Tree Pose, Mountain, Namaste

na·ma·ste : a respectful greeting

A respectful greeting, isn’t that how all of us secretly want to be greeted whenwe walk into a room? Can you imagine a day full of respectful greeting each time you enter a room? For the students in myHead Start placement, this is not a dream or a wish, this is their reality. Each morning these little humans are greeted respectfully when they walk through the door. After their morning responsibilities are done (eating breakfast and brushing their pearly whites) they gather on the front carpet to partake in some yoga sequences led by their teacher. 

(Some of the yoga cards displayed on the front board that the students use as references during their morning yoga session)

I’ve watched and partaken in this yoga sequence for about eight weeks now. At first I though “oh how fun, this is cute” and as the weeks have went by my mindset has completely shifted. While yes seeing 17 four year olds in a tree pose is quite cute, it is all the more empowering and fulfilling. To watch a group of four year old move from chattering energy balls to (for the most part) focused yogis moving the a sequence of movements.

While watching the mini morning yoga session happen you can see body and minds beginning to calm down and move the focus to themselves inside the classroom, what are the statistics behind this phenomenon? I wonder what these yoga movements do for these kids not just as students academically, but holistically what does yoga do for young developing children?

Benefits to Being a Child Yogi

It turns out there is an extensive list of benefits for children who participate in yoga. With these benefits becoming more and more well known, many teachers are beginning to incorporate yoga movements and sequences into their daily classroom schedule. Many yoga studios are also introducing specific child yoga classes. These benefits for children range from emotional, mental, academic, and physical assets.

Mentally and emotionally these benefits tie in together.  According to the International Journal of Health, Wellness, & Society “Feeling relaxed, calm, and less stressed were common responses students had when they described how they felt after yoga classes” (Eggleston, 2015). We all know that when we are stressed beyond the point of functionality whether it be from school or home lives we do not function at out prime levels. Young children are the same way, their lives may not be perfect fairytales yet a small session of yoga can relax their minds and bodies. According to an article done by Pediatric Physical Therapy in 2008, “If the mind is relaxed, the muscles in the body will also be relaxed. Stress produces a state of physical and mental tension” (Galantino, Galbavy, & Quinn, 2008).  

Our mental and emotional states can significantly impact our academic performance. It is no surprise that the benefits carry over to academic benefits for students. The main connection between yoga and academics is memory. According to the same article from Pediatric Physical Therapy in a study “108 school children aged 10 to 17 years were divided into four groups, each practicing in a different type of yoga breathing. All four groups evidenced improved spatial memory scores by an average of 84%” (Galantino, 2008). In the area of academics, yoga in the classroom specifically can help aide with classroom behavior. According to the same article “Yoga fosters relaxation and breathing in a very active way, enabling children to channel their energy into goal-driven tasks. These findings have implications for learning and classroom behavior” (Galantino, 2008).

Looking at the benefits for the child holistically, there are also benefits in the physical domain for children. According to the Occupational Therapy Helping Children organization “Yoga develops strength, flexibility, bilateral coordination and the ability to ‘cross the midline’ and process sensory information” (2019).  Crossing the midline for a child is a huge developmental gain. Crossing the midline is when you reach move a part of your body to the opposite side of your body (reaching your right arm to your left foot). According to the same organization, “Crossing the midline is an important skill in development of motor and cognitive skills needed for everyday tasks such as writing, dressing and sports such as hitting a ball with a racket in tennis. Yoga involves many poses that require a child to cross the midline of the body therefore helping in the development of this important skill” (2019). While yoga helps children develop this skill, it can also help develop muscle growth that can assist them in the classroom. The Occupational Therapy Helping Children organization also says that “Developing core and postural muscles will help with maintaining an upright posture for tabletop tasks…Strong core and postural muscles are also important for gross motor skills such as running, walking, skipping, playground skills and sport” (2019).

Namaste

Yes our days can be busy, yes there is a lot to teach, and yes there are standards to meet. There is however a more important need to meet as teachers, which is the holistic wellbeing of our students. Seeing the long list of benefits that yoga can provide to children across many domains should motivate us to find a way to incorporate it into our daily classroom schedule. I can see myself implementing this in my future classroom for maybe a couple minutes out of the day. There is opportunity to allow your students access to the benefits of yoga outside of school too. Perhaps you send home a laminated pack of yoga poses with pictorial and textual descriptions on a binder ring. Have the children flip through the cards and complete a sequence each night as part of their homework. Look for community yoga studios who offer children’s yoga classes. Look for community events which offer free yoga instruction. The possibilities in and outside of the classroom are endless. Why limit the benefits of schooling strictly to academics?

Check out these videos from an amazing yoga YouTube channels geared just for younger children!

Colonel Crockles the Crocodile | A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!

Episode 42 | Colonel Crockles the Crocodile Another kids yoga adventure with Jaime. This time we throw a party for Colonel Crockles – to cheer him up. A story all about being kind to the older members of our communities. Cosmic Kids has been making free yoga adventures and mindfulness videos for kids since 2012.

Trolls | A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!

A yoga adventure based on the movie, Trolls. Join Jaime on an adventure in yoga poses – as we help the Trolls bring happiness to the world! Remember to subscribe! http://bit.ly/cosmickidsyoga

This video is also a great resource without the extravagant storylines!

Yoga for Kids!

Follow along as Sophia Khan leads a fun and family-friendly introduction to yoga. You’ll get to warm up, practice breathing and poses, and relax into a power down. ——————————————————————————— TELUS STORYHIVE supports compelling, original stories told by filmmakers from BC and Alberta by providing production funding, training and exposure to new audiences.

 

 

 

Resources:

Eggleston, B. (2015). The Benefits of Yoga for Children in Schools. International Journal of Health, Wellness & Society5(3), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v05i03/41125

Galantino, M. L., Galbavy, R., & Quinn, L. (2008). Therapeutic Effects of Yoga for Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature. PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY, (1), 66. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbl&AN=RN224685000&authtype=sso&custid=s3915890&site=eds-live&scope=site

Yoga and Occupational Therapy. (2019, April 6). Retrieved from https://occupationaltherapy.com.au/yoga-occupational-therapy