Yoga has become a popular, mainstream way to get fit and stay healthy. People walk around Los Angeles with their yoga mats rolled up under their arms almost every day, either on their way to or from yoga class.
Most stay-at-home moms do yoga as a way to stay fit and keep their physical, mental, and emotional lives in balance. When people see the results, they naturally want to know how Yoga for kids could help their children. Well, as a fan of yoga myself, I hope that this article will help you choose yoga poses that your child can do for fun.
Pose Suggestions for Kids' Yoga.
- Sun Salutations: This group of poses is used to warm up before a yoga class or session. Sun Salutations are a great way for kids who are just starting out with yoga to stay fit, keep obesity at bay, and have a lot of fun, especially when done quickly. Did you know that in India, kids compete to see how many Sun Salutations they can do in one go? They really are that fun.
- The Wheel Pose: Okay, so the other day I was walking through the park and saw a kid who couldn't have been older than 8 years old doing this pose for about 90 seconds. Yes, I did count this because it surprised and interested me. It's been called the "forever young pose," so if you're doing yoga with kids, you have to do this. It just so happens that it is the opposite of the third pose above.
- The Shoulder Stand: Believe me, kids are already doing this pose behind your back. You probably did it as a child without realising it was Yoga. So, if you use yoga with kids, make sure this pose is one of the most important ones. When done with the bridge pose and fish poses as counter poses, the shoulder-stand will help kids who do yoga in many ways.
- The Forward Bend Pose: This teaches your kids how to do things on their own, and it also helps a lot with stomach problems. Some people who know a lot about yoga have said that the three poses we've talked about so far are enough for humans. This may be wrong or incomplete, though, because doing their opposite poses for a certain amount of time is also very important.
- The Relaxation Pose: Of course, everyone needs to do this. When you introduce your kids to yoga, it's a good time to show them how to relax. Yoga is a great way to help kids deal with stress from school and other small problems they may face. Yes, their parents do have to do some things for them. Also, showing them this now will go a long way toward giving them the skills they need to deal with the everyday stresses of life.
The Bow, Triangle, Spinal-Twist, Inclined, and Diamond Poses are also great options. Kids should also learn how to breathe properly, with a focus on abdominal breathing.
Other things to think about when using yoga with kids are a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables (especially leafy ones) and ways to think positively. In terms of diets, if you have a popular juicer like the juiceman, you can add some celery juice to their fresh fruit juices. This is a tasty way to get them to eat a good source of minerals that are good for them. Oh, before I forget, they love BARHI dates! Moms, these are the same as their less healthy copies (candy at the store), but they are a great source of nutrients.
Yoga is best for kids over the age of seven, but kids will do what they see you do, so as long as they are not in danger, it's fine to let them try it out.
Yoga is both fun and good for kids. The Bible's Proverbs 22:6 says that it is a good way to "train your child in the way he should go" because it gives kids discipline and confidence (and Martial Arts too-just a hint)
may only be attainable from this ancient form of physical culture.
So, parents, go ahead and start your kids on yoga. You'll be glad you did.
