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Last year Sam Merkur enrolled
her four year-old son, Miles, in an Iyengar yoga class hoping
the centuries-old Indian form of stretching would benefit
him in the same ways it had helped her. “I wanted yoga
to help maintain his natural flexibility,” says Sam,
38. “I love the physical benefits I feel when I practise,
and I knew Miles would love that ‘body rush’ too.”
The benefits of yoga go far beyond a physical rush. Doctors
in the United States have found yoga can help people suffering
from asthma, chronic back pain, arthritis and obsessive compulsive
disorder. At the Children’s Hospital in Denver in 2004,
doctors measured the effect of yoga on adolescent psychiatric
patients. Participating teens and their parents reported improved
outlook and behaviour.
Children’s classes differ from adult classes in many
ways. “The energy level is different. Kids’ Be
Flexible: Yoga Isn't Just For Parentsenergy is more carefree,
and they often burst out with comments,” says Temmi
Ungerman Sears, who has been teaching yoga since 1986, and
teaching children since 1997. “Yoga for kids can teach
life skills that may serve them well as they grow up.”
Sam is pleased with how Miles, now five, is progressing
in his classes. “Definitely the benefits are physical
and mental,” she says. “Miles learns new postures
and ways to move his body unlike in a gymnastics or karate
class. As well, he learns how to rest and restore his body,
which brings him into a state of relaxation that all young
children need in my opinion.”
Temmi Ungerman Sears, founder of Yogabuds in Toronto, notes
the following benefits of yoga for kids:
BETTER POSTURE
Many children lug heavy backpacks, which make them slouch.
Yoga opens the chest, lifts the spinal muscles and rib cage
and rolls the shoulder blades back, which helps realign the
body.
IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM
Even if children don’t have academic or athletic prowess,
they can succeed in a yoga class. Shy kids may blossom with
a new confidence because they can do what they’re being
asked to do in an environment where they’re not being
judged.
BETTER FOCUS
Yoga requires kids to pay attention, and they do so more readily
when there are games involved, such as Simon Says or singing
in Sanskrit.
EXPANDED CREATIVITY
By using poses with names that kids can relate to, such as
dog, cat, tree, lion, cobra and snake, yoga becomes a creative
enterprise. Children can also be paired up and pretend to
be a lump of clay and a potter. The potter then ‘molds’
the other student into a pose.
REDUCED STRESS LEVELS
Some students are nervous before taking a test at school,
but they say that doing their yoga breathing before starting
the test relaxes them.
FINDING A CLASS
To find a reputable children’s class, don’t be
afraid to ask questions. It’s important to send children
to a properly qualified and experienced teacher to prevent
them from getting injured.
FIND OUT:
* the teacher’s certification
* how many years they have been practising and teaching
yoga
* whether they get ongoing training from more experienced
teachers
* whether their classes are compassionate or competitive
Yoga4kids.org lists a handful of studios in Ontario and Quebec.
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