"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

More than simply a sport: Yoga for school-aged children

But follow me.

Yoga is becoming increasingly popular amongst American children. Oh National survey It found that 3% of American children (1.7 million) practiced yoga as of 2012—that's 400,000 more children than in 2007.

Yoga and mindfulness have been shown to enhance each physical and mental health in school-aged children (ages 6 to 12). Yoga improves. balancestrength, endurance, and Aerobic capacity in children. Yoga and Mindfulness Also offers psychological advantages for youngsters. A growing body of research has already shown that yoga can improve focus, MemorySelf-esteem, academic performance, and Classroom behavior, And even can Reduce stress and anxiety. in children.

Emerging research studies also suggest that yoga will help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The main symptoms of ADHDincluding inattention, hyperactivity, and apathy. It can even increase. School performance In children with ADHD. A growing number of faculties now integrate yoga and mindfulness into physical education schemes or classroom curricula, and lots of yoga studios offer classes for school-age children. Yoga will also be playful and interactive for fogeys and kids at home.

Jessica May Gershion, an authorized yoga instructor who teaches yoga to kids and founding father of the Brooklyn Yoga Project Yoga for all needssuggests making yoga playful and fun for youths, whether it's within the classroom or at home. In her yoga classes, Gershan weaves in fun games and stories with positive themes like compassion, gratitude and strength.

“Yoga is really effective because it's so tangible. Learning the postures builds confidence and strength, as well as mind-body connection,” Gershin says. He's also found that yoga's effects transcend physical fitness. and permit children to develop confidence and awareness outside of the classroom. grow to be competent,” Gershin notes.

Easy and fun yoga exercises for youths.

Here are some fun yoga exercises and games for youths. If you're a yoga-savvy parent, you possibly can try them out along with your family.

More yoga The pose For children in addition to some others Resourcescould be found here.

Simple yoga respiratory exercise

  1. Take a deep breath and hold it for a count of three.
  2. Breathe deeply, such as you're lighting a candle.
  3. Repeat this for five breath cycles.

Breath of flying birds

  1. Stand tall along with your arms and feet hip-width apart in Standing Mountain Pose.
  2. Imagine being a gorgeous, strong bird.
  3. Pretend to be able to fly by inhaling and raising your arms (“wings”) until your palms are overhead. Keep your arms straight.
  4. As you bring your arms back to your sides, palms face down.
  5. Repeat in a gentle motion with each breath: inhale as you raise your arms, and exhale as you lower them.
  6. Optional: Close your eyes as you repeat the movement with the breath, and picture yourself flying through the sky like a bird.

Yoga games

Mirror, mirror. This game is a great warm-up exercise to enhance concentration.

  1. An individual begins as a pacesetter. The leader chooses a pose to do and shows it to the others.
  2. Other players copy the leader's pose as in the event that they are looking in a mirror.
  3. Change the leader with each round of the pose, so everyone gets a probability to be the leader.

Yogi says.

An individual is chosen as a Yogi. The other players must do the yoga pose that the yogi tells them to do if the instructions start with “Yogi says”. Players don't pose if Yogi doesn't use “Yogi Says”. Keep changing who's Yogi, so that everybody gets a turn.

Red Light, Green Light Yoga

An individual is chosen as a stop light. He stands on the front of the room. The other players are “cars” and so they start from the alternative wall. Stop light “green light!” Starts the sport by calling The other players then use yoga poses to maneuver forward. When the stop light is “red light!” So every athlete must be in a yoga pose and be still. Everyone takes a turn at a stoplight.

Meditation

Meditation could be short and straightforward, and doesn't require complicated yoga poses or staying in a quiet, dark room. A parent, who can also be a physician, describes playing “The meditation gameWith her children before bed, when she turns off electronic devices and reflects on the day along with her children, using questions like, “What are you grateful for today?”

Here are some easy meditations for youths, which could be done for 30 seconds or several minutes.

Mindful Awareness Meditation

  1. Find a cushty place to take a seat or lie down.
  2. Close your eyes.
  3. Try to listen to every sound within the room.

Loving meditation

  1. Find a cushty place to take a seat or lie down.
  2. Close your eyes and consider your beloved.
  3. Hold them tightly in your heart and keep interested by that person.