I have been a teacher of young children for many years and as children deal with many distractions, stresses, peer pressure and over-stimulation I have found yoga becoming more important for young children.
As a certified children’s yoga teacher I have witnessed how children benefit from practicing yoga. It assists them to develop body awareness, build concentration, to focus on the breath and still their mind. Practicing such skills as deep belly breathing and knowing how their body feels to relax, assists the children to self-regulate during stressful times.
The ultimate goal for yoga is to create an opportunity for children to have fun and be creative. The power of teaching yoga to children is a gift that keeps on giving.
I teach yoga to Kindergarten and Grade 1 children at a private school in Vancouver. At the beginning of the year the children were only capable to lay in savasana for 1 minute. Through weekly yoga classes the children are now able to be in complete relaxation for 10 minutes.
It is incredible to see how far these children have come and how they understand the importance of calming the mind and body.
Chelsey Muschamp
Kaleidoscope Kids Yoga