What is yoga? The word yoga comes from ancient Indian language of Sanskrit word meaning ‘union.’ Yoga is the coming together of body and mind. Yoga is performing a series of poses and also about breathing and relaxation, which makes people feel more calm, clear-minded and refreshed. Yoga has been around for about 6,000 years, so it must work! We have long known that yoga provides many benefits for adults. But did you know yoga also has many benefits for kids? Yoga engages the whole child – mind and body working together. Studies show a correlation between yoga practice and positive outcomes for children and teens.
Physical Fitness
Doing a yoga pose helps to build strength, flexibility and balance. This helps add to the 60 minutes of recommended physical activity for children.
Mental Health
Learning to breathe deeply triggers relaxation in the body and brings feelings of both peace and energy. Yoga also helps to build confidence in your mind and body.
Academics
Children who are physically fit perform better in school than children who are not. Yoga practice has been tied to fewer discipline issues and better behavior.
Self Awareness
During yoga, one has to listen to his or her own body to know if a certain position is painful or too difficult. It also helps one learn to be more aware of the sensations in his or her body. Yoga helps improve concentration and can even foster compassion for self and others.
Want to get s
tarted with yoga for your child? There are many organizations that offer yoga for children. You might look for yoga at local recreation centers, fitness studios and community centers. Look for an instructor that has been trained specifically in yoga for children. Some schools even teach yoga during class as a way to teach the children to clear their mind and re-focus. You might find yoga in youth-serving organizations such as 4-H. This week in Columbus, Ohio, 36 Extension Educators and staff were trained by the University of Arkansas’ 4-H Yoga for Kids to teach yoga to children and teens.
Yoga for children tends to be a little more active, fun and even silly compared to adult yoga classes, but why not make the animal sound that matches the pose you’re in, like frog, cow, dog or gorilla? Children can do yoga by themselves at home, with family and friends. The whole family can have fun doing yoga together. You can try out yoga together with your child at home with a good DVD or online video. Yoga is a great way to be physically active and contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
