The benefits of yoga for children

Here's what your neighbour's children have found out about yoga:

• 'It's fun'
• 'It's hard'
• ' Helps me concentrate'
• 'I like relaxing'
• ' I know about my body better'
• 'I know why we twist away from our feet'

Can children do yoga?

Of course children can do yoga! Yoga means union between mind and body. Children naturally are well balanced. Practicing yoga helps children retain or regain their natural posture and composure.

What age are children who perform yoga?

Between 7-15yrs. Children from the age of 7 can benefit from attending yoga classes. Younger children enjoy copying shapes and learning about their body. Teenagers appreciate the space to relax and re-energise.

What are the benefits of yoga?

Practising yoga from a young age helps to keep us flexible and builds strength and stamina safely.

Why do children want to do yoga?

Angela Hulm is a yoga teacher who has been teaching yoga to children for some time. She suggests the following reasons and typical answers to the question of 'Why would children want to perform yoga':

• I'm doing it as part of my Duke of Edinburgh's award.
•  I don't like sports.
• It helps with my hockey, skiing, karate.
• My friend comes too.
• My mum does yoga.
• I've seen it on telly.
• I need to relax more.

What happens in a 45min yoga class for children?

The yoga teacher and children stretch out our legs before the class starts then sit down for a few moments to get focussed. The teacher and children will then warm up our bodies and wake up our minds by saluting the sun - a fast paced sequence of moves to stretch and energise. Standing postures like triangle and warrior poses are a fun way to build stamina and keep good posture.

Yoga for children: The benefit to the parents

Through the practice of yoga children are able to maintain their flexibility, develop strength, sleep better, improve their levels of concentration and perform to their full potential at home and in school. The combination of breathing, posture work and relaxation/visualisation techniques help children to gain in self- confidence and come to terms with many of their physical and mental developmental changes.

Courtesy of Angelia Hulm, Yoga teacher to children

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