Kids have great imaginations and lots of energy and they love to play, so it’s not surprising that they enjoy doing yoga. Pretending to be dogs, cats, cobras, and camels is great fun, and they really enjoy the challenge of moving their bodies in new and different ways. This fun activity has lots of benefits. For example, balancing poses not only develop children’s sense of balance, but also teach them to be still and to concentrate. They become more coordinated while cultivating strength, flexibility, endurance, and stamina. Especially valuable for older children is the fact that yoga postures help regulate and balance the production of hormones, which is very helpful as they approach and pass through puberty.
Beyond the merely physical, yoga also gives kids valuable tools to help them cope with the stress they often face in their lives. This stress may be in the form of pressure at school, sports competition, problems at home, and so on. Yoga postures, breathing, relaxation techniques, and yoga dance all teach them how to calm the mind and release tension from the body.
