Yoga isn’t just for adults, kids can reap the benefits too!

 
1. Yoga Helps maintain flexibility and strengthens, stretches and lengthens growing bodies

Children are born with an innate flexibility and yoga poses help to prolong this gift as they stretch muscles through integrating breathing and movement. Flexibility is important for fewer and less severe injuries, while bodies that are strong breathe better, digest food better, maintain a healthy weight and can support the stress of carrying heavy loads like a school backpack.

2. Yoga increases Self-Esteem

Yoga helps a child display strength, focus, balance, flexibility, and coordination, which is a big confidence boost! Success in any yoga pose encourages the child to believe in themselves and pursue their full abilities as they embark and learn in their day-to-day life adventures.

3. Yoga teaches mindfulness

The philosophy of yoga is to be present in the moment rather than the past or future. When children are engaged, focused, having fun, and following a yoga lesson, they are in the present moment. Yoga teachers can encourage kids to apply this skill throughout their day-to-day life.

4. Yoga fosters a peaceful and relaxed body and mindset

Yoga itself is meditative activity. Whether it is in holding a balancing pose, sitting in meditation or dynamically moving through poses, the practice offers a soothing and calming quality that encourages acceptance and peace and develops an intrinsic strength. Yoga classes conclude with a quiet time or deep relaxation, which is often a favourite part of the class for yogis of all ages. This part of the class may involve massage in pairs, music or guided visualisation to obtain peace and stillness. The peace attained from this part of class encouraged to be taken out and utilised in day-to-day life as it can help kids deal with the stress of living in a chaotic world of constant stimulation.

5. Yoga provides an outlet for stress management

Unfortunately, kids these days can get quite stressed and overstimulated however, practicing yoga provides them with a stress release outlet in a safe and nurturing environment. As with all physical exercise, yoga produces happy endorphins however extra focus on breathing along with a focus on quieting the mind actually help slow down the hearth rate. In addition, the non-competitive, non-judgemental yoga environment minimises any potential stress a child may experience when competing with others or oneself.

6. Yoga sparks creativity and nurtures imaginations

Kid’s yoga classes often include fun themes like “Under the Sea.” Children are allowed the opportunity to create their own yoga poses to fit with the theme, tapping into their creativity inspiring them to be free and self-expressive and encouraging them to use their imaginations without judgement.

7. Yoga encourages positive peer and social interactions

Yoga is the perfect channel to teach children that we are all the same – we all have feelings, bodies that function and hearts that love, despite differences in outward appearance, race and religion. Partner yoga poses are integrated into the class and help children to understand these concepts by working together. This encourages children to be kind, patient and emphatic with others both within the class and outside of class.

8. Yoga develops body awareness and concentration

Yoga helps create awareness in the body through deep breathing and movement. As some poses are fast moving while others are slow paced, children learn self-control, enhancing their focus and awareness. The range of balancing, strengthening, twisting, back bending and inverting yoga poses teach children about their body and encourages them to pay attention to how their body feels.

 

Listen To Your Body

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