Yoga BLOG

How can yoga increase self-confidence in children? Even though most children's daily lives are peaceful and happy, there are still phases when they suffer. The ever-increasing pressure from school and society leads to children feeling insecure and overwhelmed. To successfully navigate everyday life and their school careers, it's advisable to start building self-confidence at an early age. Yoga can have a positive impact on this. Parents and caregivers will find all the important information in this article. Why is children's yoga important? Life includes phases of sunshine and rain. Resilient people can handle both. To practice this early enough, it is recommended to practice yoga regularly. You can imagine it like this: A tree with strong roots won't topple over easily. A small tree with fewer roots is more likely to lose its footing during a storm. Yoga exercises help strengthen the roots and help you become and stay physically and mentally fit. What should be taken into account? Before starting yoga, it's a good idea to first assess your child's health. If your child is healthy and energetic, you can begin without any concerns. However, if your child exhibits any physical symptoms, this should be checked by a doctor first. 1. Find the right studio/class Before children can begin yoga, they first need to choose a good class. These days, the range of options for children is constantly expanding. If you're familiar with yoga yourself, you can also let your child immerse themselves in your own practice in a playful way. This way, your child can get their first taste of it. 2. Comfortable clothing and equipment Just like for adults, yoga is only enjoyable if the clothes fit. It's advisable to invest in high-quality fabrics that are comfortable against the skin and don't constrict. Sweatpants and a T-shirt are a good start to encourage a desire for yoga. A non-slip mat , a cushion, and blankets are also useful for performing the exercises correctly. Music, as well as shawls, balls, etc., can also be helpful in maintaining the joy of yoga. 3. Playful manner The first contact with yoga should always be playful. This means that the sessions aren't simply completed, but rather, the children are continually being addressed. Perhaps listening to a story will help them hold the exercises for longer. It's often beneficial to practice just one or two poses rather than practicing for an hour straight. Small games in between help maintain the children's concentration. It's important to always address the children's needs, while at the same time providing the framework for practicing the exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation. Furthermore, fun should always be the top priority . Why does yoga make you self-confident? The asanas from Buddhist teachings help strengthen body awareness and thus increase one's own physical self-awareness. This is a key factor when it comes to acting confidently. Self-awareness is a great gift in today's society. By combining different elements, these goals can be achieved. 1. Meditation The yoga session consists not only of various physical exercises for health. Meditation and mindful awareness of one's own thoughts are also an essential aspect of a well-coordinated session. This provides children with their first introduction to meditation. Sitting still is difficult at first, but a playful start makes the experience more interesting. This allows the child to work out through physical exercises (see next point) or games before sitting down on the pillow and closing their eyes. Gentle music or guided journeys help increase the child's concentration. Important : If the child can only sit for two minutes and then stand up again, this is absolutely okay. With a little experience and age, children can increasingly enjoy quiet moments and let their thoughts flow freely. This leads to less clutter in their heads, increased concentration, and a longer attention span. 2. Physical exercises During the yoga session, exercises on the mat play a key role. The advantage is that they allow children to let off steam. Furthermore, the various asanas strengthen their connection to their bodies and help them feel more self-aware. In addition, the following advantages are included: Muscles are strengthened Balance is trained Tensions that are stuck in the body can be released Energies in the body are brought into balance Training of tension and relaxation Spine is mobilized Immune system can be strengthened the feeling of peace in one's own body can be increased Concentration can be promoted 3. Breathing techniques Each yoga session includes a few minutes of conscious breathing. The problem is that in everyday life, breathing is far too shallow. If children are exposed to this at a young age, they can integrate it from the beginning – with the goal of breathing deeply in everyday life. Regularly practicing breathing exercises increases lung capacity and supplies the entire body with sufficient oxygen. It can also strengthen endurance and circulation. If children frequently suffer from headaches or lack of concentration, this may be due to a lack of oxygen. In this case, breathing techniques are ideal for improving school performance, which is often due to a lack of focus or physical ailments. Children with asthma can benefit from breathing exercises (after consulting a doctor). Breathing exercises ensure that energy can circulate well in the body. This can help break down blockages, which in turn can lead to greater self-confidence. Targeted breathing techniques are unfamiliar at first, but over time every child can learn them. Alternate breathing, in which you alternately close one nostril and breathe through the other, is very useful for balancing the energy in the body and bringing more balance into the system. Which yoga exercises are ideal for children? There are many poses that are good for adults as well as children. These include, among others: the tree (Vrksasana) Child's Pose (Balasana) downward dog Warriors I and II Cobra or upward-facing dog (for older children) swivel seat Does your child also practice yoga? If so, what is their favorite pose and what else can you do?

