What is yoga? Is one of my favorite themed classes – for all ages. Many adults still have misconceptions about what it actually entails. When I ask a group of children, “What is yoga?” I generally receive bits and pieces of information that define yoga. In its simplest form, yoga is the act of breathing, moving our bodies, and setting our focus all at the same time. For children, yoga can be a fun and engaging way to promote physical activity, mindfulness, and relaxation.
Yoga is breathing!
One of the key components of yoga that most of my students are familiar with is breathing (pranayama). A typical response is “Yoga is inhaling and exhaling!”
The first type of breathing I teach is always a simple version. I recommend my students pay attention to their breathing and take a breath in through their nose and out through their mouth. As the children advance in their practice, we begin to explore other breathing techniques. We inhale and exhale through our noses, hold our breath, we will vary the length of our inhale and exhale, etc. There are so many ways to teach this. One thing to be mindful of is the various abilities the children may have. Some children may prefer to breathe through their nose, while others may feel more comfortable breathing through their mouth. It is important to let children choose what feels best for them and to encourage them to listen to their bodies.
Yoga is poses!
This is always a fun response. Children generally yell out, “Yoga is Poses!” and then they jump up and start showing me all of the poses they know. I love this answer because it allows me to gauge the experience of the class, without having to ask, “Who has done yoga before?.” The children familiar with yoga will generally show me a pose they know and the children who may be new to a class will make up a pose. This can be misleading, because one of my experienced students that I have had for years will always show me a new pose that he has created during our time off together!
Poses like mountain pose, tree pose, downward-facing dog, child’s pose, and cat cow are popular choices. These poses help to improve strength, flexibility, and balance, while also promoting relaxation and stress relief. In addition to focusing on the breath, yoga poses should be age-appropriate and accessible for children of all abilities. Namaste Kid is a great resource that details poses for kids.
Yoga is being focused!
Very rarely do I hear, “Yoga is setting your eyes!” When I ask, “What is yoga?.” My experienced students are typically the ones that will give me this response and they will sometimes even remember the word- Drishti!
Setting a Drishti, or focal point, during yoga is generally the most challenging aspect of a yoga class. This is true for the children I teach, as well as my own practice. To help children set their eyes during class, I like to use visual aids. I use Hoberman spheres, rubber duckies, stickers, or other small objects. This gives children a spot to focus their gaze and stay present in the moment. In the Fall, I love to use these small pumpkins.
Overall, yoga is a wonderful practice for children that can help them develop physical strength, mental focus, and emotional resilience. “What is yoga?” Is a perfect theme to use at the beginning of the school year or when working with a new group of students.
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