As a parent, we all wonder to use the energy of our kids in activities which are an integration of physical fitness, education and social and self-awareness. Yoga moves beyond physical exercise and is a great tool for calming and controlling the mind and the senses. This, as you'll agree, is more relevant in the case of children who, almost without exception, are hyperactive and excitable by nature and need to be reined in.
Yoga is an ancient science and philosophy that has been practiced for thousands of years. The popularity of Yoga among kids is increasing gradually throughout the world. Yoga is not just for adults and the debilitated; it is a great way to usher tiny tots into a healthy regimen. Yoga is a very gentle form of exercise and there is not much fear of injury or of overdoing it, Children can start yoga from age five. A fifteen to twenty minute session is enough to get them started. This can be gradually increased to half an hour or more for older children. Starting from simple animal postures to meditating with the corpse pose, small children can enter the rich world of Yogasanas which will help them establish the body-mind-spirit connection. Without doubt, this will see them sail through every sphere of life smoothly.
In a research, it has been found that parents invariably do not pay much attention to the physical fitness of five-year-olds and above, as it is widely believed that children who cross the toddler stage are physically active anyway; but it is not necessary that they will sustain that lead for a long time. Soon other pressures - like sedentary habits required for academic work, and irregular and insufficient dietary intake - are bound to catch up and whittle away that advantage. Thus, we have number of obesity cases or underweight. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we inculcate the habit of physical exercise - as distinct from sports and playground activities in our child.
Yoga for kids can benefit children in a large number of ways, by improving physical and general health, mental health and to helping to treat specific illnesses and conditions. The most common benefits of yoga for children are related to maintaining a healthy body and fighting illnesses. Easy yoga for children has shown to build stamina in those who practice it, aid stability and also improve general balance. It strengthens the child's muscles, elongates the spine and promotes good posture. Yoga has also shown to improve children's digestion and aid the elimination of toxins and aid circulation. Moreover, meditation can help them study for exams and cope with the stress and pressures of daily life.
Yoga, for kids, “empowers the soul to empower the body so that the child can grow with a feeling of wholeness” and reach her/his full potential. Early intervention enhances the healthy and natural development of infants and toddlers
Yogasanas are unique postures that involve stretching and bending which help in relaxing tensed or contracted body muscles. These poses carried out in slow, rhythmic repetition are extremely beneficial for toning the body and massaging the internal organs. They help in improving the overall immunity by restoring circulatory, respiratory and digestive vitality. It helps wayward children to get centered and more in tune with their inner selves. Yoga Asana for children and Pranayama are best when practiced in the morning.
Here, we have come up with some of the easy and effective yogasanas which can be included in the child's daily fitness regimen. Yogasanas are a set of postures designed to enhance health and put us in harmony with our inner consciousness, their ultimate aim is the attainment of a sustained and comfortable sitting posture to facilitate meditation. Gradually, Pranayama can also be included in the fitness program as it arouses the internal energy of a person and makes him healthy, balanced and active.
STANDING POSE
Palm tree pose or Tadasana:
Stand erect with feet joined together. Raise arms above the head and lock your fingers such that the palm is facing upwards. Raise the heels and stretch upwards as much as you can so that you feel the tension in arms, neck and shoulders. Hold the position for as long as you can. By each passing day you can hold the position a little longer.
Benefits: This is a good exercise for increasing height in growing children. It stretches the spine and is also good for toning the abdominal muscles.
Triangle pose or Trikonasana:
Stand erect with feet apart. Inhale and stretch hands and bring it to parallel to ground. With this as the base position, exhale and bend forward twisting to touch the right hand to the left foot. In this position, the left hand should be straight up and the head should be aligned to look up, too. Come back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Initially, do it slowly for two to three times on either side. Once you get it then you can alternate between left and right without coming up to starting position and count 10 - 20 twists.
Benefits: This pose exercises the entire body - legs, arms, neck, shoulders, back, stomach - and tones it. It is good to alleviate constipation as it improves digestion.
