Benefits of Yoga for Kids

                                                   

1. Healthy habits
Any exercise program helps kids to stay physically active! Yoga takes that further by teaching not only the healthy habits, but also a healthy approach to eating and the ability to calm oneself and focus the mind.

2. Self-acceptance
Yoga teaches kids to accept and love themselves as they are. Learned young, this incredibly valuable lesson gives kids the tools to fight off the increasing feelings of self-doubt that come during the teen years and beyond.

3. Yoga is non-competitive
In today’s world, we hear so much about being the best and achieving the most. Yoga teaches kids that their bodies are different; different bodies do different things and all of them are okay. There is no one better or worse at yoga than anyone else; we are all just exploring our bodies and learning from them in our own way. Yoga is truly for everybody.

4. Namaste: The light in me sees the light in you
Yoga teaches acceptance and tolerance of others. In practicing yoga, kids learn early in life that all living beings are to be cherished and respected as they are, thus helping to create more peaceful local communities and a more peaceful world in our future.

5. Focus
Some kids have difficulty with focusing on anything for long, and yoga can help with that. It teaches kids to be present, and to concentrate and focus on their breathing. Kids learn how the breath can help them throughout the day, in any situation. They learn to focus on the pose by learning correct body alignment, and in so doing, learn to focus on their bodies and how they function—guiding each limb or part of the body through the nuances of the pose.

6. Self-awareness
Through yoga kids are guiding their bodies through poses and learning more about their bodies and what they are capable of doing. They learn more about their minds, and how they can affect not only their own attitudes and approaches to life, but also the attitudes of others. This awareness of the body, mind and spirit, brings awareness to what can be achieved when all three work together.

7. Calming techniques
Kids deal with frustration in a variety of ways. When they learn proper, healthy breathing techniques and tools to focus the mind, they begin to learn how to apply those tools in their everyday lives and to react calmly to any situation.

8. Resilience
When kids learn to accept and love themselves for who they are, to see the good in others, to focus and calm their minds, and to be aware of their innate capabilities, they learn tools for resilience. They are more likely to be positive and optimistic about life and their abilities.