Yoga for children: What are the positive effects? Yoga for adults is wonderful – many yogis already know this. But the asanas from Buddhist teachings can make a difference not only for adults. Little ones also benefit from children's yoga, which is specially tailored to them. Parents will learn in this article whether it's really worthwhile and what benefits come with these yoga exercises. Why is yoga also suitable for children? The answer is clear: Firstly, children love to move, so they respond to the urge to move much more automatically than adults do. Therefore, you probably don't even have to force your child to use their own body and imitate simple yoga exercises. Secondly, physical activity is healthy. Children's bodies need to move, just like an adult's. Yoga involves special asanas that have a lasting effect on the body, mind, and soul. This is an advantage over other physical exercises. What are the benefits of practicing yoga? If you exercise regularly with your child, you're killing two birds with one stone—physical activity is important for young and old alike. If you also choose yoga, you'll achieve amazing results. In the following section, you'll learn about the most significant benefits associated with the best yoga exercises. 1. Movement Of course, the factor of movement is almost the most important. Many children's daily lives consist of a lot of sitting. This is especially true because they spend at least six hours at school sitting in a chair. Therefore, it's advisable for them to get enough exercise in their free time. Whether you take your kids out into nature, invent ball games, or do gymnastics – it gets their circulation going. With children's yoga, you also have the advantage that the asanas on the mat affect the body, mind, and soul. This effect applies to children just as much as it does to adults. Depending on which asanas are practiced, they have different effects on the body. If you practice many strenuous sequences, you'll probably get out of breath, which will train your endurance. Otherwise, the main focus is on strengthening muscles, strengthening joints, and stretching ligaments. Your child will automatically become fitter, more flexible, and stronger – all in a playful and fun way. 2. Improved motor skills Improving or training motor skills plays an essential role in children. Children between the ages of three and six learn sequences such as balancing, standing on one leg, or climbing stairs by alternating legs. Yoga can therefore be valuable during this time and promote these movements. At later ages (between six and twelve), the focus is on improving fine motor skills, such as drawing or writing. Of course, gross motor skills can also be trained and practiced more specifically at this age. 3. Concentration is increased Adults also experience the problem of losing concentration after a while. There are various exercises to improve mindfulness and focus. Yoga can be helpful in this case. It shifts the focus to other areas of the brain, allowing the concentration area to breathe. Therefore, you can also incorporate yoga exercises at home to strengthen your little yogi's concentration—especially when they have a lot to learn. 4. Body weight is in balance In this country, as in other industrialized countries, many children are overweight at a young age. Here, too, yoga can be beneficial in keeping children active and, above all, psychologically balanced. Psychological disorders (which are not always immediately recognized) are often the reason why children overeat and don't want to exercise. You can counteract this with yoga. However, please note that yoga exercises are best discussed with your doctor. If your daughter or son is of normal weight, these exercises will help maintain it. 5. Better body awareness/feeling for the body Children only learn to sense their bodies over time. With yoga, you can intensify and improve this process. If your child practices yoga exercises daily, you will notice a change in your daughter's or son's body awareness. This will affect various areas of life. This will help your child understand more easily when they need rest, when they want to eat, or when they want to move. 6. Relaxation and rest Many children's daily lives are just as stressful as those of adults—especially considering that children aren't yet able to cope well with stress and challenges. Schoolwork, homework, and constant classes during their free time can make children feel overwhelmed. If this is the case with your child, you can change this. You can adapt your daily routine and incorporate daily asanas. Yoga is particularly beneficial and promotes a relaxed body and a free mind. Give it a try. What exercises can you do with your child? If these tips have helped you and you'd like to incorporate yoga into your child's daily routine, you can incorporate the following poses. They're very easy to learn and can therefore be practiced by your child alone. a) Seated forward bend Forward bends are very important. You'll also find this exercise in yoga for adults. The great thing is that you can do this pose together. To do it, sit opposite each other, stretch out your legs, and touch the soles of your feet. If the pose is difficult, a blanket or small yoga cushion can provide support. Once you're in this pose with your yogi, you can both bend forward. Be kind to each other and see how far you can go. b) Tree In the tree pose, your daughter or son stands upright and lifts one leg. The sole of the foot is placed either on the lower leg or the thigh. This pose promotes balance. c) The frog In this position, you squat down and place both hands on the floor, keeping the soles of your feet flat on the floor. d) The turtle It's particularly calming and therefore an ideal yoga position for a restless child. Here, you bend forward with both legs almost straight, your upper body leaning forward, and your arms tucked under your knees, palms flat on the floor. e) Warrior III This pose is ideal for promoting balance. It can also be performed together. You stand on the mat with your daughter or son and step back one foot (it will hover in the air). At the same time, you bring your arms forward, and your little yogi does the same. This way, you can hold hands to help maintain balance. f) cat In the cat pose, the little yogi gets into a quadruped position and raises the left leg while extending the right arm forward. Then, the arm and leg are brought together beneath the belly. This is repeated a few times, then the other side is switched. End your yoga class gently: Shavasana and meditation To end the training session gently, it's worth doing a short breathing exercise. A short meditation journey or simply lying down can also be beneficial, helping your yogi relax even more easily. Have you ever practiced yoga with your child? If so, what changes have you noticed in your son or daughter?

