Yoga for children: what are the benefits of practicing yoga from an early age?

The practice of yoga has now also taken hold in our country and its positive impact on the life of those who practice it is undeniable. But had you ever thought that yoga could also be an activity suitable for girls and boys?

Yoga for children is a panacea that improves many aspects of the life and growth of children, improving balance, concentration, self-esteem or body flexibility. In this article we will see in detail why let children practice yoga and what are its benefits in body and mental development.

Before delving into the advantages of yoga practiced from an early age, let’s try to better define the meaning of this discipline when it is practiced by children. It is important to think of yoga for children as a first and foremost playful activity, not entirely comparable to the practice of adults.

Yoga is a discipline that involves every part of the body and aims to train it to improve its connection with the mind . Through the practice of physical postures ( asana ) and breathing ( pranayama ), it helps to harmonize body and mind and make them speak in unison, in an exercise based mainly on education and self-listening.

So if yoga for adults consists of fixed postures, stretching, balance practice, breathing and meditation, yoga for children focuses on lighter asanas , interspersed with individual games or in group, dance, singing and lots of fun.

The practice of asanas with children turns into gentle movements, always guided and safe. The yoga teacher for children knows how to recreate a relaxing and playful environment, in which the positions are performed in complete safety and are interspersed with moments of animation, stories and songs. The goal is to make children move, release their energy but also stimulate relaxation of the mind and body.

A yoga practice for the little ones lasts between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the program devised by the teacher and the age of the participants.

If you are thinking of enrolling your little girl or boy in yoga class, chances are you are also wondering what benefits they would derive from it. characteristics of the child.

Here, however, we present the seven main advantages of practicing this discipline from an early age:

Yoga helps children manage anxiety. Thanks to the breathing exercises and relaxation techniques that usually take place at the end of each lesson, children can learn to manage negative feelings due to anxiety or stress . It is a teaching that will continue its benefits for a long time and will become a valuable ally in adulthood.

Anxiety is not the only emotion children learn to manage thanks to yoga. In general, yoga is a practice that develops children’s ability to regulate their emotions by making them more understanding and willing to experience different sensations . The exercise of concentration in the present moment relaxes children, placing them in a peaceful state of mind that has a positive impact on their emotional regulation.

If you have already practiced yoga, you will know how much satisfaction it generates to notice the improvements in posture, balance and flexibility. Experiencing the way the body responds to the mind’s demands produces a pleasant feeling of power and control . The power that comes from being able to improve an asana or the general flexibility of movements also has a positive effect on the child’s self-esteem.

Better awareness of one’s body and its power is therefore another great benefit of yoga for children. The practice allows them to be more aware of spatial and bodily boundaries , as well as of the movements they are able to perform. Balance, flexibility and muscle elasticity will certainly benefit.

The mind also benefits greatly from the flexibility and balance exercises of the body. The different movements of yoga, in fact, require children to an effort of concentration and memorization . This is likely to have a positive cascading effect on their academic performance and other aspects of their lives that require a focused mind as well.

Yoga teaches discipline and reduces impulsiveness. This is why it is very suitable for children, because it turns into an channel of escape ideal to release their energies . As we have seen, yoga practice helps in emotional regulation, so it can be a valid ally to soften children’s behaviors, reduce anger or sadness and improve behaviors in class or in groups.

Like all playful group activities, yoga for children is also a practice that offers great advantages in terms of sociability. Exercises and games during the lesson strengthen the interpersonal skills of children without putting them in competition e. Thanks to yoga, in fact, children learn that all bodies are different, they experience their interaction and mutual awareness.

In this article we have seen why practicing yoga can be of great benefit to children as well. If considered as a playful and healthy moment of exercise, yoga for children can become a great ally to improve many aspects of the life of the little ones. Its positive impact on the harmony of body and mind helps children grow up healthy and joyful.

If you are looking for someone specializing in teaching yoga for the little ones, take a look at the profiles of our PROs on Jopla and find the yoga teacher closest to you!

Have a nice job!