Simple Yoga Moves for Kids
Life can be intense. There's a lot of stress for kids - of all ages and on all levels - including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Modern pressures can easily whisk children away from the present. These include overstimulation, screen time, social competition and homework.
As a children's yoga teacher, I regularly witness how yoga works to counter these effects. Yoga helps children to develop body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination – all skills that translate into better mind-body balance and management of day-to-day life.
WHY YOGA?
Mentally and emotionally, yoga helps kids to build confidence and self-esteem. It improves decision-making, concentration and opens kids to the idea of being still.
Nothing physical changes in the body or new accomplishments (such as being able to practice a posture more deeply) gives a child pride in what he or she has achieved. Yoga also reduces anxiety, which is just as important for children as for adults. Peer pressure, plus the pressure we often put on ourselves, can be overwhelming at any age.
It all sounds good, right? But where to start? All you and your little ones need is a bit of time - try to set aside 20 minutes - and a space to stretch out. A yoga mat is a bonus, not a necessity.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
My yoga classes often start with a breathing exercise. The breath helps us to store energy within us, recharging and strengthening the body and mind. It's the breath that keeps us calm when we are upset, stressed out or hurt. It relaxes and calms the mind and improves concentration. It can energize us and help build confidence.
TRY THIS: BACK TO BACK BREATHING.
Sit back to back with your child. Try and synchronize your breaths. Close your eyes to feel each other's tiny movements as you both inhale and exhale. This exercise is calming, and a wonderful way for the two of you to really connect.
GET MOVING.
The sun salutation is an age-old series of yoga postures used for warming up and energizing the body. These movements are repeated a few times, although the exact postures in the series can vary depending on your teacher. Sun salutation helps to stretch out your muscles, and allow energy to flow freely through your body.
TRY THIS: SUN SALUTATION.
My favorite way to introduce young kids to sun salutation is with Kira Willey's "Dance for the Sun." In this catchy tune (and believe me, you'll soon be singing along), each easy-to-follow movement of the series is clearly explained through song.
YOGA POSTURES.
Also called asanas, different yoga postures draw from the natural world of plants and animals. Linking a position - for example, on hands and knees, like a lion - with a roar, helps channel kids' energy. We connect the world around us with our bodies, and our bodies with our breath. Put simply, we can imagine anything, and we can be anything.
TRY THIS: TREE POSE.
This posture is performed by balancing on one leg, with both arms over the head reaching skywards. Kids can keep both feet on the floor. Or, if they're feeling brave, place the foot of the non-standing leg on the standing leg's foot, knee or thigh.
Ask your children how imagining that they are a tree makes them feel. Are their roots growing down into the ground? Do their leaves turn towards the sun? Balancing postures, like this one, increase our focus and help to clear the mind.
LEARNING HOW TO RELAX.
Yoga is unique in that it also teaches children how to relax. We learn how to create space in our minds, rather than 'switch off' the brain through distractions, such as screen time. The fact that we all need to learn how to relax is a lesson that is rarely communicated to kids.
TRY THIS: FINAL RELAXATION.
At the end of a yoga class, we all stretch out on the floor - trying our best to be still! - to calm ourselves down with a few minutes of total relaxation. Focus kids' attention by placing a feather on their tummy: deep breathing means they can watch the feather rise and fall.
This final relaxation is so important for our minds and our bodies. It takes just a few precious moments of stillness to help us rebalance the energy that has been stimulated during yoga.
CHILDREN ARE OUR TEACHERS TOO.
Finally, it's so worth remembering that kids learn through play, fun and curiosity. As adults, we in turn can learn from children, who open our eyes to the many different ways to discover, learn and engage with the world around us.