Children's yoga is good and fun Recently at a mother-child gymnastics class: While the mothers were busy with postnatal exercises, the children impressively demonstrated how naturally children practice yoga . Marie, Lucia, Nikos, and Finn lay on their stomachs as a baby quartet on a giant play mat – not on a yoga mat, at that – and diligently practiced the cobra pose. They pushed themselves up onto their tiny hands and very slowly raised their heads. Then they stretched their arms, tensed their shoulders and backs, and finally returned to the starting position, tirelessly repeating the exercise. Lucia and Nikos had recently learned to twist, and lying on their backs, they now managed to sit up. Marie and Finn, who could already sit up independently, did so with their legs casually spread. Some yoga movements are so natural that we all practice them instinctively before we can walk – practically from birth. Children's yoga – exercises for all senses and good mood From toddlers to teenagers: Children of all ages can be introduced to yoga exercises in a playful way. Yoga is good for children because there is never any pressure to perform. Some children experience this pressure as early as playgroup – and it usually grows into a heavy burden later in kindergarten, school, or sports club. Yoga is different. Yoga creates balance; children learn to trust their bodies and to feel themselves. The calm and concentrated, yet relaxed atmosphere of children's yoga is a welcome change from the stress that even small children increasingly experience. When mothers or fathers practice yoga exercises at home, the offspring are generally interested. This initial contact with yoga is perfectly fine. However, if children show sustained interest, we recommend enrolling in a yoga class for children. Qualified teachers ensure the correct execution of movements and select child-friendly exercises. They also package the yoga elements in short stories and games, tailored to the respective age group. How a yoga class for children works Some yoga schools offer classes starting at kindergarten age. Yoga teachers should, if possible, have additional training in early childhood education so they can consider the needs of young children and adapt their teaching style to their physical and mental abilities. For schoolchildren, taster courses are also offered as part of open all-day classes or through sports clubs – an alternative if the nearest yoga school is too far away. A yoga class for kindergarten and elementary school children contains calming, harmonizing, and activating elements. The class begins with welcoming games and simple relaxation and breathing exercises, sometimes involving small children's favorite stuffed animals. Modified asanas follow. Inspired by traditional yoga postures, they often differ in name and execution. Many children love the sun salutation sequences, especially when a fitting story about the sun as the source of life is told. The classes usually end with silent exercises or relaxing massage games. Teenagers feel most comfortable in special yoga classes for their age group because doing yoga with people of the same age is simply cooler than a regular class with a correspondingly higher average age. Little yogis have special requirements Whether it's playful yoga with lots of additional elements or a child-friendly adaptation of Hatha Yoga: with a variety of well-coordinated exercises, children will never get bored. Meditative exercises can also be easily integrated if the surroundings are exciting and understandable for children. Children like to imitate and thus discover the asanas. Teachers therefore have a role model function in the truest sense of the word; they must engage with the children, offer support, and show empathy. Sincere praise is good for children, but don't overdo it: children instinctively sense when the praise isn't meant sincerely. The most important thing is that children act on their own initiative and enjoy what they do – just like babies, who develop both mind and body through their movements. ©iStock.com/travnikovstudio