Yoga and Children

The integration of yoga into children’s physical education programs and exercise routines is becoming more popular. In times gone past, yoga was only ever taught to adults, however, children are starting to reap the mental and physical benefits of participating in a yoga routine. Yoga teaches and develops a child’s strength, flexibility and balance and its primary premise is to align, stretch and strengthen a person’s posture. The soothing rhythm of breathing, relaxing and stretching leaves students calm, alert and ready to learn.
Physical Benefits
Yoga is a physical discipline that strengthens, stretches and aligns the body. It is observed that yoga has many benefits which include: developing long lean muscles, better posture, improved breathing, enhanced digestion, better circulation and a relaxed nervous system. Another significant benefit is that yoga can be adapted in many different ways depending on the age, body type, flexibility and coordination of the child. Yoga can, therefore, be adapted with music and fast movements to keep the child engaged whilst developing flexibility, strength and balance.
Emotional and Mental Benefits
It is not only adults that experience day to day pressures and stress. Children experience similar pressures and stress with school demands, competitive sports and busy parents. Yoga is one type of physical activity that allows children the time to relax and learn self -control in a controlled environment.
Breathing
An important part of yoga training is breathing. Breathing is part of what separates yoga from other forms of exercise. Breathing brings each yoga pose to life and establishes the time of the routine. Breathing oxygenates the organs, muscles and cells of the body as well as calms the nervous system. This includes:

• How to breathe slowly and deeply
• How to use the full circulatory system to get the most out of each breath.

Yoga Poses for Children
Outlined below are a number of yoga poses that children can do in the comfort of their own home.
Mountain Pose
Stand tall with big toes together and heels about an inch apart. Activate thighs by pulling quadriceps up towards hips. Let arms hang down by side with fingers pointing down. Relax shoulder blades in your back.
Up Cat
Begin on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Fingers face forward and are spread wide. As you inhale, curl toes into the ground and rotate tailbone to the sky while lifting chest through shoulders and curve spine into a smoothly arched back bend. Lift chest away from the wrist and slide shoulder blades down the back. Look slightly upwards.
Down Cat
Breathe in deeply. While exhaling, tuck the tailbone down and under and at the same time pull the abdominal muscles backwards towards the spine. Press firmly down with hands. Lift out shoulders and press the middle of the back towards the sky, rounding the spine upwards. Curl head inwards and look at the floor between your knees.
Tree Pose
Begin by standing with hands together. Lift right foot and bend right knee. Press foot against the inside of left leg either on the calf or above the knee on the inner thigh. Raise arms up over head and spread arms wide like the branches of a tree. Hold for three breathes. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Child's Pose
Begin by bending knees and sit down on heels. Open knees slightly so stomach can relax between thighs. Bend at the hips and fold forward, letting shoulder blades relax away from ears. Let arms rest beside with the back of arms on the ground and palms facing upwards. Place forehead on the ground.