Children today are under a lot of stress. Homework, pressure to compete with other children, endless after-school activities, over-scheduling -- it all adds up. And just like their parents, kids today are turning to Yoga to help them relax.
Yoga helps kids develop better body awareness, self-control, flexibility and coordination. They can carry these skills beyond class and into their daily routines.
Yoga has also been shown to help the hyperactive and attention-deficit child. These children crave movement and sensory/motor stimulus. Yoga helps channel these impulses in a positive way. Yoga poses that seem to work especially well are the warrior pose and tree pose. They help instill calm, confidence and balance. The trick is to get beyond just "doing" the posture. We try to get them to think about what the postures mean, to become like the postures -- strong and confident like a warrior.
We use partner poses to develop trust. Working with each other on poses, the children develop team skills. It also fosters bonding.
When it comes to relaxation, some children have a difficult time closing their eyes while others can't get enough. One technique that encourages relaxation is visualization.
About our KIDS YOGA
Our yoga classes are quite different from the typical meditative adult yoga class, in our classes children are animated, noisy and free–spirited!Adults often have to work at yoga, but kids play yoga!While "playing" yoga, children move about the room, play breathing games, make noises, act out stories, and pretend to be animals. They hiss like snakes in the Cobra pose, bark like dogs in the Downward Facing Dog pose and learn to balance on one foot while standing tall like trees.
Outcomes
- Emphasizes proper body alignment so children avoid injury.
- Develops flexibility, strength, stamina, agility, balance, coordination and cardiovascular fitness.
- Promotes mental and physical health and a positive attitude toward exercise.
- Promotes concentration, self-discipline and develops inner strength and clarity. Breath control is an integral part of yoga and meditation. Children learn to value their breath. Breath meditation teaches children to deepen and slow down their breath and be calm and inward focused. It is a valuable skill that they can utilize their entire lives.
- Builds cooperative skills and good social behavior by working with a partner or in a group.
- Promotes positive communication and good listening skills which foster self- respect, compassion and respect for others.
- Builds self-confidence.
- Encourages children’s creative imagination and self-expression
KidsYoga teaches children of all ages and abilities from toddlers to teens in public & private schools, health clubs, daycare centers, yoga centers, dance studios and summer camps. New classes are being added all the time so, please check back on a regular basis.
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