Is Yoga Good for Children?

As a parent, it is natural that we want to give the best to our children. And the biggest gift for them is to be able to live a healthy and balanced life from an early age. Yoga is a great tool to achieve these goals. But why exactly is yoga good for kids?

It is  best to start developing a sense for a conscious lifestyle already in children, as we now know that children are the most receptive in their first seven years. Yoga for children can help the little ones find harmony on a physical and mental level. 

The Benefits of Yoga for Children

Kids yoga is not a sport, but rather a form of movement that satisfies children’s need for movement while they learn to control their emotions. Children’s yoga practices should not be paralleled with long-lasting, static poses seen from adult yoga practitioners.

The purpose of the playful, fairytale-woven sessions is to make you love movement, which develops and soothes children. Due to its healing effect, it can be used to eliminate movement disorders and muscle adhesions in infancy.

It helps relieve tension and stress on a spiritual level, so it is especially recommended for children with anxiety, aloofness, attention deficit or hyperactive learning difficulties.

How kids yoga helps children on a physical level:

• helps to maintain a correct and healthy posture with spine and shoulders
• helps protect the spine
• helps treating flat feet
• supports the development of the nervous system (attention disorder, behavioral disorder, sensory center development, balance development, right and left hemisphere communication)
• tones the muscles and improves muscle control
• stimulates the nervous system in a complex way, thereby developing the child’s movement

How kids yoga helps children on a spiritual level:

• can help to develop emotional intelligence
• can help to experience, manage, control, express emotions
• can increase self-confidence
• can help to develop correct self-assesment
• can relieve anxiety and tension

One Thing to Pay Attention to

Little children are still very flexible, which is not only an advantage. They can throw themselves easily into asanas and without knowing their limits  in the worst case, muscle damage or rupture can occur. So it is very important to do exercises for children in a playful and well supervised way.

6 Great Yoga Poses for Children

1. Cat Pose: Any yoga pose that has an animal name evokes playful images in kids, so it will be enjoyable for them. This exercise makes the spine mobile and flexible, strengthens and stretches the trunk muscles, massages the internal organs, supports digestion and the immune system.
2. Puppy Pose: This pose moves your back and shoulders, but is also a good opportunity for contemplation. The downward-pointing gaze makes it much easier to look inward and deepen.
3. Tree Pose: This exercise nicely shows children their own inner strength and focus.
4. Warrior Pose: This pose is really challenging as we have to use all the muscles in the body to hold it. Because it resembles a flying position, kids can imagine them flying around.
5. Boat Pose: This posture trains your abdominal muscles great.
6. Wave Pose: While relaxation seems like a simple exercise, it is not for kids at all. This pose helps you learn different breathing exercises and connect with yourself, developing body awareness.

As you can see, regular yoga brings many changes in children’s lives that help them overcome everyday challenges. Among the best yoga studios in Budapest , you can choose from many activities for children. Help them find themselves at a young age so that they can easily thrive later in life, as navigating the world is a challenge even for adults.

barbara