Benefits of Yoga on Children
Last month we featured a story on Yoga & You – Benefits on Mind, Body and Soul where we talked about the benefits of yoga and today we decided to take this story one step further and focus on the well being of our children.
Most parents are worried about their children’s health and overall well being especially when their tender minds are constantly exposed to the world of technology, competition and a fast paced life.
To be able to strike a balance between the two, most schools are regularly teaching yoga and exercises to the little ones to help them deal with the stress of every day life.
Mickey Mehta a holistic health guru, a philosopher, life coach and an author shares some useful insights and tips with The Lifestyle Portal about teaching Yoga to our children. Read on…
How early can we start yoga for children?
Children can start yoga as early as possible and it’s the ideal time to lay the foundation and to stimulate their interest in the same. Parents as well as schools must make this as enjoyable as possible to motivate them. Care must be taken to teach them correct form and posture. As their bones and muscles are still being developed care must be taken not impose difficult asanas on them. Children are endowed with natural balance and flexibility and this makes it easier for them to adopt the various postures or asanas. Interest and motivation can be created by making the sessions enjoyable and by introducing or teaching postures or asanas that resemble names of animals, birds etc.
Examples are as follows:
- Vrikshasana (tree pose)
- Garudasana (eagle pose)
- Veerasana (warrior pose)
- Padmasana (lotus pose)
- Simhasana (lion pose)
- Gomukhasana (cow pose)
- Ushtrasana (camel pose)
- Bhujangasana (snake pose)
- Makarasana (crocodile pose)
- Improve their concentration and focus with breathing exercises.
Why should yoga be taught to kids?
Children must be encouraged to learn these different asanas and breathing to help them to be active, alert and vibrant. They must be guided well to develop an interest in this form of exercise through which they can be moulded to grow as true and honest human beings.
Yoga should be made mandatory at schools with encouragement from parents for its various benefits and improved grace, balance and coordination. Yoga has many benefits that can help transform our children from the grass root level to a more wholesome and radiant adult.
Benefits of yoga on kids
Yoga postures exercises every part of the body.
Yoga stretches and tones the entire musculoskeletal system especially the spine and the joints.
Yoga activates and stimulates the internal organs, glands and the nerves.
Yoga helps to release physical and mental tensions and stress and helps to release energy.
Pranayam or breathing exercises help to attain mental peace and calmness
Meditation, proper breathing and postures can add great value by improving the child’s concentration, focus and interaction with other children when they are doing the session together.
Myths about children and yoga
1. Parents fear that the asanas might be challenging for a child. The truth is that yoga stabilizes the muscles, joints and ligaments making them more flexible. It is mandatory to teach them under competent guidance.
2. Parents as well as children feel yoga classes are boring and becomes difficult to make them focus on it. One of the strong points of yoga is in improving the ability to focus and concentrate better. Interest can be created by making the yoga sessions innovative and by introducing asanas and poses that resembles animals and nature.
3. Many are under the impression that Yoga is not for boys. I am happy to note that this myth is gradually fading with awareness among the parents, teachers and the children. Anybody and everybody can gain from doing yoga regularly.
Mickey Mehta, is a holistic health guru and leading expert with over more than 25 years of experience. Some clients who swear by his teaching include Mr. and Mrs. Shashi Ruia of Essar group,
Mr. and Mrs. Kumar Mangalam Birla, A V Birla group and many more; Bollywood Actress and Models like Priyanka Chopra, Priety Zinta, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Smriti Irani and many more.
A philosopher, life coach, an author, a brand – an institution personified, he has revolutionized health with his interwoven philosophies of zen, tao, tantra and ved, and blended the disciplines of exercises such as calisthenics, functional training, boot camp, agility drills, tai chi, pilates, yoga and swimming.
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