Yoga is a very effective and powerful way for children to develop a strong and healthy body. It requires no tools and can be practiced anywhere to develop patience, self-understanding, and confidence. Yogis are approached to learn yoga in order to strengthen the imagination and improve the creative thinking skills of children. Yoga poses are integrated with other games and adventures for all children.
Benefits of yoga for children
Children get tremendous benefits from yoga. It promotes physical flexibility, wisdom, strength, coordination, concentration, calm and relaxation. Children develop an intimate relationship with the natural world and inner self while doing yoga, exercising, and playing any game they like. Wonderful inner light emerges in children practicing yoga asanas. The lion pose gives the child an experience of power just like the lion’s behavior, the feeling of aggression and the time to withdraw. The true meaning of joining, expressing and honoring oneself in the delicate web of life is made known to children through yoga.
Children gain control over bodies and minds. Children strike nature and animal poses such as snake, tree, and dog poses. They move their bodies in fun to bring unity to their own lives. Self-discipline is learned by doing slower poses, holding postures, breathing in a different way. Children, parents and grandparents practice yoga asanas together to create a feeling of closeness in children with their loved ones. Yoga’s meditation and breathing techniques help them calm down and focus better on studies.
Children face the pressure of school, incessant lessons, video games and competitive sports and yoga reduce stress. They have a fast pace in their lives that affects them deeply and is not good for children. These pressures are counteracted by yoga techniques to achieve inner fulfillment, relaxation and the importance of personal health. It fosters self-esteem, body awareness, compassion, and encourages cooperation, which is a great gift for children.
yoga poses for kids
Light and simple techniques are taught to children in a cheerful way so that they take it as if it were a fun game. Begin yoga by sitting in a circle and chanting ‘OM’ to feel the strong vibrations generated as a group. It is also practiced by telling them an interesting story to take their mind to faraway places. Make them feel like they are flying in an airplane because children love to spread their wings while playing.
Most of the asanas have animal names for the children to follow. There are some easy poses like Svanasana, Bhujangasana, Tadasana that can be practiced by children. They love to follow tree and monument poses like Tadasana, Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana make them strong like a warrior and vigilant like an eagle. Garudasana and Bhujangasana make you feel like cobras and the posture called Natarajasana makes you enjoy yourself as balanced and beautiful dancers. Paschimottanasana is a good stretching pose to relax.
