Yoga exercises with kids

6 Yoga exercises with kids, Bringing the benefits of this ancient practice to our children can contribute to making them more conscious and happy adults in the future.

The number of adults who practice yoga is increasing due to the innumerable physical and mental benefits it brings. And if this practice is so good for us, why shouldn’t it be for children too?

Currently, children carry out many extracurricular activities (dance, English, art, sport …) that leave very little time for leisure. These routines lead to their suffering from stress, something for which yoga is an ideal alternative: moments of relaxation that improve their predisposition to face daily challenges.

YOGA TEACHES CHILDREN TO FOCUS AND KNOW EACH OTHER – Yoga exercises with kids

Through yoga the little ones learn to focus playfully with exercises that improve their sense of balance, motor skills and physical health.

In addition, attending group classes helps them develop their social skills and improves their self-confidence. For preadolescents, the practice of yoga is an effective resource to face the turbulences of that moment in their lives.

During classes, children become aware of their breathing and learn techniques to delve into this powerful tool for managing stress and emotions. Many doctors and pediatricians recommend practicing yoga to children with hyperactivity, as working with their breath calms and relaxes the nervous system.

LEARN YOGA THROUGH PLAY

Yoga classes for children are very different from sessions with adults because it is about having fun, enjoying themselves and feeling free and happy. To achieve this, teachers use songs, dances, drawings, stories or costumes through which they integrate asanas or postures and breathing exercises.

The work with them is complete, they stretch, breathe, relax, create, share and enjoy the benefits of yoga, while coming into contact with music and movement and doing crafts or theater. They usually end with some guided relaxation. In this article we mentioned 6 Yoga exercises with kids

Children can start the practice at any age, however, it is easier for them to maintain attention from the age of six or seven. Therefore, the most common is that classes are divided into groups to adapt them to the needs of each stage.

Recommended: 7 Tips for practicing yoga for the first time

YOGA ADAPTED TO EACH AGE

Younger children, for example, work harder on their senses and movement, and those aged seven or eight respond differently and are prepared to carry out more advanced visualizations and breathing exercises.

The session that we propose is designed for children between four and eight years of age to entertain themselves by performing, among others, postures that imitate the shape of animals. Through their practice they improve their concentration, flexibility, strength and balance, but above all they will have a fun time with the family, with other children or with their caregivers. Here 6 Yoga exercises with kids

3. 1. Pigeon chest yoga pose

1. Pigeon chest

The dove on one leg or Ardha Kapotasana pose is easy to do with children and a lot of fun:

  1. Start with your feet together at the beginning of the mat. Release your arms at the sides of your body and take a deep breath with your hands together on your chest. Now, smile… You are going to start your yoga session!
  2. Position yourself in the Cat or all four prop position, with your hands on the floor below your shoulders and your knees on the floor with your hip width open.
  3. Slide your right knee forward so that you can place it between your hands.
  4. Lower your hips and stretch your left leg pushing the floor with the instep.
  5. Inhale, lengthening the trunk and opening the chest at the same time. Bring the coccyx forward and bring the shoulder blades together activating the abdomen.
  6. Try to keep the hips in the same line, stretch the neck and direct the chin towards the chest.
6. 2. Make a perfect triangle pose

2. Make a perfect triangle

It goes without saying that they are going to do Trikonasana . The challenge of drawing a triangle with your body and opening your chest without falling will motivate you instantly:

  1. Standing, take a big step back with your right leg.
  2. Stretch your arms out to the sides, with your shoulders at the same height and your fingers stretched and active.
  3. Inhale and lengthen the trunk forward, and as you exhale, drop your left hand onto your leg.
  4. Inhale, reaching your right arm out towards the sky, look at the fingers of your hand and keep your legs stretched and active.
  5. Stay like this for five or six deep, gentle breaths and exhale to repeat with the other leg.
Yoga exercises with kids

3. And now keep your balance!

The dancer’s posture or Natarajasana will give a lot of play:

  1. Standing, bring the weight of your body to the left leg and raise your arm from this same side.
  2. Inhale, bend your right leg back and lift it up. As you exhale, grasp the ankle with your right hand, look straight ahead, and stretch your leg back and up very slowly.
  3. Bring your left arm forward and connect the tips of the index and thumb fingers of that hand.
  4. Take 5 or 6 deep, rhythmic breaths and undo by releasing your foot as you exhale.
2. 4. Fly free, dragonfly!

4. Fly free, dragonfly!

With the firefly or Tittibhasana pose you will enjoy checking your strength and trying to keep your balance:

  1. From the Cat position (as in asana 1), raise your hips by stretching your legs (this is the Downward Facing Dog pose).
  2. Inhale and jump forward to bring your feet out of your hands.Exhale, bend your knees, and lower your hips to squat.
  3. Now put your arms below your knees and flex your elbows until you can sit on top of them.Gradually, bring the weight to your hands, which should remain open and pushing hard on the ground, and try to lift your feet off the ground.
  4. Inhale, stretch your legs, open your chest and look straight ahead.
Yoga exercises with kids

5. Squat to the Indian

Children naturally adopt this posture to squat, which in yoga is known as Malasana , although for some adults holding it for two breaths or more can seem like an eternity.

  1. Spread your legs a little more than hip-width apart, twist your feet out slightly, bend your knees, and lower yourself to a squat.
  2. Try to keep your heels on the ground, but if they don’t reach you, put a rolled blanket underneath them.
  3. Put your hands together on your chest and put your elbows on the inside of your legs so that you feel with each inhalation how your hips open.
  4. Open your chest, move your shoulders away from your ears, and lengthen your spine. Hold five to six deep, gentle breaths.
Yoga exercises with kids, yoga poses

6. Fun with the family

  1. The adult should lie stretched out on the floor, face up, knees bent and feet on the floor hip-width apart.
  2. The child should stand next to the adult’s legs, standing and facing him.
  3. After interlacing the fingers, the adult must place the feet on the child’s trunk just above the bone of both hips to achieve greater stability.
  4. The child must transfer the weight of his body forward at the same time that the adult, little by little, begins to stretch the knees and arms.
  5. To get out of the posture, the adult must slowly flex his legs until the child can step on the ground again.

 

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