Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Hi Traci,

I agree and there is a method for reaching children.

How to teach yoga to children?

The regular practice of yoga exercises play an instrumental part in boosting up physical, mental and spiritual health naturally, there are numerous benefits of practicing yoga for kids as this physical activity helps in developing their bodies, self esteem, emotional and mental wellness. The techniques are beneficial for children in particular to overcome stressful situation by sharpening up mental capabilities, improving their emotional balance and making them creative. Children body remain in development mode till they become an adult if yoga is performed frequently in this age it does not only help in improving their physical fitness but also makes body flexible. It helps in creating a balance and maintains the metabolism rate.           

While teaching yoga to kids the most important point that should always be kept in mind is to make the class interactive and enjoyable. If children do not find yoga to be fun filled they will soon be bored, will start taking it as an obligation and will run away from it. Yoga teachers are required to be more vigilant and patient while teaching children. The instructors cannot remain uptight and strict while teaching the children. Most importantly kids cannot follow the same routine as those of adult for example adults begin their yoga by a seated pose. However children are required to start off with a simple warm up exercises that may include wiggling their limbs. For adults the time length is around an hour or more but when it comes to the little yogis this cannot be followed. They need some stories, games and fun element with yoga in order to maintain their focus. Instructor needs to be creative while teaching yoga to children, they can incorporate games like ‘Simon says’ in the asanas to make children comfortable and to bring a sense of familiarity.

Another great method of teaching children is by partnering them up, however to avoid any sort of disturbance in class kids should be forewarned about the asana prior to being partnered. This will not only bring interest and cordial atmosphere but will also be very easy for them to follow. Simple poses like side to side tree poses can be followed in this condition.

Kids can never be handled in the same way as adults; the instructor needs to be compassionate while teaching the little yogis. Some of them might just not want to follow or may be having a tough time keeping up with his/her fellows which will lead to frustration and loss of focus so to maintain the decorum, the yoga teacher needs to cleverly pin point the positive factors of the poses performed by kid in order to get rid of negativity. This is what yoga is all about, it is about spreading positivity, relaxing, staying calm and composed.

One last thing children can never be perfect while performing a posture so for a teacher there is no need to be picky about it. All a teacher needs to do is to encourage them and make it fun for the kids to follow. No need to fret about the alignment of the postures when it comes to children. Stay calm and have fun.