It is important to plant the seeds of healthy living early on in life to encourage life long habits and skills. Teaching yoga to
children is an effective way to help build the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual skills needed for them to develop
into healthy adults. Children are naturals at creating their own poses, making yoga a fun, non-competitive and approachable
activity that quickly builds these skills.
In today's busy world, many children are "maxed out" due to overly full schedules, academic and social pressures and varied
caregivers. Yoga can teach children the skills they need to face today's real-life pressures such as concentrating and calming
one's own body and mind. In addition, parental involvement provides parents and caregivers with ways to help kids reduce stress and
learn to self-soothe.
The benefits of yoga for toddlers and kids, include:
Body
- Assisting neuromuscular-development
- Encouraging motor development on both sides of the body
- Developing a strong and flexible body
- Increasing balance, body awareness and coordination
- Reducing injuries and improving performance
- Improving digestion and strengthening the immune system
- Relaxing the body and promoting better sleep
- Providing a better understanding of how bodies work and move
- Expanding lung capacity and increasing endurance
Mind
- Relieving tension and stress
- Increasing concentration, focus and attention span
- Promoting thinking and memory
- Encouraging creativity
- Stimulating auditory processing and responsiveness
- Calming and quieting the mind
- Reducing anxiety
- Balancing energy (high or low)
Soul
- Building confidence and self-esteem
- Enhancing team skills and social interaction
- Developing discipline and self-control
- Inspiring respect for self and others
- Enabling self-expression
- Providing lifelong skills for soothing oneself
- Encouraging a fit and healthy lifestyle
It's playful and fun!
