This International Yoga Day, we look at some of the benefits of practicing yoga with children and offer practical tips for introducing yoga to your home, so that the whole family can enjoy it together.
The benefits of yoga for children
Physical fitness
Yoga poses and movements help children develop strength, flexibility and coordination. Regular practice can improve balance and posture, enhance motor skills and promote overall physical health.
Focus
Yoga encourages children to be present in the moment and pay attention to their bodies and breath. This mindfulness practice can enhance concentration, focus, and attention span, which can in turn benefit their learning.
Emotional Regulation
Yoga develops emotional awareness and self-regulation skills in children. By connecting with their breath and body, children can learn to recognise and manage their emotions in healthy ways, leading to greater emotional resilience and wellbeing.
Confidence
Through yoga practice, children develop a sense of accomplishment as they master new poses and challenges. This sense of achievement can help boost your little one’s self-esteem and confidence!
& so many more benefits.
Trying yoga with your little one
Start with simple poses
Begin with basic yoga poses that are easy for children to understand and recreate. Poses like cat, cow, downward facing dog, tree pose and child’s pose are a good place to start – you'll be able to find these in the diagram below.
Use YouTube videos
There are lots of free yoga class videos available on YouTube that are specifically designed for children. If you have space, put one of these on your TV and follow along with your little one.
Try animal poses
Children tend to enjoy pretending to be animals, so incorporate some animal-themed yoga poses into your session. Cobra pose, camel pose and downward facing dog are a few that you could try – you’ll be able to find these in the diagram below. Make it playful, imaginative play in your yoga session will keep your child entertained and engaged. You could even ask your little one to come up with their own animal-themed yoga pose!
Lead by example
Children will often imitate the behaviours of adults around them, so if you have a go at yoga, you might inspire them to join in! Make some space, put some music or a tutorial on, and let them see you enjoying yoga.
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