How to Start Teaching Kids Yoga
When you visit most yoga studios, you'll find mostly adults taking the classes. However, yoga is a discipline that can be taught to children as well. Kids that learn yoga have better self esteem as well as a higher degree of physical fitness.
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Instructions
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Consider the child's age. Many yoga poses are not going to be appropriate for very small children. Ideally, the child should be around 6 or 7 years old to learn the most basic poses.
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Clear the area. If you are practicing at home, then make sure the area is clear of any safety hazards. Move out any furniture and give enough space for the child to move without restriction.
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Start with the fun and easy poses to learn. Many children respond to the poses that are named for animals, so the dog and snake poses are probably good to teach first.
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Remind them to breathe throughout. Teach them to inhale when they hold the pose and then exhale as they release. This starts good habits early on.
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Make it fun. Let them choose the music and encourage them to use their imagination while they practice yoga. Tell them to picture themselves in a calm place. Keep checking throughout the process to make sure that they're comfortable.
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Tips & Warnings
For children under the age of 6, you may want to consider yoga poses that can be performed together. Many area gyms offer mommy and baby yoga classes.
If they're not into it, don't force it. They may find the yoga too slow for their active bodies and prefer sports with more action, like basketball and soccer.
