Yoga for Kids

Adults are not the only ones who experience stress everyday; kids as well deal with external pressures in school, extra curricular activities, and in keeping up with their friends and classmates. Doing yoga exercises is a good way to help kids relax and have fun, while teaching them better focus and concentration. Here are some useful information if you are thinking of enrolling your kid under a yoga for the young ones class.

Popular Yoga Poses for Kids

Unlike yoga for adults, there are no specific types and styles of yoga being followed in yoga for kids classes. Instead, the focus is on teaching them to do yoga exercises that are fun and simple enough to follow. It’s good to start a yoga session for kids with simple poses like the Mountain Pose or Tree Pose because these are among the easiest to follow and serve as a good introduction to learning proper breathing.

Kids have a high level of flexibility, which makes doing bending and stretching poses fun and easy to do. They can easily hold positions like the Cobra Pose to build muscle strength, and Bridge Pose to improve their immune system and strengthen their legs, arms, shoulders, and back. The Yoga Rock n’ Roll is also a favorite among kids because they have fun hugging their knees and rolling on their backs. This pose is good for the spine and for distributing blood and energy throughout the body.

Jumping Jacks are also often used by teachers as part of the warm up yoga exercise sets to release energy and warm the muscles, making it easier to do bending and stretching poses. Other popular yoga poses for kids include the Yoga Bear Walking pose, the Lion Pose, and the Archer’s Pose, which is excellent in teaching mental focus.

Benefits of Yoga for Kids

Kids tend to be easily distracted and have a short attention span, which can be a problem for some especially when it comes to behaving in school. Yoga can help teach kids focus and concentration because their attention will be on listening to the instructor on how to do the poses. The instructor can use stories and games like follow the leader so that the kids have fun while learning different yoga poses.

Yoga also promotes flexibility and balance, which are useful especially with all the physical activities that kids do. Yogic practice will also help kids build confidence and self-esteem, as well as learn calmness and enhance their awareness. Another benefit that kids get from taking yoga classes is developed imagination and creativity, because yoga for kids is often taught using fun stories and imagery in describing different yoga poses.

Kids’ energy levels can run quite high, and yoga will be a good release of this energy as well as teach them how to remain calm even in stressful situations. Being in a yoga class and learning activities with other kids will also help your child feel a sense of belongingness, which is something that greatly contributes to their confidence and self-esteem.

Tips and Reminders for Parents

The most important thing is for your kids to still have fun while learning yoga. Choose a yoga studio or class taught by someone who is not only experienced in teaching yoga for kids, but also makes classes fun by using stories, videos, etc. If your child is a bit hesitant, or doesn’t seem too keen on joining a yoga class, a good way to get their interest is by letting them join you towards the end of your session if you practice yoga at home.

Most studios that offer yoga for kids classes provide yoga mats for the kids, as well as other accessories that will make learning yoga more fun. Never let your child practice yoga with a full stomach, and emphasize to your child that the aim of yoga class is to have fun so there is no pressure to excel and do well.

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