SEATED POSE
Lotus pose or Padmasana:
This is done in the sitting position. Sit down and stretch your legs in front of you. Bring one leg, with the aid of your hands, to rest on the opposite thigh such that the heel touches the groin. The sole of the feet should be facing upwards. Bring the other leg to rest similarly on the other side. Hands should rest on the knees. Close your eyes and concentrate on the breathing.
Benefits: This calms and soothes the mind. It will help children become less excitable and increase their attention span. A child should learn to hold this pose for 1-2 minutes.
INVERTED POSE
Wind releasing posture or Pawanmuktasana:
Pavan Muktasana is the best asana to expel gas by compression of the abdomen.Keep your hands by the side of your body in a supine position. While inhaling, raise both your legs to 90 and bend them at the knees.Make a finger-lock with both your hands around them, a little below the knees. While exhaling, bring your thighs close to the chest by contracting the abdominal muscles. Maintain this posture for a few seconds.
Then return to the original posture in the reverse order. Repeat the asana three to four times.
Benefits: As the name suggests, this pose is very good to remove accumulated gases in the stomach and alleviate bloating and constipation. It massages the abdomen and tones up the back, waist and bottom.
PRONE POSE
Bow pose or Dhanurasana:
Lie flat on the stomach with arms on the side. Bend the knees and catch the feet with the corresponding hands. Raise the head, shoulders and chest off the ground and simultaneously the knees and thighs, such that only the abdomen is in contact with the ground. Hold this position for a while and then slowly release the hands and come down to the starting position.
Benefits: This pose is a good safeguard against gastro-intestinal problems and obesity. It tones up the spinal column, arms, legs - in fact, the whole body.
RECLINING POSE
Matsyasana
It is commonly known as the ‘Fish pose’. It exercises the chest, tones the nerves of the neck and back. Performing the Fish Pose also expands the rib cage fully, increasing your lung capacity and aids in deep breathing. Doing the Fish Pose also relieves the stiffness of your neck and shoulder muscles.
Firstly, Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Inhale, lift your pelvis slightly off the floor, and slide your hands, palms down, below your buttocks. Then rest your buttocks on the backs of your hands (and don’t lift them off your hands as you perform this pose). Be sure to tuck your forearms and elbows up close to the sides of your torso.
Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the floor. Next press your scapulas into your back and, with an inhale, lift your upper torso and head away from the floor. Then release your head back onto the floor. Depending on how high you arch your back and lift your chest, either the back of your head or its crown will rest on the floor. There should be a minimal amount of weight on your head to avoid crunching your neck. You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active, and press out through the heels. Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly. With an exhalation lower your torso and head to the floor. Draw your thighs up into your belly and squeeze
Asanas (Postures) should never be practiced immediately after Pranayama (Rhythmic control of breath). If Pranayama is done first allow some time at least an hour to elapse before starting Asanas.
Here are some great animal poses your kids may enjoy:
When yogis developed the asanas many thousands of years ago, they still lived close to the natural world and used animals and plants for inspiration—the sting of a scorpion, the grace of a swan, the grounded stature of a tree. When children imitate the movements and sounds of nature, they have a chance to get inside another being and imagine taking on its qualities. When they assume the pose of the lion (Simhasana) for example, they experience not only the power and behavior of the lion, but also their own sense of power: when to be aggressive, when to retreat. 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.
Down Dog Pose
Butterfly Pose
Cat Pose
All the ancient commentaries on Yoga stress that it is essential to work under the direction of Guru (Master/Teacher).The role of the Yoga teacher is of foremost importance if Yoga is to be successfully introduced to children. The Yoga teacher must be able to arouse curiosity in the pupils and create in them a desire to learn. He or she must inspire and enthuse the children and should be cheerful in the class. A Yoga teacher must, therefore have physical agility and mental sharpness. The teacher should be a keen practitioner of Yoga.
Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, exercises, playing, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. Yoga for children is certainly one way to ensure that our children grow up healthy and happy. Children doing Yoga from early age get the benefit of staying healthy when they become adults.
