Yoga for children: everything worth knowing at a glance
What is the difference between yoga for children and yoga for adults?
Children's yoga is based on the same teachings as adult yoga. Hatha yoga in India is very close to the child's perception: it has evolved from observation of nature, plants and animals. Therefore, many exercises have imaginative names like the lion, the mountain, the crocodile and the turtle. What is different is the way of teaching: adults are taught to be more rationally oriented. In the case of children's yoga, imagination is required: they are introduced playfully and creatively to the asanas.
Why is yoga good for kids?
Meanwhile, studies prove that the effects of hatha yoga can be transmitted directly from adults to children. Yoga for children improves the physical and sensory perceptions through yoga, breathing and relaxation exercises as well as movement exercises. The muscles are stretched and strengthened, the children become stronger and more flexible. Meditation and mindfulness exercises promote their concentration.
My child is so busy: Will yoga make him calmer?
Doing yoga regularly relaxes us? and so it is with children. In a yoga lesson for children, the whole body is moved, stretched and stretched, it is deeply and attentively breathed. In doing so playful external and internal tensions dissolve. What's important is continuity: It's not enough to have a single class of children's yoga lessons.
For which children is yoga suitable?
Basically, every child can practice yoga. The attitudes build on each other. The movement-happy, but also the quieter children are addressed. Whether yoga is something for your own child is best found out during a taster session.
Are there children who should not practice yoga?
If a child is undergoing medical or therapeutic treatment, it is important that the instructor be informed. In case of doubt the following applies: Consult with the attending physician / therapist and if necessary ask for a clearance certificate.
At what age can my child practice yoga?
Even babies can do yoga: In baby yoga gentle yoga exercises for the mother are combined with a relaxing massage for the baby. When mom practices yoga in her home living room, many toddlers mimic the exercises naturally. Children from the age of three can attend a guided course outside the home.
How do I find the right yoga class for my child?
There are now children's yoga classes in almost every town: even some schools and kindergartens regularly offer yoga during normal schooling or caring time. If this is not the case, the search helps on the Internet. Many children's yoga teachers offer their courses at community colleges, sports clubs or yoga schools.
Which qualification should the child yoga teacher prove?
There are around 3,000 children's yoga teachers in Germany? Ascending trend. For children's yoga teachers, there is no protected job title, so everyone may actually offer children's yoga. It is important to know that not every trained yoga teacher can teach children at the same time. And not every educator knows how to guide children in the sense of Yogic teaching. Therefore, you should make sure that the instructor has completed an additional qualification in children's yoga. It's good to just watch an hour. Parents usually have a good nose to whom they entrust their children and who does not.
Children learn the asanas and meditation techniques in a playful way:
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Children's yoga: Meditate and have funHow much may a yoga class cost for my child?
Yoga classes for children are not always cheaper than courses for adults. You can choose between individual lessons or a complete course. A children's yoga lesson costs about eight euros for individual bookings, with the occupancy of a complete children's yoga class it will be cheaper.
Is it important to pay attention to the size of the group?
Yes! An ideal group of children's yoga should have a clear size: With eight children, it can still be good yogieren, ten children are challenging and everything beyond that can be confusing.
How is a yoga lesson for children?
A children's yoga lesson is significantly shorter than an hour for adults: it lasts between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the age. Every child yoga teacher sets up his lessons differently. At the beginning we like to play with the kids. Followed by yoga poses with exercises for breathing and relaxation. At the end there is a short meditation, for example with a candle or a fairy tale or a fantasy journey.
Is it okay if my child eats something before the yoga class?
The yoga postures have an immediate effect on the body. Therefore, a child should not eat right before the yoga.It is best to have the last meal at least an hour back.
Can my child get hurt during yoga exercises?
The risk of injury in children's yoga is very low. Unlike other sports, yoga only works with one's own body. In addition, most children have a healthy body feel? they instinctively sense how far an attitude suits them or not. Nevertheless: Even with yoga, it can happen that a child sometimes stumbles over his own feet.
What kind of clothing should my child wear during yoga?
Special clothing is not needed: t-shirt, pants and socks are enough. Importantly, since the entire body is stretched and stretched, the clothing should be comfortable and loose.
Further information and a list of certified children's yoga teachers in Germany can be found here.
