Yoga has a lot of benefits! As an adult, it can help with managing moods and stress, improve self-confidence, increase concentration, increase physical skills like reaction time, endurance, and hand-eye coordination, as well as improving overall health in terms of things like gastrointestinal function, blood pressure, and immune system. The list goes on and on! But did you know that yoga can also be beneficial for children in a number of ways? Yoga is helpful in reducing anxiety levels and can also help with managing ADHD in young children.
So today we are sharing some fun yoga poses to do with kids for the Spring Season, as well as some of the benefits yoga has for children.
Poses for Spring
Yoga for Kids (source: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/yoga-for-spring/)
- Sun: Sun Salute or Extended Mountain Pose
- Stand tall, look up, reach for the sky with palms together
- Tree: Tree Pose
- Stand on one leg with the opposite knee bent, place the inside of your foot on your standing leg’s thigh and balance
- Bird: Warrior 3 Pose
- Stand on one leg with the other leg stretched out behind you. Bend forward at yourwastewith your arms out in front of you
- Rain: Standing Forward Bend
- From the Sun Salute bend your body and reach for your toes with arms hanging
- Planting a Garden: Squat Pose
- Come down into a squatting position
- Caterpillar: Locust Pose
- Lie on your stomach with arms outstretched in front of you
- Bee: Hero Pose
- Rest in a seated position on your heels with your arms outstretched
- Butterfly: Cobbler’s Pose
- Sit up straight with bum on the floor, bend your legs with the bottoms of your feet pressed together and gently flap your legs
- Relaxing in the Park: Resting Pose
- Like on your back with arms and legs by your sides. Breathe deeply and rest.
Benefits of Yoga for Kids
- Promotes a Healthy Body: like for adults, yoga is a form of exercise and helps develop important motor skills and body systems.
- Improves Concentration: using yoga as a brain break can help calm the mind and help students refocus their attention
- Managing Stress: Yoga helps children learn how to be mindful and breathe deeply, which is associated with improvements in managing stress and reducing anxiety levels
- Promotes Inclusivity: Yoga is an activity for all skill levels. It is also non-competitive and individualized so it is great for a variety of children and their different interests.
- Improves Coordination and Balance: these are skills that children, especially younger children are still developing. Yoga can aid in this development and help children with their gross motor development.
Sources: https://healthgrinder.com/benefits-of-yoga/ AND https://www.kidsyogastories.com/yoga-for-spring/ AND https://www.cosmickids.com/how-can-kids-yoga-benefit-my-child/