What Is Children’s Yoga?
A children’s yoga session looks quite different to an ‘adult yoga’ class. Usually postures and activities are practised in a circle to give a sense of community and lots of eye contact. Engaging, age-appropriate props are used to help the children explore the benefits of yoga. Sessions are often linked to a theme or particular curriculum topic.
Classes start with a fun warm-up such as a yoga dance before moving into posture work with a focus on the breath. Depending on the age of the children we explore postures, partner work and acroyoga through exciting yoga journeys or adventures to lands afar, a story, or flow sequences. To develop the session, we follow with a yoga inspired game, some mindful movement or breath work. Lastly and very importantly we finish with a relaxation time or age-appropriate meditation.
We have lots of fun in our sessions and they can be noisy sometimes with music and laughter however the sense of calm can be felt during our relaxation time. Most kids and teens really embrace this time and regularly request a longer meditation!
What are the benefits of children’s yoga?
Children gain many physical, social and emotional benefits from practising yoga.
Just a few include: improving strength and flexibility, building self-confidence and concentration, encouraging cooperation, finding inner peace, increasing emotional resilience and having fun! Just a few more wonderful benefits for your child listed below…..
Yoga allows for wide range of movements throughout the body helping children develop, become stronger, learn balance and coordination. Not only do they have the opportunity to strengthen their bodies but also their breath and mind. During class children are encourage to regulate and deepen their breath.
Children’s creativity, confidence and friendships are frequently developed through yoga classes. There is lots of interaction with others and with many different themes in yoga classes children’s passion and self-expression is ignited as they take part in co-creating parts of the class.
There is incredible power in the combined mindful movement of body and breath which can help shift focus away from anxiety and worry and bring about a calmer sense of self. Guiding children on how to access their parasympathetic nervous system — the part of our body that helps us rest and digest — is something they can use to benefit them forevermore.
