Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Organize Yoga practice to your children with a local yoga studio, church group, school, or pre-school.

There are many options for kids to learn yoga with family members.

Try setting up a Mommy and Me Yoga group for like-minded parents who know about the positive value of yoga and for those patents who are interested.

You can split them into two basic groups (3-6 and 7-12) and schedule yoga classes for both. We should also try to etablish Yoga as a physical education activity in our kids schools. Kids will learn to focus instead of labeling them as ADHD.

Namaste

I know you teach yoga classes for mommy and me groups, but the greater message of yogic philosophy is being watered down by all these fads. The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings, and is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj", meaning "to control", or "to unite". These concepts cannot be taught to toddlers! Translations include "joining", "uniting", "union", "conjunction", and "means". It is also possible that the word yoga derives from "yujir samadhau," which means "contemplation" or "absorption." This translation fits better with the dualist Raja Yoga because it is through contemplation that discrimination between prakrti (nature) and purusha (pure consciousness) occurs. My feeling is practicing yoga with children, dogs, cats and cows is wasted energy.

Are these classes working to help young children? What is the Best Age for Children to Start Yoga?  We all have a fair clue that yoga is the most advantageous physical activity for people of all age group. It just not only helps an individual to relax but also benefits in several other ways. However question that arises after reading the above statement; is yoga holds same significance for children too? Children are considered as our future and it is very important for the future to be turned into a well rounded individual and to be healthy.

Nowadays children are engrossed in computer and other technologies such as XBOX and PSP, preferred not to play outside or lack physical activity. They like staying at home mostly which has lead to laziness and unhealthiness more importantly it has made diseases like diabetes and poor eyesight more common in kids. Majority of children these days wear glasses and are prone to illness because of unhealthy life style they lead. World has turned into a competitive place where everything is a race and in such a competitive environment it is essential for kids to prepare themselves from the start and yoga is recommended as the best way to kick start the practice.

Adults fight stress in different ways, stress is not just for adults but kids encounter stress too for example they have to face competition, handle the peer pressure and meet their parent expectation and for children this call for a stressful situation. We all are aware of numerous benefits of yoga as it provides support to all systems of our body, also proven to leave a positive impact on the mental and creative ability of a child.

The optimum age for children to start yoga is 8 years; at this age bones of the body are still under development as they are soft hence it is very easy for body to adopt changes and can adapt to flexibility becomes easier. At the age of 8 air sacs of lungs in our body stabilize so if we introduce paranayama techniques to kids at this age and incorporate these exercises in their routine will be helpful in strengthen the breathing and respiration process. Even our immune system is completely developed by the time we are 8, so getting children acquainted with poses like sun salutation, cat and cow pose will help in maintaining and enhancing their immune system. Yoga helps in increasing spirituality also and the best age to do that is 8 years by this time learning about morals and ethics can definitely help in the development of the child’s personality by leaving positive effect.

Children can learn a lot from performing different techniques of yoga however it does not mean that parent should force their kids to perform it. When the right age comes the best way to push kids in right direction is by encouraging them to perform yoga for better mental and physical wellness. There is no doubt that every child will flourish and be healthy if yoga becomes the part of their daily routine.