The benefits of yoga for babies and toddlers
Beginning yoga in childhood is a good base for healthy mind in body in adulthood. Children are naturally flexible, and generally have an innate sense of balance. Doing yoga, kids exercise, play, relax, and develop a bond with the nature and the world around them. Benefits of baby and toddler yoga are many.
It supports your kid's sustaining systems, including breathing, circulation, digestion, and elimination
Promotes and maintains flexibility and suppleness of their muscles and joints
It promotes healthy digestive system
Can strengthen your infant's spine
It sooths the mind and body, giving a sense of relaxation and calmness
The movement supports and promotes development of their vestibular system
It boosts the immune system
If you would like your child to get involved in yoga, you could do a few things:
Be a role model
Kids are curious – if you try a few yoga postures in front of your child, she will pick up quickly. With a little encouragement and education of physical, mental, and spiritual health, children will quickly take to the postures. Just make sure you don’t force them and explain that yoga should not hurt, so they do not hurt themselves.
Keep the sessions short
Do a few short breaks in between the postures and allow for the child’s attention span.
Don’t force
If at any time your child wants to end the yoga session for the day, do not force her. Instead, ask her if she is feeling better after the yoga and encourage her to do it the following day again.
Breathing exercises are also beneficial for children. As they learn to breathe during the yoga, they will soon manage to take breaths from the “stomach”, rather than the chest.
Make yoga time more fun
Don’t expect to see the perfect postures straight away. Turn yoga sessions into play time and have fun together.
Pretend
Tell you child that she can pretend to be different animals, and give her the animal names of the yoga (e.g. cat, lion, snake, tiger, etc.). They can also pretend to be objects— e.g., the bridge or the tree.
The Nature’s Way
The ancient yogis lived close to nature. They have used animals, plants and natural phenomenon like sunrise and sunset for their inspiration and object of meditation. When children pretend to be part of the nature, they are getting from its qualities – for example the grace of a swan, or the grounded stature of a tree. By imitating a lion, kids will have a chance to experience not only his power, but also to develop a sense of their own power and will learn ways to express their aggression and when to retreat. Children will then understand they are part of the nature, and will start appreciating the natural living and going good for the environment.
Meditation and relaxation
Various forms of meditation can be introduced to your child. It will probably be difficult in the beginning but if you ask her to choose a part of the day when she would be happy to do it, it will become more successful. For example, she might prefer meditation just before her afternoon nap, relaxing her mind and body and preparing to rest.
Nature thoughts
Children can begin to understand that meditation means anything that makes the mind quiet and relaxed. Sunrises and sunsets, nature walks, and thinking of pleasant relaxing things can all be form of mediation and relaxation.
Safe place
Ask your child to imagine a place, where she fills safe and secure. Name it “a safe place”. Ask her to go to that place every time they feel scared, worried, or just need a moment of self-reassurance. This place could be imaginary “spaceship”, but it could also be a place which she really liked during your last family holiday.
If children understand the importance of setting aside a quiet time each day and making this a daily habit, they will retain this habit throughout their life as adults.
If you want your child to benefit from yoga you could research for suitable baby & toddler yoga classes by looking into Internet, contacting the local health or community centres. By learning simple postures and breathing exercise, you could then start practising at home.
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