According to studies conducted by Purdue and Indiana Universities, teaching yoga to a child has significant positive effects on his general health, academic achievement, relationships and personal well-being. Yoga gives children the opportunity to tune into their inner balance, posture, and ability to focus. Yoga increases a child's strength, endurance and empowers him through body awareness and increased stamina. The calming effects of yoga have been found to reduce test anxiety, increase positive social skills, and can effectively aid in improving concentration. According to yoga instructor Marsha Wenig, teaching your child yoga provides him with a healing tool for a lifetime of health, fun and well-being.
Moving with Breath
Step 1
Encourage your child sit or lie down on his yoga mat while wearing loose, comfortable clothing with his eyes closed or half closed in an unfocused gaze.
Step 2
Guide your child in a yogic breathing exercise to release tension; explain to your child that to breathe in the most healthful way, she will want to remember that her mouth is for singing, talking and eating, while her nose is specially designed to breathe. Encouraging her to breathe deeply with her abdomen moving the oxygen in and out through her nose will encourage the breath to naturally shift from shallow breathing to a more calming and revitalizing breath. Have her inhale to a count of five, gently hold, and then release the breath to a count of five. Do this for several sets.
Step 3
Use your yoga book or video to guide your child through a series, or "flow" of yoga postures. Encourage slow movements that flow with his breath; moving in and out of postures in correlation with an inhale or exhale to increase flexibility and warmth in his muscles for safe stretching in the postures.
Step 4
Teach your child to focus on her breath while holding a posture to enhance balance and concentration. Showing your child how to find a fixed focal point will increase his capacity for balance. Be sure to remind your child that her yoga practice is not a competition; this will reduce pressure and the temptation to measure her abilities judgmentally.
Step 5
Provide your child with an opportunity for stillness at the end of his practice. Encourage him to see his worries and thoughts floating away with every exhale.
Tips and Warnings
- Doing yoga with your child will show him you care about your health and well-being as much as you care about him; this can open up an opportunity for interaction, respect and sharing between you and your child that can last a lifetime. Finding other parents who want to introduce their children to yoga can bring like-minded friendships into your family circle.
- If you are unsure about how yogic postures should look, talk to a yoga teacher in your area to gain insight and advice for how to safely teach your child yoga. Never allow your child to hold a posture that is painful; if your child complains that a particular posture hurts him do not continue using that posture and consult with a yoga teacher.
Things You'll Need
- Yoga mat
- Loose fitting clothes
- Yoga posture book or video
References
- "Yoga for Youngsters"; Kat Randall; 2009
- "Babars Yoga for Elephants";Laurent de Brunhoff; 2002
- "Yoga Planet Deck (Yoga Cards)"; Tara Guber; 2008
- The Kids' Yoga Deck: 50 Poses and Games; Annie Buckley; 2006
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