or masculine.

How do you think your monster superheroes can be appealing to kids?
Traditionally monsters are scary and intimidating, so I thought as superheroes I would like them to be the exact opposite - friendly, fuzzy, cheerful and cute. Just like how yoga could seem like “a monster", an intimidating activity for someone who’s new to the practice, with a little guidance and encouragement we can turn the practice into a fun and exciting journey for kids with the help of these characters on the cards.

What do you think are kids' special superpower?
Their ability to absorb and master almost anything they want once they put their hearts and minds to it.

As a husband to a yoga teacher, what have you learnt about yoga which surprised you?
Yoga is tough! It looks easy but it's not. I remember my first few attempts at doing basic yoga poses and I was sweating buckets and feeling sore the following day. As strenuous as it was, what I learned was that it wasn't so much a physical challenge to overcome but more of an exercise to strengthen ourselves mentally The practice became easier once I focused on being calm and relaxed throughout the session. This I thought was a good lesson that can be applied to other aspects of our lives outside of yoga.

Kids bonding over the happy furry monster characters of Inhale, Exhale, I am a Superhero!

How do you try to practise mindfulness at home as a dad?
I try to be more present without an agenda, recognising that there isn't always a need for scheduled events. Taking timeouts from work to just hang out with my daughter and see what she's doing can be an emotionally rewarding experience. I am also trying to be more open and engaging in a situation and not judge experiences as “good” or “bad" and react to them. I find these judgments affect our relationships and limit our perceptions of the children's potential.

Lastly, as a creative professional, how would you encourage dads to be superheroes to their kids?
Instil curiosity in them and let it unfold in them in their own time and without expectation. See kids for who they are and guide them as a parent. Let them become superheroes themselves as they discover their own abilities through the power of being mindfully inquisitive.

Inhale, Exhale, I am a Superhero is available for purchase on our site here! Or check them as a bundle with our mat.