Yes
Say
to Yoga for Kids
and Families
By Sara Barry
I
f you think yoga is about flexibility, challenging poses,
and a Zen attitude, you’ve got part of it. Yoga has
physical and emotional benefits for people of all ages,
including children.
“Getting kids involved in yoga and meditation is a life-
long win for them. Both yoga and meditation teach kids
the benefits of fitness, but they are also valuable coping
skills that kids can key into during life's challenges,” says
yoga teacher Kerin Monaco.
not the only benefit though. Yoga teacher Katy Dagle
says that for younger kids, yoga builds coordination,
balance, and self-regulation. For older kids, yoga
continues to help with coordination and balance
and also helps build flexibility, strength, and self-
confidence. The emotional benefits can be especially
helpful in the challenging tween and
teen years.
In addition to these physical and emotional benefits,
yoga can help develop values, such as honesty and
nonviolence. These values are an integral part of yoga
that is often overlooked, but they can be an added
benefit to families practicing together.
Get Kids Started with Classes
Both Monaco and Dagle recommend classes for kids.
An experienced teacher helps children learn poses
correctly and can offer modifications or adjustments
to things that don’t feel right. Kids (and grown-ups)
should be reminded to do what feels right for their
body. Not every child can do every pose, and some
days a familiar pose is harder than others.
Yoga is noncompetitive. Teachers should help kids
focus on their own practice every day and create
a supportive environment. As Dagle reminds her
students, “yoga is a practice not a perfect.”
Find Serenity, Strength, and Self-Confidence Monaco started practicing yoga herself in high school to
combat crippling anxiety that cropped up around SATs
and college applications. She went on to teach yoga and
recently began to share yoga with her young family.
When her daughter was 9 months old, Monaco started to
practice with her on the mat, where they both loved the
peaceful energy that yoga brings. To find kids classes, check with local yoga studios,
gyms, or YMCAs. Monaco took her daughter to My
Gym, a franchise that caters to fitness for children
10 and under. Dagle’s studio offers classes for kids of
different ages. Other options include Mommy and Me
classes if you have a baby and adult classes for tweens
and teens. (Some studios have an age restriction, so
it’s good to check first.)
That peaceful energy is one of the key reasons adults
practice yoga, and that calm is great for kids too. That’s Once familiar with yoga, kids can use videos and yoga
cards to practice at home. See the sidebar, “Yoga Tips
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