Yoga delivers enormous benefits to Kids
* Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination,
and body awareness.
* Enhance concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves.
* Helps to connect more deeply
with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the
natural world that surrounds them.
* Bring marvelous inner light that all children have to the surface.
Yoga helps children help to trust their inner self and keep their minds and hearts to be in sync.
Additionally, Yoga develops wonderful qualities in children. It makes them aware of themselves
and their qualities from inside out and this creates awareness and
helps them grow in positive directions. It sharpen their focus
and self-confidence and develop self discipline. The practice of yoga has immense benefits for not just the body but also the mind so that you enjoy a perfect healthy state of being.
What exactly do children learn?
Yoga develops body flexibility and awareness, improves body balance and increases immunity against infections, besides it also improves concentration and listening skills
and improves their observation power. It rejuvenates body and increases breathing capacity.
Additionally, they also improve their unique qualities such as, singing, moving and imitating and playing etc.
When children imitate the movements and sounds of nature, they have a chance to get inside another being and imagine taking
on its qualities. The physical movements introduce kids to yoga's true meaning: union, expression, and honor for oneself and one's part in the delicate web of life.
Yoga with children offers many possibilities to exchange wisdom, share good times, and lay the foundation for a lifelong practice
that will continue to deepen. All that's needed is a little flexibility on the adult's part because, as I quickly found out when I first started teaching the practice to preschoolers, yoga for children is quite different than yoga for adults.
Children need to discover the world on their own. Telling them to think harder, do it better, or be a certain way because it's good for them is not the optimal way. Instead, provide a loving, responsive, and creative environment for them to uncover their own truths.
As they perform the various animal and nature asanas, engage their minds to deepen their awareness. When they're snakes (Bhujangasana), invite them to really imagine that they're just a long spine with no arms and legs. Could you still run or climb a tree? In Tree Pose (Vrksasana), ask them to imagine being a giant oak, with roots growing out of the bottoms of their feet.
About the Author
Surender Choudhary is founder & Director of Yogasanjivani. He believes yoga can help everyone to live well, feel good and age stylishly.
by Paul Wells