Can Kids Practice Yoga And Meditation?
I have several friends with children who always ask me if their kids can go to yoga. Children are born yogis. Good posture, correct breathing and an open attitude towards life are qualities that are born with us and we lose throughout our lives for many reasons.
In a society where children are constantly distracted and bombarded with harmful frequencies such as television, internet, playstations or other technologies, often family and school relationships become more volatile and distant, parents realize late and the children become distant adolescents with some difficulty expressing their emotions.
It may seem a difficult task to keep a child quiet for an hour, but it’s the first step to helping her be more conscious about herself and be more focused in adulthood.
While i was doing some research on the subject, i’ve gather some important points on taking kids to yoga & meditation classes:
Promotes relaxation and concentration;
It stimulates aesthetic sense and creativity;
It promotes self-esteem and joy of living;
Fights anxiety and stress;
It works motor coordination and balance;
Promotes good breathing patterns;
Balances the nervous system;
Strengthens the immune system;
Promotes ecological and humanitarian awareness;
Develops sense of gratitude;
Develops expression of their individuality and emotional autonomy;
Stimulates awareness and self knowledge;
There are several schools in Portugal already giving yoga classes for children.
I’ve learned the best time to start Ashtanga Yoga is from 8 years onwards. Neither way, I suggest you try take your kids to try other lineages by five, six years old.
Some places in Portugal with yoga for children:
SUNSHINE YOGA
Specialized in practicing and training yoga for infants, children and children with special needs both in the school environment and with families, Sunshine Yoga in Lisbon has different levels depending on the ages of the students: Yoga Baby (from 2 months to 3 years), Yoga Kids (from 3 to 12 years) and Yoga at School (from 12 months to 12 years). Sunshine Yoga also has Yoga. Special Kids class (ages 3 to 12) for children with special educational needs.
BABY YOGA
Opened since 2005, Babyoga it’s “the first school in Portugal specialized in practicing yoga with babies, children and families”. The school has trained more than 150 teachers, who give yoga classes for children – Babyoga, from 0 to 4 years old, and Playoga, from 5 to 12 years old – in various places throughout the country. The sharing of love, understanding, respect and lots of fun are some of the principles that are part of Babyoga’s yoga classes for children.
PREMAYOGA
Located in Oeiras, Premayoga studio offers yoga classes for children and babies from the age of six weeks until the age of 10. It seeks to be through stories, music, games and relaxation that children learn how to live in society, respecting nature, animals and all beings that surround them.
CONFEDERAÇÃO PORTUGUESA DO YOGA
Confederação Portuguesa do Yoga has several centers spread all over the country and offers a wide range of activities, including yoga classes for children. The confederation argues that “children are born with extraordinary psychic and physical abilities, have enormous flexibility and have a great sense of hearing and vision,” which makes them fully capable of practicing yoga.
LOTUS STUDIO
Assuring one of the key benefits of managing emotions, Lotus Studio in Porto advocates that yoga for children is essential for healthy and happy growth. Yoga postures are taught by equating them with animals and objects, always taking into account the correct breathing. The ability to concentrate and relax is another aspect of the children.