Yoga Benefits for Kids and Teens

My interest in yoga came from my personal experience in yoga. As a kid growing up in a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas, trying different yoga postures was more a fun activity than getting to know the rich heritage and health benefits it could offer. After a long discontinuity, that fire of yoga was rekindled here in US when my physical therapist suggested yoga when I was recovering from a back injury. My yoga journey started again with a different perspective. I started to train myself as a yoga trainer and quickly became interested in children’s yoga.

It is so visible that our kids are growing up in the midst of unprecedented stress. Endless homework and activities, pressure to compete and hectic family schedules are giving them more anxiety and tension than they can deal with. Kids’ yoga came a long way; in spite of its delayed start in US. It is exciting to see that yoga teachers are now combining yoga with other non-yoga based mental and physical exercises (e.g. braingym and other concepts based on anatomy and brain function), which have added a new dimension to it.

We know now that children’s yoga is a natural and healthy way to exercise, relax and focus and thus strengthen the mind/body/spirit connection. Yoga games, breathing mediations, and deep relaxations are wonderful self-help therapies for hyperactivities, and have helped with ADD/ADHD, autism and other disorders. There is a lot of misconception about yoga and its relation to religion, which is irrelevant to discuss at this point. To make it beneficial for everyone, we can teach yoga to all kids to boost physical and mental power so that they can find balance in their lives even as it helps them gain an edge.

Benefits of Yoga

The benefits of yoga are enormous. A few of them are listed below. 

• It Opens Up A Peaceful State Of Mind And Body
• Helps To Express Creativity And Imagination
• Increases Body Awareness
• Promotes Learning Of Basics Of Body And Health
• Improves Concentration, Attention And Focus
• Improves Self Esteem And Confidence
• Helps In Learning Positive Social Interaction
• Helps In Maintaining Emotional Balance

Dr. Amitabha Deb, Expert on Yoga for Children: Dr. Deb is a 200 Hours Yoga Alliance teacher trainee and a certified Children’s Yoga Trainer. His email is amitabhadeb@yahoo.com He is a Biomedical Scientist by profession.

Updated March 2011