10 Amazing Benefits of Yoga for Kids

Why yoga for kids?

Today’s kids are dabbling with many challenges and pressures. Physical activities are getting less day by day. On the other hand, peer pressure and a competitive atmosphere lead to insecurities and fear among kids. To overcome such challenges and others, the benefits of yoga can play a pivotal role in kids’ overall health. Yoga offers a solution where children can imbibe their personalities by practising simple yogic practices.

Research showing the behavioural benefits of Yoga for children is limited, but some suggest that this type of exercise can improve children’s attention, relationships, self-esteem and listening skills.Yoga for kids

 

Ten health benefits of yoga for kids

  1. Concentration: Yoga helps to build concentration. Many yoga poses, like Vrikshasana, Tadasana, pranayama, etc., improve focus, learning, and attention.
  2. Memory: Yoga poses help to boost memory. Many studies have been conducted which suggest how regular Yoga helps improve brainpower. Head-down forward-bending poses are particularly beneficial in improving memory and other mental functions.
  3. Immunity: The practice of yoga is good for immunity. Children often fall prey to colds and coughs despite all the care taken by their parents. Yoga stimulates the nervous, endocrine, digestive and circulatory systems and enhances their functioning. Many simple yoga postures, like Bhujangasana, Parvatasana, simple deep breathing, etc., can safeguard children from quickly falling victim to germs.
  4. Speech development: It helps in speech development. Yoga poses like Bhujangasana, Ustrasana, and chanting ensures speech improvement and voice clarity.
  5. Flexibility: Yoga is good for agility and flexibility. Yoga poses like Tadasana, Trikonasana, Vrikshasana, Konasana, Gomukhasana, and balancing asanas improve mind-body coordination.
  6. Emotional balance: Yoga helps to manage emotional balance. Children also pass through various phases of emotions, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and guilt. Yoga helps improve self-esteem, self-confidence and a positive attitude towards life. Yoga brings health, confidence, and peace.
  7. Healthy habits: Yoga teaches us healthy habits. The fundamental essence of yoga is value inculcation and moral development. Healthy habits established in childhood are likely to endure into adulthood.
  8. Peace: Peace is paramount for everyone, including the kids. In the modern era, children are quickly engulfed by many complexities due to peer pressure, competitive atmosphere, exam phobia, burdensome syllabus, etc. Yoga can be a panacea to overcome these.
  9. Cognitive development: Yoga helps in cognitive development like attention, memory, thinking, reasoning and problem-solving may be observed. Intelligence, development of language, and concept formation are the finer aspects of it.
  10. Self-awareness: Self-awareness, contentment, self-acceptance, self-regard, self-actualisation, etc. Self-awareness takes place in the form of habits, values, and ethics. Dhyana is like a panacea and a robust spiritual growth and development tool. Practicing Yama, Niyama, and Meditation are beneficial for spiritual growth.

 

How children do yoga

  • Children are advised not to perform asana for long and to breathe-holding practices (Kumbhaka).
  • Children should practice mild yoga stretches, movements, etc.
  • Demonstrating the posture, rather than explaining it is good for the kid.
  • Avoid extreme forward and backwards bending yoga asanas.
  • Avoid headstand and hand standing asanas.
  • Avoid overstretching or being pushed too hard while practising Yoga.
  • Yogic practice should be done on an empty or light stomach.
  • Children should practice Yoga under the supervision of an expert/ trained Yoga teacher.
  • It’s always appreciated to teach Yoga with affection and deal with all their reactions tenderly.

 

Best yoga diet for kids

  • Vegetables: All green leafy vegetables.
  • Cereals: Unpolished rice, Whole wheat, and multi-grain flour.
  • Sweet: Honey, Organic natural Jaggery.
  • Sprouts
  • Dry fruits: Dates, Figs, Dry grapes, cashews, Almonds, walnuts, Dry grapes (soaked overnight).
  • Fresh fruit: Seasonal and juicy fruits.
  • Fruit juice: Apple juice, Carrot juice, and Orange juice.
  • Soups

List of the best yoga for kids

Recommended Yoga practices for children along with time

  1. Prayer: 1 minute
  2. Sukshma Vyayama (Micro-circulation practices  or loosening exercises): 10 minutes
  • Neck Movements
  • Forward and Backward Bending:
  • Right and Left Twisting
  • Hands up and down
  • Hands rotation
  • Shoulder Rotation
  • Shaking wrist:
  • Back movement (Forward and backwards)
  • Back twisting movement
  • Backside bending
  • Butterfly Movement
  • Knee Movement
  • Ankle Movements
  • Ankle Stretch
  • Ankle rotation

3. Yogasana for 10 minutes

  • Tadasana (Palm Tree posture)
  • Vrikshasana (Tree posture)
  • Ashvasanchalan (Horse riding posture)
  • Parvatasana (Mountain posture)
  • Trikonasana (Triangle posture)
  • Marjariasana (Cat posture)
  • Ushtrasana (Camel posture)
  • Shashakasana (Rabbit posture)
  • Madukasana (Frog posture)
  • Vakrasana (Twisting posture)
  • Gomukhasana (Cow face posture)
  • Kagasana (Crow posture)
  • Simhasana (Roaring Lion posture)
  • Makrasana (Crocodile posture)
  • Saral bhujanasana (Cobra posture)
  • Dhanurasana (Bow posture)
  • Balasana (Child posture)
  • Setubandhasana (Bridge posture)
  • Saral matyasana (Fish posture)
  • Shavasana (Starfish posture)

Note: All the yoga asanas shouldn’t be performed at a time. Six yogasana can be selected from standing, sitting and prone yoga poses.

4. Pranayama for 5 minutes

  • Bhramari Pranayama
  • Deep Breathing

5. Krida Yoga for 4 minutes

  • Rain Claps
  • Special Claps – I: Clap with both hands three times with the rhythm 1,2/1,2,3/1,2/1,2,3/1,2/1,2,3.
  • Special Claps – II: Clap with both hands three times with the rhythm 1,2,3/ 1,2,3/1,2,3.
  • Flower Claps

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