In a research, it has been found that parents invariably do not pay much attention to the physical fitness of five-year-olds and above, as it is widely believed that children who cross the toddler stage are physically active anyway; but it is not necessary that they will sustain that lead for a long time. Soon other pressures - like sedentary habits required for academic work, and irregular and insufficient dietary intake - are bound to catch up and whittle away that advantage. Thus, we have number of obesity cases or underweight. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we inculcate the habit of physical exercise - as distinct from sports and playground activities in our child.
Yoga for kids can benefit children in a large number of ways, by improving physical and general health, mental health and to helping to treat specific illnesses and conditions. The most common benefits of yoga for children are related to maintaining a healthy body and fighting illnesses. Easy yoga for children has shown to build stamina in those who practice it, aid stability and also improve general balance. It strengthens the child's muscles, elongates the spine and promotes good posture. Yoga has also shown to improve children's digestion and aid the elimination of toxins and aid circulation. Moreover, meditation can help them study for exams and cope with the stress and pressures of daily life.
Yoga, for kids, “empowers the soul to empower the body so that the child can grow with a feeling of wholeness” and reach her/his full potential. Early intervention enhances the healthy and natural development of infants and toddlers
Yogasanas are unique postures that involve stretching and bending which help in relaxing tensed or contracted body muscles. These poses carried out in slow, rhythmic repetition are extremely beneficial for toning the body and massaging the internal organs. They help in improving the overall immunity by restoring circulatory, respiratory and digestive vitality. It helps wayward children to get centered and more in tune with their inner selves. Yoga Asana for children and Pranayama are best when practiced in the morning.
Here, we have come up with some of the easy and effective yogasanas which can be included in the child's daily fitness regimen. Yogasanas are a set of postures designed to enhance health and put us in harmony with our inner consciousness, their ultimate aim is the attainment of a sustained and comfortable sitting posture to facilitate meditation. Gradually, Pranayama can also be included in the fitness program as it arouses the internal energy of a person and makes him healthy, balanced and active.
STANDING POSE
Palm tree pose or Tadasana:
Stand erect with feet joined together. Raise arms above the head and lock your fingers such that the palm is facing upwards. Raise the heels and stretch upwards as much as you can so that you feel the tension in arms, neck and shoulders. Hold the position for as long as you can. By each passing day you can hold the position a little longer.
Benefits: This is a good exercise for increasing height in growing children. It stretches the spine and is also good for toning the abdominal muscles.
Triangle pose or Trikonasana:
Stand erect with feet apart. Inhale and stretch hands and bring it to parallel to ground. With this as the base position, exhale and bend forward twisting to touch the right hand to the left foot. In this position, the left hand should be straight up and the head should be aligned to look up, too. Come back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Initially, do it slowly for two to three times on either side. Once you get it then you can alternate between left and right without coming up to starting position and count 10 - 20 twists.
Benefits: This pose exercises the entire body - legs, arms, neck, shoulders, back, stomach - and tones it. It is good to alleviate constipation as it improves digestion.
SEATED POSE
Lotus pose or Padmasana:
This is done in the sitting position. Sit down and stretch your legs in front of you. Bring one leg, with the aid of your hands, to rest on the opposite thigh such that the heel touches the groin. The sole of the feet should be facing upwards. Bring the other leg to rest similarly on the other side. Hands should rest on the knees. Close your eyes and concentrate on the breathing.
Benefits: This calms and soothes the mind. It will help children become less excitable and increase their attention span. A child should learn to hold this pose for 1-2 minutes.
INVERTED POSE
Wind releasing posture or Pawanmuktasana:
Pavan Muktasana is the best asana to expel gas by compression of the abdomen.Keep your hands by the side of your body in a supine position. While inhaling, raise both your legs to 90 and bend them at the knees.Make a finger-lock with both your hands around them, a little below the knees. While exhaling, bring your thighs close to the chest by contracting the abdominal muscles. Maintain this posture for a few seconds.
Then return to the original posture in the reverse order. Repeat the asana three to four times.
Benefits: As the name suggests, this pose is very good to remove accumulated gases in the stomach and alleviate bloating and constipation. It massages the abdomen and tones up the back, waist and bottom.
