Yoga For Children

YOGA IMPROVES PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH

“Yoga,” frequently translated as “the union of the body and the mind”, can serve as a powerful developmental tool for young people. While many different activities (sports, for example) can help children enhance their physical wellness, yoga integrates the physical and the mental – the internal and the external – and takes a multi-dimensional, holistic approach to meeting the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social needs of youth.

YOGA DEVELOPS FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

Yoga helps students improve their focus and concentration, both of which are critical to learning. It also enhances students’ ability to work independently and productively, even amidst the environmental and personal distractions that often surround them. Yoga provides a framework for processing and dealing with emotions, helping students better cope with stress, anger and other harmful emotions.

KIDS ARE STRESSED!

Children are just as susceptible as adults to feeling pressured and overwhelmed. Young people today are under increased social and academic stress, resulting in over stimulation of the nervous system and a buildup of stress hormones. These hormones make it very difficult for children to sit still and focus. Their bodies are not at ease because their nervous systems are telling them to prepare for danger!

CULTIVATING A SENSE OF AGENCY

When children begin to experiment with yoga, they become more in tune with their bodies (internally and externally) and can quickly learn to regulate their emotions, self soothe and ask for support when needed. This empowers children with confidence that they can cope with the many varied circumstances that arise day to day .

YOGA IS A NONCOMPETITIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Most physical activities that children participate in today are competition based. Yoga presents an entirely different model whereby students participate in an activity that is cooperation based and rooted in the idea that practicing and improving yourself is what indicates success. This model allows all students to develop their sense of personal efficacy and awareness of their potential, regardless of how they compare to their peers. It also fosters a sense of community without the need for an enemy.