Among the 30 million yogis in America alone who practice yoga daily, 1.7 million are children practitioners. Have you ever wondered why this meditation technique is so popular with both kids and adults alike? Well, there are several good reasons for that – and almost all are scientifically-backed as well! Yoga originated in ancient India, though its origination date is often debated to be around 5000 to 10000 BC. As diverse and old as the culture of India itself, Yoga came to the world’s knowledge only at the end of the 19th century. 

 

Swami Vivekananda, a revered Indian monk, is credited to have been the first introduction of Yoga and Indian culture to the rest of the world in the 1890s. Since then, yoga has seen remarkable adoption and growth almost everywhere. So, what is the reason behind such a massive following and appeal? Well, yoga encompasses all kinds of benefits for the body; from enhanced fitness to better cardiovascular function; from weight loss to better physical maintenance, and most importantly; better mental health and mindful dieting (source: Harvard Health). That is why yoga for kids and adults alike is gaining such massive popularity…

 

But since our narrative is mainly focused on kids, let us explore in-depth the benefits yoga for kids provides. 

Yoga for Kids: An Introduction

It is often the best way to tell children, who are not yet yogis, that yoga is merely a series of movements that are connected to the breath. Besides being a simple healthy exercise, kids yoga has enormous health benefits which include: 

• Augmented concentration levels
• Improved body consciousness and control
• Reduced chances of bodily injury
• Mindfulness and better control over emotions
• Strengthened muscles and flexibility
• Increase of patience

While these are just some of the namesake benefits yoga has to offer kids, there are limitless health possibilities if a child continues to do yoga throughout their life. One of the things that is considered a staple for a perfect yoga session is a yoga mat. This provides improved flexibility and grip for better practice, and since kids have little to no patience, in the beginning, yoga mats for kids are quite an essential thing for a good yoga session.

 

There are some specifically recommended yoga poses for kids that will help them achieve better mental and physical strength. Some of those yoga positions are: 

Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)

Easy pose (Sukhasana)

Butterfly pose (Baddha Konasana)

Upward-Facing  Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

 

Let’s get into more detail now about why yoga is great for kids in the next section. 

Why is Yoga for Kids Good?

While some benefits have been disclosed above, yoga has even more to offer children. Like adults, kids also suffer from daily hectic routines in these modern times. They have incessant school work, competitive sports activities, tech pursuits (e. g. gaming, e-learning), and social outings. We adults mostly think that only we have stress and tensions from daily life activities, but the truth is that our kids also suffer from the same. 

 

Add into that the social-ethical issues, like kids who might have to deal with bullying at school. While yoga may not serve as an armor against social upheavals, it will nevertheless give children enough strength to maintain calmness and wisdom during any unfortunate event. Additionally, children who do yoga every day are much more capable of maintaining balance, both emotionally and physically, in their day-to-day routine. 

 

Yoga has also been proven to be a very helpful practice for kids with special needs (e. g. autism, down syndrome, etc.). It is a known fact that children with a disability or a special kind of condition suffer from higher levels of stress. That’s not only because of their physical or mental condition, but sometimes it can be because of the way other children behave with them or due to their feelings of helplessness. This is where yoga for kids with special needs can be very helpful. 

 

Yoga is an academically-proven therapeutic exercise that gives immense control over the respiratory system – the breathing system in the human body (source: Harvard Review). Stress levels and breathing are directly connected. If our children have firm control over their breathing then they are more likely to counter higher stress levels sufficiently. Yoga offers specific techniques, especially for kids, which can give them a tremendous amount of control over their breathing. And among the most famous of these is the Pranayama technique for kids in yoga. Pranayama technique was specifically designed to find inner peace and strength, it is soul uplifting, nerve-calming, and teaches children how to face anxiety-inducing situations with calm resolution. 

