Yoga incorporates breathing, stretching and meditation. The exercise, which began in India more than 5,000 years ago, prioritizes your ability to attain focus, develop strength and improve flexibility. Yoga can also help improve concentration, confidence and creativity, according to the Public Broadcasting Corporation. An array of medical research corroborates yoga's impact on learning in children.
Improved Attention
Yoga can improve a child's ability to concentrate, notes the journal School Psychology Review. In the 2005 article, "Yoga as an Intervention for Children with Attention Problems," 10 elementary school students participated in a 30-minute, in-school yoga practice twice weekly over a three-week period. Researchers found that the students were better able to focus on classroom tasks during that period.
Better Work Habits
Relaxation exercises such as yoga help children maintain better work habits, according to cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson. His 2000 study, "Academic Performance Among Middle-School Students After Exposure to a Relaxation Response Curriculum" published in the Journal of Research and Development in Education, found that a minimum of two semesters of relaxation training led to a higher grade-point average and better work habits. Moreover, Dr. Benson found that the benefits lasted for two years.
Emotional Balance
Yoga can help students cope with fear of failure, a sense of helplessness and perceived stress while learning, states the journal Early Child Development and Care. In the May 2005 article, "Yoga for Children in the Mirror of the Science," researchers offered stress reduction techniques including yoga to 48 fifth-grade students. They found that the training reduced negative and aggressive feelings, and led to a greater sense of well-being and self-control.
References
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: Stretching Exercises Can Benefit Children With Attention Issues
- School Psychology Review: Yoga as an Intervention for Children with Attention Problems
- Yoga: Why It Should All Be in the Family
- Early Child Development and Care: Yoga for Children in the Mirror of the Science
- Public Broadcasting Corporation: Solo Sports: Yoga
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