Yoga isn't just for grown-ups. Kids of all ages can benefit from the thoughtful poses and breathing that yoga requires, which helps them improve their sense of body awareness, increase strength and flexibility, improve posture and balance and boost self esteem, says Marsha Wenig, the creator of the YogaKids video and educational curriculum, in "Yoga Journal."
Activities to Promote Relaxation
Even young children have to deal with stress, and yoga can be a practical way for them to calm down, relax and focus, says Theresa Banks, a certified kids' yoga teacher, in the "New York Daily News." Focused yoga breathing, where kids sit cross-legged and concentrate on breathing in and out using a technique Banks calls "peace breath," is a calm-down technique that works for all kinds of kids, including those with special needs, says Banks. Kids can then move on to other breathing exercises and simple animal poses to relieve the anxiety, insomnia, depression and other mental-health issues associated with high stress levels.
Activities to Boost Creativity
Yoga can be a good way for children to explore storytelling, develop their imaginations and experiment with noncompetitive physical activity, says Marsha Wenig, the creator of the YogaKids video and educational curriculum, in "Yoga Journal." Wenig encourages kids to use yoga poses to mimic animals and plants, to act out stories and as inspiration for drawings, giving them the opportunity to connect with their imaginations in a hands-on way.
Activities to Learn about Yoga
You can use books and DVDs to introduce your child to yoga poses. "Kiwi" magazine recommends reading a yoga book with your kids and trying poses together -- "My Daddy Is a Pretzel: Yoga for Parents and Kids" by Baron Baptiste and "Babar's Yoga for Elephants" by Laurent de Brunhoff are two good options. You can also watch a kid-oriented yoga DVD, such as "Family Yoga" with Rodney Yee, Donna Fone and their children or "Wai Lana's Little Yogis."
Member Comments