 

This article would go on for days if we continued to keep listing yoga’s benefits for kids! So, let’s take our focus to other main aspects of yoga for kids that are also important for parents and guardians to know. For those parents and guardians who want their children to receive the maximum health benefits of yoga, it helps to ensure that kids are equipped with the core and most needed yoga tools to facilitate yogic meditations precisely. In this regard, yoga mats for kids are of great help and assistance. Let us tell you why in the following chapter below!

Importance of Using Yoga Mats & Accessories

Basic yoga materials and accessories, such as yoga mats, mat towels, and yoga specific clothing, are not essentially required but they add extra easiness, flexibility, and strength to your yoga meditation. Especially a yoga mat, a must-companion for yogis of all ages. However, using yoga mats that are high-quality and eco-friendly is a non-disputable must for children. 

 

Since it can be difficult for kids to maintain physical balance in yoga, at the least in the beginning, unmovable cork yoga mats can be specifically helpful for their meditation. Plus, cork yoga mats are antimicrobial, environmental-friendly, have good grip, and are made of non-toxic materials – everything that is good for your kids’ health and their practice. And they are equally brilliant for adult yogis, too! 

 

The thing with cork yoga mats is that they are made up of plant and renewable-based materials, such as a cork surface and a natural tree rubber base. Some are also PVC and chemical free as well, like ours! When purchasing any yoga mat, look out for PVC materials that are toxic and can harm both the environment and the individual’s health as well, as highlighted in this article by EcoWatch. 

 

Of course, every individual has their preference when it comes to using yoga materials and kits, but it is best to be informed when making any purchases. The same thing goes for other main yoga tools like towels and yoga clothing’ ideally they should also be acquired from an eco-friendly source. Your kids will enjoy and learn yoga much quicker when armed with basic yoga equipment.

Some Very Helpful Tips for Kids Doing Yoga

 

While every act of yoga is beneficial for your health, there are some specific tips and techniques that children should follow when doing yoga. These tips will help them learn yoga effectively, and most importantly, they will provide extended health benefits and make yoga fun for kids. Take a look at these fun yoga tips for kids below:

 

Star jumps: One of the best ways to get the young ones started and pumped up. Star jumps are healthy in and of themselves; they are extremely fun and enjoyable and they get the body ready for a yoga session efficiently and quickly. 

 

Yoga fun dice: Yoga fun dice is another great way to elevate kids’ yoga experience. Yoga fun dice involves mixing different yoga poses together randomly. Get creative and make your own yoga fun dice or checkout this ThinkFun Yoga Dice game.

 

Build a yoga obstacle course: Use your yoga mat and a few other props around the house like a chair, or a footstool and assign a yoga pose or a breathing technique to each station. 

 

Go on a nature yoga walk: This is a great one for kids imagination! Use the trees, rocks and animals for inspiration and try to imitate them in similar yoga poses. 

 

Follow along to a Cosmic Kids Yoga class: A super popular online yoga club for children with hundreds of yoga classes to choose from on their YouTube channel. Try out one of their most popular yoga classes Kids Yoga For Earth Day 2021 🌎 Yoga Club (Week 37) | Cosmic Kids Yoga. Enjoy endless hours of yoga poses and entertainment at home with your kids.

 

Get creative and make your own yoga games: Yoga teachers and parents can create yoga games with their children, using colorful illustrations and instructions. Checkout 3 fun DIY games by Kids Yoga Stories in their blog post DIY Yoga Games for Transition Times.

 

Play Yoga Bingo: Get more recommended yoga poses for kids in our downloadable Printable Yoga Bingo, just enter your email below!

Conclusion

Just as it is with us adults, yoga clearly has some great benefits for our kids as well. Stay healthy as a family and practice yoga together with your kids. Children get the most out of yoga practice if parents are involved and will maintain the routine if they start from early childhood. It is also important to ensure you provide them with the right tools and set them up for success during their practice. So, if you are still not among the 36 million Americans who practice yoga consistently, you and your family can start practicing yoga for kids today!