 In the young child yoga classes I teach for the YMCA, many of the children begin the classes with little self control. Young children are constantly moving and talking, with minimum focus.
In last month’s blog, I posted many of the benefits of yoga. Among the benefits include assisting children in relaxing, calming down, allowing them to increase body awareness and focus on breath. Knowing the benefits, how do child care teachers and providers begin to incorporate yoga activities during the day in the classroom? Even without previous experience or training there are simple ways to begin. Resources are easy to follow and chock full of ideas. One great free resource is listed below. Two of my favorite tools include yoga cards and story books. Yoga cards, which include pictures and descriptions of poses, often relate the pose to objects, animals or items in nature. Allow the children to pick a card and let the group try out the pose with movement and noise. Children’s books provide an engaging story and allow children to match a pose with characters, animals or activities as they arise in the story. Whatever tools you choose, begin with a few simple practices and enjoy the results. HOW TO GET STARTED WITH YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM(PRINTABLE POSTER) here, or pin it for later. About the Author After a 37 year career in child nutrition and CACFP, Ms. Fredericks has been practicing and applying Healthy Living for the past 4 years through nutrition, yoga and general wellness.. As a s a 500 hour RYT she teaches yoga classes for all ages and as a Certified Health and Wellness coach she provides support for individual healthy behavior changes. Doris Fredericks, MEd, RDN, RYT Healthy Living: Nutrition, Yoga Certified Health and Wellness Coach 408-966-6111
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 Life can be challenging for Child care providers and center teachers as well as the children they support. The world is filled with pressures, challenges and a hurry up attitude.
While other physical activity has beneficial effects to ease the pace of our lives, yoga can provide a slow-down stress relief for both adults and children. Comprehensive benefits from yoga include an increase in strength, agility and coordination, flexibility, and balance; all of which promote body awareness. Establishing a focus on concentration, calmness and mindfulness enhances relaxation. Adults can use language, themes, music, art, and stories that connect to children’s interests to bring yoga alive in the classroom. As an example, taking an adventure trip to the Zoo allows each child to experience the power, behavior, movement and noise of animals while doing the poses of monkeys, lions and elephants. In order to maintain children’s attention, adults open up the experience, act as a facilitator, allowing children to discover the poses and enjoy all of the benefits of yoga. For more information on yoga check out the following websites. Top 40 Kids Yoga Blogs and Websites To Follow in 2018 https://blog.feedspot.com/kids_yoga_blogs/ About the Author After a 37 year career in child nutrition and CACFP, Ms. Fredericks has been practicing and applying Healthy Living for the past 4 years through nutrition, yoga and general wellness.. As a s a 500 hour RYT she teaches yoga classes for all ages and as a Certified Health and Wellness coach she provides support for individual healthy behavior changes. Doris Fredericks, MEd, RDN, RYT Healthy Living: Nutrition, Yoga Certified Health and Wellness Coach 408-966-6111 |
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