Yoga for Kids

Yoga for Kids is becoming increasingly popular in both schools and yoga studios.

Both parents and teachers alike have noticed real improvements from yoga for kids both in terms of overall happiness and general health as well as improved performance in the classroom through better concentration and creative expression.   More and more schools offer kids yoga classes after school hours or during the lunch break and many are already considering bringing kids yoga classes into their school curriculums.

Yoga not only helps kids to become physically more aware and flexible but it can also help to bring them into a state of calm and peace with themselves.  Young minds are naturally very active and our kids are being constantly stimulated by the world around them with there being so much to learn and explore each day.

Kids face a lot of demands ranging from academic studies in the classroom environment through to various sports and physical activities, arts, crafts and musical studies, not to mention social pressures from their peer group in the playground or afterschool. At the end of all this, they have to find time to do their homework, play with friends, spend quality time with their families and last but not least – relax! It takes effort and concentration to slow down a busy mind and that’s where yoga comes in handy .

Yoga has numerous benefits for kids’ bodies and minds.  Ultimately, a primary goal of yoga for kids is to help them to become more centred, balanced and focused.

There are a wide range of benefits of yoga for kids which have been listed here in no particular order of importance:

• Improved academic performance – through several balancing poses (mountain, tree, etc.), kids learn how to focus and improve their concentration and patience. That, in return, can translate into improvements in learning and performance in the classroom.

• Increased strength and flexibility – yoga helps to retain and increase the elasticity of their developing bodies and improve their physical strength as they increase their body awareness, control and coordination with various yoga postures (warrior poses, leg stretches etc.)

• Boost to immune system – increased blood circulation and oxygen flow helps to release the toxins from the body and clear the mucus from lungs and sinuses. Internal organs are being stimulated by postures like twists, forward and backbends.

• Decreased kid-stress – breathing practices, visualisation, meditation and also various forward bends help kids to calm their mind and cope with their emotions. They learn how to make themselves feel better no matter what their outside situations is and through this, build resilience for dealing with life’s challenges.

• Encouragement of healthy choices – kids learn to pause and reflect on the choices they make. They become more aware of their environment, benefits of healthy lifestyle, e.g. importance of nutritious food and being physically active.

• Improved social skills – using games, songs and real life examples in the group environment, kids develop their inner strength and also see how their own actions and words may affect others. Partner poses are good for developing trust and emphasising the importance of teamwork and not letting others down.

• Increased confidence and self-esteem – observing their own progress in a stress free and fun environment, kids learn to become more tolerant and accepting towards themselves and others.

• Improved creativity – using visualisations, games and yoga stories, kids develop and improve their creative thinking and creative performance.

As you can see, all of the above and many more benefits are possible from kids yoga and even better, all these benefits also apply for us adults when we visit a regular yoga class.

When I first started teaching yoga for kids, I didn’t know what reactions to expect from the students and how they would see yoga. I very soon realised how many children already knew of yoga or even had done some poses and/or meditation practice with their parents or siblings at home. They not only enjoy it but also find yoga a ‘cool’ thing to do.

What inspires me most when teaching kids is the receptiveness and genuine openness of children. If they don’t like something, they’ll tell you how it is! And if they enjoy a particular pose or a game, you are rewarded with the biggest smiles or teddy bear hugs you can get.

Kids love the fun of yoga! Most yoga poses have either animal names (turtle, lion, cobra, cat, etc.), or names from life itself (sandwich, tree, wheel, mountain etc.). That makes yoga for them more visual and you can flow from posture to posture being engaged in numerous magical tales and stories. But along with stories, songs and games, there are also plenty of breathing practices, massages and relaxation. The class is structured so that all the important elements of yoga practice are covered and there is good engagement of the whole group.

Yoga has been proved to be beneficial for children with conditions ranging from childhood obesity, ADD and ADHD, various cardiovascular disorders, asthma, muscle tension or weakness just to name a few.

I always look forward to my next kid’s yoga class! It feels like stepping back into my own childhood playground and engaging with my inner child. Where else can I get away with a few silly faces or sing out loud while missing a beat . Everyone has a laugh, and most importantly, everyone is HAPPY!

Love and laughter,

Helen

Leave a comment...