Yoga for Kids
September. The nights become cooler, the acorns begin to drop, fall is in the air, and school is back in session. But that is where the similarities end between falls of the past and the fall of 2020. This fall, schools are adding safety protocols left and right. Some aren’t even going back in person and just providing virtual learning options. Masks are required, the football season was over before it even began, and everyone is adjusting to a new normal. This can lead to stress and anxiety, emotions that are commonly not associated with childhood. Many children have a hard time processing stress or even giving a name to it. They are unsure what they are feeling and how they can make it stop. Even in normal times kids are faced with stress inducing moments and it can be a surprisingly common occurrence. In current times, I think it is safe to say this is only amplified with the uncertainty that plagues the entire world.
Before you clicked on this link, I think you knew where I was going with this post but I will spell it out all the same. Yoga can be extremely beneficial for kids. It has become more and more popular for children over the years, and for good reason. Studies continue to show the benefits of starting the practice at a young age. You may still be skeptical and think yoga for kids is a little too out there for you and a waste of money and time. But I can assure you, with the right teacher it, would be none of those things.
We all know why yoga is good for adults. It is preached to us at every studio and on every yogi’s blog. Funny enough, the exact same reasons yoga is good for you is the reason is it good for your kids. Broadly speaking, yoga can help improve your child’s physical and mental health.
Studies have shown yoga and mindfulness practices can improve memory, focus, behavior, and anxiety in school aged children. Yoga can provide a sense of calm that so many children are derived of because of their busy schedule and the go-go-go mentality of today’s world. Yoga encourages practitioners (both young and old) to slow down and be present in the current moment. We live in a society obsessed with instant gratification; yoga provides a gentle counter practice to this. As I stated before, often children don’t know what they are feeling when anxiety and stress creep in. The ultimate goal of all yoga is to increase self-awareness. Practitioners gain a better emotional intelligence allowing them to better identify what they are feeling and handle it appropriately.
Obviously, yoga also brings physical benefits. Balance, strength, coordination, flexibility, and spatial awareness, are all improved by yoga. Yoga is also one of the few physical activities that does not have a competitive aspect to it. This can help with self-esteem and confidence as there is not a “winner” in yoga.
More and more commonly yoga is being implemented in schools as a part of their curricula, but you don’t have to rely on the school to give your child the opportunity to practice. Most studios have kid’s classes and some teachers even offer private children’s classes. There are even yoga for kids certifications and trainings out there for yoga teachers to enroll in. I personally have my mini yogis certification, which gave me new ideas and tools to bring onto the mat during my kid classes.
During this unprecedented time, it is so important to try and give children as much stability, routine, and emotional/physical outlets as we can in order to help them handle this new (and ever changing) normal. So, maybe look into how a weekly yoga class could metaphorically kill these three birds with one stone. Check your local studio’s current schedule or reach out to the owner. In 30 years, your child probably won’t be playing football or softball, but they could (and should) still be practicing yoga.
Click the link below to see my yoga for kids class offerings!
