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Health & Fitness

Lessons Learned On & Off the Mat

As children's yoga teachers we have the opportunity to work with many different age groups and levels of ability.  

Although some poses and breath work resemble those found in adult yoga, the approach is very different.  

For example, there are many ways to teach a child to use their breath to calm their bodies.  

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We begin each class by sitting in a cross legged position (Sukasana).   With young children, ages 3-5 we use a ball (hoberman sphere) which opens and closes.  The children breath in when it opens and out when it closes.  With older children, we may introduce Ujjaya breath which is a closed mouth breathing technique and resembles the sound of an ocean.  Uijaya breathing is both balancing and calming.

The little ones learn that the breathing we do in yoga will help calm themselves down when they are frustrated or angry or nervous.  The older children learn to use the breath work for calming nerves before a test in school, sporting event, social event, or even use it when they are having trouble sleeping.

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It is important that a children's yoga class is fun and engaging otherwise the children won't get the short and long term benefits.  We teach traditional yoga poses such as Warrior 1, Down Dog and Triangle pose but we use music, props and games to engage the children.  

With the younger children this means moving our bodies to a song, picking up pompoms with our feet and singing.  It helps them with focus, following directions and builds strength.  With older children we might use yoga blocks or straps to introduce a challenging pose and then play a game.  The older children are learning about teamwork, patience, concentration and practice.

Every class ends with Peace Time (final relaxation).  The children lay down and quiet their bodies and minds.  There is often quiet music and a massage.  We ask the children to notice how they feel after Peace Time.  Many children think this is the best part of class and almost all of them find it calming.  

On and off the mat connections in children's yoga are vast and vary with each child.  Some children connect with it in a small way and some connections are deep and profound.  We always make a point of encouraging the children to use what they have learned in our classes in their daily lives, whether it be on the playground, in school or at home.

One thing we know for sure; children's yoga helps kids become aware of the mind/body connection and gives them the tools to use when they come across challenges at any age.

At home, parents can implement breathing techniques, relaxation techniques or any other pose that benefits their child.  5 minutes a day truly helps!

We love what we do and see benefits at every age.

Susan Fried & Michelle Valentine

www.budding-buddhas.org

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