Yoga for Kids

Yoga for kids?

Yes really! It is fun & beneficial for children of all ages. There are even classes for moms & very young kids to do together.

Kids yoga classes can offer all the benefits of yoga that adult classes give. Movement, body awareness, awareness & respect of others, stress relief, confidence & appreciation of their bodies as well as other benefits. Classes can be a good way to encourage those children to use their bodies who would not naturally choose to do a sport.

Classes designed for kids are usually shorter in length than adult classes. For younger children maybe only thirty minutes, gradually building up to forty five minutes for older kids and young teens. This is usually as much as their concentration levels can manage.

These classes are definitely not your typical yoga classes, there is a lot of movement, laughter, questions, often animal noises as we move through some animal poses. It is always a fun time, using our imaginations & often the kids themselves will come up with different fun ideas for poses.

The focus is on breathing, movement, balance practice & a short relaxation at the end of class. I usually give children in my classes something to do with their hands as we practice breathing, this helps them to focus on what we are doing, especially for those that find sitting still a challenge.

Perhaps holding a flower (real or fake) to hold while taking deep breaths to imagine breathing in the perfume deep into their lungs. Or a small container of bubbles to use help them to focus on the exhale. I have also used peacock feathers so they can see the effect of softer & more powerful breaths, how much does the feather move with the breath?

To help focus in relaxation I will read a short story or meditation, something to help stop the mind just wondering & to prevent boredom setting in.

There are so many different & fun options with yoga for kids, some are easy to try at home or if you are a teacher, maybe try some at the beginning or end of your class sessions.

Yoga can be especially helpful for children with ADHD, although they may not always be able to manage the whole length of the class to begin with. Yoga can help these children with focus, balance, understanding & awareness both of themselves & others.

This week I was very excited to discover an app for the IPhone & IPad called "The Adventures of Super Stretch". This app is only $1.99 & can be used at home or away. If you are a teacher & have access to a smart board it is easy to connect your IPad to the Smart Board & make yoga a regular feature of your school day. You really don't have to do a whole class, just a couple of poses will be enough to get you & the kids started.

Teaching kids yoga is not an easy task, it takes planning & patience, but can be extremely rewarding & fun for both you & the kids. Give it a try at home, maybe check out the app & have fun with it. Let me know how you get on & I am always open to learning new ideas for working with kids, so pass them on if you have any. Thanks for reading.