One of my favorite experiences is when I get to teach a child or teen yoga. I welcome all ages to my yoga classes and recently had the pleasure of teaching four kids who joined my video game-themed yoga class in Alexandria, VA.
As I say sometimes when teaching, “Yoga is simply making shapes with your body, and using your breath to do so.” While this is a simplified explanation of how deep a yoga practice can be, when you break yoga down like this, truly anyone of any age can take a yoga class!
I teach high school teachers yoga in a school classroom at the end of a school day. I also think there are tons of benefits for introducing yoga classes in grade and high schools. Even practicing deep breathing or meditation for 5 minutes a day with kids can provide myriad benefits.
The following are five reasons to teach yoga to kids.
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Remember: always check with your physician before introducing a child to a yoga practice.
1. Yoga Benefits Emotional Regulation
A study published in “Frontiers in Human Neuroscience” found yoga helps modify emotional reactivity and decreases the intensity of emotional experiences. Mental health benefits of yoga, like learning how to stay in the present moment and relax, can also help kids mind their tempers and emotions.
When an adult is in the presence of a kid they know who’s done yoga, they can remind the child to “take a deep breath” like in yoga and reassess a situation from a calmer emotional point-of-view.
2. Yoga Introduces Kids to Fitness
The fitness benefits of yoga are boundless. As “Yoga Journal” points out, yoga helps you burn fat, tone muscle, improve flexibility and enhance balance. You also experience the exercise-fueled endorphin boost that improves mood.
Introducing yoga to kids can set them on a lifetime path of taking care of their bodies and regularly exercising, which can help prevent chronic disease and lead to overall healthier lifestyles.
3. Yoga Helps Kids Become More Mindful
In many of my yoga classes, I include a short meditation that focuses on a theme like gratitude, acceptance or self-care. At a recent class I taught at Franconia Recreation Center, I had a student bring her junior high school-age son to the class, as he was on school break. The meditation resonated with her, and it was something they discussed after class.
Simple yoga centering acts like listening to a meditation or choosing an intention for class can help kids become more mindful of how they want to live their lives and set them up on a path for success.
4. Yoga Encourages Kids to Pursue Hobbies
Yoga practice is a way for kids to explore their interests and learn more about how they want to develop as a person. According to Psychology Today, healthy hobbies like yoga help strengthen kids’ identities and can lead to safer lifestyles, as they’re less likely to pursue dangerous activities.
Even if a kid decides yoga no longer interests them, they may find they enjoy a fitness studio environment or simply like moving their bodies and want to try other sports. Yoga class also gives kids another opportunity to practice being respectful in front of a teacher and to learn how to share space with others in a calm environment.
5. Yoga Improves Self-Esteem
According to a study published in “Frontiers in Psychology”, doing just 2 minutes of yoga made participants feel more positive about themselves, more in power and more energetic.
Doing yoga positions can help kids feel a sense of accomplishment, learn new capabilities they never knew they had and feel more in touch with their bodies. All of this can contribute to higher self-esteem, which can help kids nurture and develop better emotional health.
Bonus Benefit: Yoga Is Fun!
Just like it is for adults, yoga is fun for kids. Who doesn’t want the chance to morph into a warrior or a goddess for a few moments? Yoga gives kids the chance to try something new, move their bodies in enjoyable ways and channel a variety of animals and cultural figures in the poses.
I’m always delighted when I have a child or teen in my class, because I know yoga can kickstart a lifelong healthy habit that positively contributes to physical and mental health. If you have a kid at home, you can try yoga together by watching short “yoga for kids” videos on YouTube.
As I wrote about in my favorite books for yogis, I also love the book “Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life,” by Shakti Gawain, as a meditation guide. You can use a book like that to lead a kid through a peaceful guided meditation that involves breathwork.
The possibilities for how to learn yoga as a kid are endless. Do you have a child who’s also a yogi? How did you introduce them to the practice?
Share your thoughts on yoga for kids in the comments. Have a topic you’d like me to write about next on this yoga in Alexandria blog? Message me.
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