PRONE POSE
Bow pose or Dhanurasana:
Lie flat on the stomach with arms on the side. Bend the knees and catch the feet with the corresponding hands. Raise the head, shoulders and chest off the ground and simultaneously the knees and thighs, such that only the abdomen is in contact with the ground. Hold this position for a while and then slowly release the hands and come down to the starting position.
Benefits: This pose is a good safeguard against gastro-intestinal problems and obesity. It tones up the spinal column, arms, legs - in fact, the whole body.
RECLINING POSE
Matsyasana
It is commonly known as the ‘Fish pose’. It exercises the chest, tones the nerves of the neck and back. Performing the Fish Pose also expands the rib cage fully, increasing your lung capacity and aids in deep breathing. Doing the Fish Pose also relieves the stiffness of your neck and shoulder muscles.
Firstly, Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Inhale, lift your pelvis slightly off the floor, and slide your hands, palms down, below your buttocks. Then rest your buttocks on the backs of your hands (and don’t lift them off your hands as you perform this pose). Be sure to tuck your forearms and elbows up close to the sides of your torso.
Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the floor. Next press your scapulas into your back and, with an inhale, lift your upper torso and head away from the floor. Then release your head back onto the floor. Depending on how high you arch your back and lift your chest, either the back of your head or its crown will rest on the floor. There should be a minimal amount of weight on your head to avoid crunching your neck. You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active, and press out through the heels. Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly. With an exhalation lower your torso and head to the floor. Draw your thighs up into your belly and squeeze
Asanas (Postures) should never be practiced immediately after Pranayama (Rhythmic control of breath). If Pranayama is done first allow some time at least an hour to elapse before starting Asanas.
Here are some great animal poses your kids may enjoy:
When yogis developed the asanas many thousands of years ago, they still lived close to the natural world and used animals and plants for inspiration—the sting of a scorpion, the grace of a swan, the grounded stature of a tree. When children imitate the movements and sounds of nature, they have a chance to get inside another being and imagine taking on its qualities. When they assume the pose of the lion (Simhasana) for example, they experience not only the power and behavior of the lion, but also their own sense of power: when to be aggressive, when to retreat. 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.
Down Dog Pose
- Stand with feet flat on the ground.
- Slowly bend at the waist until your hands reach the ground.
- Lean your body back slightly until you resemble and upside down V.
- Bark, loudly, until the neighbors come over to find out what's going on.
- Sit on your legs with knees bent (basic hero pose).
- Stick your tongue out as far as you can.
- Breathe out with force while roaring like a lion
- Do this several times.
- Sit on your knees
- Reach behind your body and grab the soles of your feet (if you can).
- Decide what kind of noise you think a camel makes...
Butterfly Pose
- Start by sitting on the floor with the soles of your feet together.
- Take a moment to relax all your muscles and let your knees sink closer to the floor.
- Sit up tall, and hold your feet.
- Begin to gently "flap" your legs up and down as if you were a butterfly. You can even pretend to be butterfly gathering nectar!
Cat Pose
- Get on all fours.
- Arch your back up really tall, as if you were an angry cat. The kids will probably enjoy hissing to complete the picture.
- Gently let your back fall into a sway, then arch it back up again.
- Mewing and hissing are greatly encouraged - come on, it's too fun not to!
- Lay down on your stomach.
- Place your hands directly by your chest.
- Push your upper body upward as far as you can.
- Now pretend you are a cobra and hiss!
All the ancient commentaries on Yoga stress that it is essential to work under the direction of Guru (Master/Teacher).The role of the Yoga teacher is of foremost importance if Yoga is to be successfully introduced to children. The Yoga teacher must be able to arouse curiosity in the pupils and create in them a desire to learn. He or she must inspire and enthuse the children and should be cheerful in the class. A Yoga teacher must, therefore have physical agility and mental sharpness. The teacher should be a keen practitioner of Yoga.
Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, exercises, playing, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. Yoga for children is certainly one way to ensure that our children grow up healthy and happy. Children doing Yoga from early age get the benefit of staying healthy when they become adults.
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