| The benefits of Yoga for adults include aspects such | | | | the child feel that they are squeezing all the air out of |
| as improving flexibility, coordination and an increased | | | | their body and imagine themselves as a mustard bottle |
| sense of well being. The poses are also known to | | | | being compressed. |
| relieve stress. Yoga for kids can have the same | | | | 4.Visualization is key to teaching yoga for kids. Start by |
| benefits. Kids today lead stressful lives and many do | | | | finding some really simple poses for a child to learn. |
| not quite know how to deal with their stress. They | | | | The elephant is a nice visual pose for a beginner in |
| worry about their family's financial situation, have | | | | yoga. While the child is standing, have them bend at |
| pressure often from sports' activities and compete | | | | the waist with arms hanging loose towards the |
| with each other for friends. Practicing yoga can help | | | | floor.Then have the child put both arms together and |
| kids let go of their stress and unwind. By learning to | | | | fingers laced.This looks very much like an elephants |
| breathe deeply and stretch, kids learn healthier ways | | | | trunk and now they can pretend to be an elephant by |
| to deal with pressures. Teaching yoga for kids is very | | | | walking slowly around the room while swinging the |
| similar to teaching yoga to a beginner.Do not try too | | | | trunk from side to side. Kids also like the Downard Dog |
| much right away. Make it fun too and not like | | | | post. Afterwards have everyone lie down in corpse |
| academic subjects. | | | | pose and feel free from daily worries. |
| Here are some simple tips on teaching yoga for kids. | | | | 5. Patience is the key in the beginning when teaching |
| 1. Help kids understand that yoga can be used to relax | | | | yoga for kids. Due to our fast paced world, kids may |
| after an argument with a family member or when | | | | find it difficult to sit still or to learn to control their |
| something happens that upsets them. | | | | breathing. By adding in fun poses and visualizations, the |
| 2. With young children, do a lot of animal poses. Kids | | | | mind won't jump around too much. |
| love to do the lion, frog and camel. They can really feel | | | | When teaching yoga for children, you are essentially |
| like a cat doing the cat stretch as well. | | | | teaching a beginning student and the situation should be |
| 3.Start your sessions with simple breathing techniques. | | | | treated as if the child is a beginner. As time goes on, |
| One simple exercise is to have the child lay on the | | | | and flexiblity increases, more advanced poses can be |
| floor with arms relaxed at their side.Then the child | | | | introduced such as the shoulder stand and balancing |
| should breathe in deep while they imagine air flowing | | | | poses such as the tree. |
| into their lungs and belly. Slow exhalation is next. Have | | | | |