Why yoga is the perfect practice for kids

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a fun activity for kids that:

• Helped them perform better in school?
• Reduced their anxiety and boosted their self-confidence?
• Let them sleep better?
• Even reduced the symptoms of ADHD?

You probably already know that there is – yoga!

Today’s kids may not have it easy with every part of their lives, but they are very lucky that yoga is no longer thought of as the weird, exotic thing that most westerners thought it was just a decade or two ago.

Yoga has hit the mainstream, and that is a very good thing since yoga offers many benefits, including stronger bodies, better sleep, and a greater sense of well-being.

One recent study by Program Evaluation and Research Collaborative Charter College of Education showed that kids who practice yoga have higher grades and fewer disciplinary problems and that one quarter were significantly more physically fit than those that don’t practice.

There is also some evidence that yoga can significantly reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children by teaching them how to both concentrate and relax.

For those of us who practice yoga regularly, there’s one feeling that often comes to mind – gratitude. We feel lucky to have found this cleansing, strengthening, clarifying, and relaxing practice when we did, even if it’s later in life.

But the next generation is being introduced to yoga early in life – some even in the womb by moms practicing prenatal yoga. With the coming of great yoga programs such as Itsy Bitsy Yoga, Om Baby Yoga, and YogaKids, kids from age 0 to 12 have the resources and the encouragement to develop an early and healthy yoga practice.

Benefits of kids yoga

Why should kids practice yoga? There are many reasons, including:

• Deep breathing help kids focus and relax. Learning yogic breathing techniques is a valuable tool that helps kid manage stress on and off the mat.
• Yoga builds flexibility, coordination, balance, and all-over body strength – it’s not just gentle stretching!
• As a non-competitive exercise, yoga gives children a way to express themselves through creative movement.
• Yoga can be practiced anywhere, anytime, regardless or weather or location. If there are no kids’ yoga classes in your area, all you need is a good Lotuspad eco kids yoga mat and a kids yoga DVD.
• Yoga promotes physical mindfulness, giving kids a stronger awareness of their bodies and increased self-confidence.
• By imitating the natural movements and shapes of animals and plants, kids can learn to respect the world around them.