Trying different yoga poses for kids as a daily routine is a great way to induce calmness in children. According to studies, practicing yoga can let children have a stress-free and balanced life along with stable mental health (1). Yoga is simple, and one doesn’t need to be a master to practice it effectively. Encourage your children to make it a fruitful habit and a way of life to improve their concentration. This post will tell you about yoga, including its benefits for children and some easy poses to get them started.
What Are The Benefits Of Yoga For Kids?
Yoga is a philosophy that teaches the ability to unite the physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects of a person and helps them to reach a state of inner peace and mindfulness (2). It is a good idea to start teaching yoga to kids at an early age, as it is not only beneficial their physical growth but also for their emotional and overall well-being. It also helps children to develop interpersonal relationships, stress management, and mindfulness, skills which might be useful in their adulthood. Yoga may be helpful while dealing with several physical and emotional problems. It could be used as a tool to bring a balance in life. Here are some of the possible health benefits of yoga (1) (3) (4):
Improves body balance, strength, and aerobic capacity
Helps reduce chronic pain such as muscle pain
Enhances the quality of sleep
Can reduce the release of stress hormones like cortisone, and, therefore, is effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and fatigue
Works on the child’s classroom behavior, focus, and academic performance
Improves the quality of life by bringing emotional balance, since yoga is a non-competitive activity
Helps children improve resilience, mood, and self-regulation skills
Six months of yoga, including meditation, asanas, and pranayama (breathing exercises), have shown to reduce body weight, improve endocrine functions and memory
Yoga has innumerable benefits to offer. Let your kid start with the basic poses and realize the beauty of this practice. There are different styles of yoga, including body postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. So, while teaching yoga for kids, you may consider focusing on the movement and on how to make it interesting for them initially. Once you can get them interested, consider adding breathing and meditation. You should also explain to your child that they could reap the benefits of yoga over time, and to achieve this, they need to practice it regularly. To begin with, here are a few easy yoga poses you can try teaching your children.
15 Easy Yoga Poses For Kids
Yoga doesn’t require a huge place or elaborate equipment. It can be performed in the garden, home, or at school, with just a yoga mat. Here are some yoga poses for kids; they are easy, quick, and safe for everyday practice.
1. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
This rejuvenating backbend gives a good stretch to the spine and thighs. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches and opens the shoulders, thighs, hips, and chest portion; strengthens the back and hamstrings; increases the flexibility of the spine Caution: If your kid faces difficulty in making the pelvis lift from the floor, slide a sturdy bolster under their sacrum to rest their pelvis. In case of any neck or shoulder pain, take assistance from a professional to hone the steps.
2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Vrksasana teaches your kid the grace of a tree, standing tall and maintaining balance. How to do: Possible benefits: Improves balance and concentration; strengthens the thigh muscles, calves, and ankles while stretching the legs and the chest Caution: If your kid gets unsteady in the beginning while trying to hold their posture, you may make them stand with their back against a wall.
3. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
The stretch might promote a sturdy back, abs, and strength. How to do: Possible benefits: Strengthens the spine; stretches the chest, shoulders, abdomen, and buttocks; stimulates the abdominal organs and releases fatigue and stress; might be good for managing breathing problems like asthma. Caution: Ask your kid to arch the back as much as the body can take. Every child has different flexibility, so let them take it slow.
4. Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
The cat pose is a gentle kneading for the back and core. How to do: Possible benefits: Relaxes and stretches the spine, neck, torso, and the organs of the abdomen Caution: If your kid faces difficulty while rounding their upper back, lay a hand above and between the shoulder blades for support.
5. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Bend the back like a bow and open the chest and shoulders with the bow pose. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches and strengthens the back, shoulders, chest, and legs; brings flexibility to hip flexor function, and regulates the digestive system Caution: The bow pose involves a great deal of stretching, so if your child feels heavy in the lower back, keep the posture lower until it is comfortable to stretch. Help them in holding the ankles in step 3 and lifting the body in step 4.
6. Frog Pose (Mandukasana)
This pose might help in relieving sprains or back pains. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches the hips, thighs, and spine Caution: If it hurts your child under the knees or the elbows, place a folded blanket to provide support and strength. Let them not stretch beyond their comfort level.
7. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
This is the simplest of all poses that the child can try. How to do: Benefits: Good for the back, thighs, and hips; gives a stretch to the knees and feet; and helps in negating anxiety and stress. Caution: If your kid’s hips are tight and they are finding it difficult to sit flat, prop them up with a folded blanket or firm pillow under the hips.
8. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)
A pose that makes your kid flutter like a graceful butterfly, this is believed to offer some valuable benefits. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches the thighs, knees, and hips; regulates the intestine and bowel movement; for girls, helps in easy and painless menstruation. Caution: If your kid has a knee or groin injury, keep a blanket under the thighs to prevent pain or ache.
9. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Though this yoga pose looks effortless, it could be challenging as it needs patience. How to do: Possible benefits: Keeps the heart rate and blood pressure low; less tension of muscles; low metabolic rate; helps reduce insomnia, anxiety, and fatigue; improves productivity, memory, and concentration. Caution: Often, the body cools down, and one may feel relatively cold after holding this posture. Have a sweater or a pair of socks around your kid, in case they feel cold.
10. Chair pose (Utkatasana)
The chair post is a workout for the legs, arms, and the heart, and is believed to be one of the most constructive yoga poses. How to do: Possible benefits: Works on the thigh muscles and ankles; tones the shoulders, hips, and the spine; regulates the digestive system and heart functioning. Cautions: If your child is experiencing headaches or insomnia, do not perform this asana.
11. Hero Pose (Virasana)
This pose might be the salve for the weary legs of your kids. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches the spine, quadriceps, and shoulders; improves blood circulation and relieves tiredness of legs; improves digestion and posture. Caution: If the hips don’t rest comfortably on the yoga mat, use a yoga block in between.
12. Boat Pose (Naukasana)
This balancing yoga pose might help kids to de-stress and revitalize. How to do: Possible benefits: Strengthens the core, arm muscles, shoulders, and thighs; it is great for the liver and kidneys; helps reduce constipation and alleviates digestive problems. Caution: If your kid suffers from any chronic disease or spinal cord problems, avoid the pose.
13. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
This is a foundational pose for all the standing asanas and could be a calm-down yoga pose for children. How to do: Possible benefits: Improves posture, strengthens the thighs, legs, and ankles; firms the abdomen and hips; improves sleep Caution: No cautions to follow up.
14. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
This asana might help relax the back joints. How to do: Possible benefits: Stretches and opens the hips, thighs and inner groin; elongates the spine; strengthens the arms and shoulders Caution: If your kid has any knee or ankle injury, check with a doctor before performing this pose.
15. Lion Pose (Simhasana)
Might help your child de-stress with this animal asana; have them roar and enjoy. How to do: Possible benefits: A great yoga stretch for the lungs, throat, and the respiratory tract; regulates the functioning of the tonsils and the immune system; reduces stress, anger, and anxiety; suitable for a hyperactive child. Caution: Do not repeat this for more than five times.
