Although originally considered an adult activity, some practitioners have begun to tailor yoga poses to a much younger crowd -- children and toddlers as young as 18 months old. Many respectable organizations and experts support toddler yoga, such as the American Diabetes Association and PBS Parents, but the American Yoga Association warns that toddlers should not practice several essential components of yoga.
Physical Benefits
Doing yoga poses can help toddlers improve gross and fine motor skills, develop healthy breathing techniques and learn to relax their muscles. When practiced regularly, yoga teaches toddlers better posture, helps them gain greater control over their bodies and even promotes cardiovascular health. Yoga also promotes physical strength and flexibility, which makes a toddler's body more resilient and resistant to injury. Toddlers who practice yoga may even sleep better and experience improved digestion, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Benefits
Practicing yoga helps toddlers learn to manage their emotions. Various poses can help toddlers calm down when they feel frustrated, soothe themselves when they feel angry, use their energy constructively when they feel lively or unwind and settle down when it's time for bed. Yoga poses also involve careful breathing and meditation, which can help toddlers develop concentration and restrain impulsiveness, says the American Yoga Association. "Pediatric Nursing" says yoga for children may reduce stress, aid brain function and alleviate depression and anxiety. Overall, regular yoga can boost a toddler's mood, foster motivation, improve self-discipline and enhance mental peace and acuity, leading to better behavior in general.
Dangers and Theories
Despite the numerous benefits yoga may provide to toddlers, the American Yoga Association warns that toddlers, older children and young adolescents should not do most poses. Habitual yoga can hinder a toddler's physical growth, the Association says, because yoga poses place too much pressure on the endocrine glands. The glandular system controls growth, and as a result, frequent pressure on those glands may have a systemic effect on the toddler's body, stifling the natural process of physical growth. "Pediatric Nursing" says insufficient research has evaluated whether yoga could harm toddlers physically, but most established research has shown positive effects.
What to Do
Choose a yoga book, video, or class designed specifically for toddlers. To foster your child's interest in yoga, join her in doing the poses and demonstrate the techniques. For children under 6 years old, a yoga session should last about 15 minutes or less. Aim for one to six sessions a week. A study in "Pediatric Nursing" recommends attending at least some professionally organized toddler yoga classes to ensure that your child learns properly and safely. Toddlers should not attempt Bikram or ashtanga yoga.
Warnings and Expert Advice
Never push your toddler to do a pose that's too difficult for her or that seems dangerous or beyond her physical abilities. Teach her to go slowly, both to enhance relaxation and to avoid injury. Don't let your toddler do yoga right after eating or when she feels sick. Don't expect your toddler to execute the poses perfectly, says "Pediatric Nursing." Instead, try to make it a fun activity that your child enjoys.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Yoga for Fun and Health
- PBS Parents: Why Yoga and Kids Go Together
- American Yoga Association: General Yoga Information
- "Parents" Magazine: Yoga for Better Behavior
- Organic Soul: Toddler Yoga: Yoga Is Not Just for Grownups Anymore
- "Pediatric Nursing"; Yoga for Children; Laura White; October 2009
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