This coming Friday, June 21, marks the 10th International Day of Yoga with the theme “Yoga for Self and Society.” The goal of this day is to transform yoga into a widespread movement that positivly affects the welfare of all people and promotes health and peace in the world.
Yoga is an ancient tradition of physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in India. It offers numerous benefits for both physical and mental health.
Regular yoga practice improves muscle and joint flexibility while strengthening the body. The combination of stretching and muscle strengthening can relieve chronic pain, including back pain, arthritis, and other muscle and joint pain. Additionally, yoga enhances coordination and balance and improves lung capacity and breathing efficiency through its breathing techniques.
Yoga is also known for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Its breathing and relaxation techniques help calm the nervous system, causing regular practice to increase serotonin levels and improve overall mood.
The combination of these benefits makes yoga a perfect practice to improve quality of life. Unlike what is commonly believed, yoga is not a sport exclusively for adults. It also offers many benefits for children.
Practicing yoga for children, with appropriately adapted levels of difficulty, helps improve flexibility and develop strength. It requires children to use their own bodies to maintain balance and posture, which enhances motor coordination and teaches them body awareness and control.
Relaxation and controlled breathing techniques help children to be aware of their emotions and manage them better, which can be especially useful in situations of conflict or stress.
On our YouTube channel, you can find examples of simple poses to get your little ones started with yoga. Additionally, the Smile and Learn platform offers various activities and audiobooks that describe how to perform yoga poses adapted for children, both in class and at home. How about teaching them the cat pose? This pose helps strengthen their back, arms, and abdomen while providing relaxation.
Now that you know all the benefits that yoga has for you and your little ones, what are you waiting for to start practicing it? Practicing yoga as a family is an opportunity to learn and develop new skills together, which can be an educational and enriching experience. It’s a great way to spend quality time together while creating healthy habits!
If you haven’t tried our educational platform yet, you can do so for free by filling out the form below.
