Aura Wellness Center, in downtown Attleboro, does not have Kids Yoga classes at this time.

Yoga for Kids - Articles

Kids Yoga: A Solution to Global Obesity in Children

By Paul Jerard

Two topics that most people are tired of hearing about are obesity and childhood obesity. The problem is we will not find solutions for these problems if we "bury our heads in the sand." Kids Yoga is a viable solution to obesity in children, but this requires schools and parents to take action now.

Obesity has crept up on all age groups quickly; children in some countries need to change their lifestyles immediately. If not, there will be serious health repercussions that will shake our health systems and fragile economies.

How did massive numbers of obesity get here? How can less physical activity in children be acceptable? How could Kids Yoga be a solution?

Parents today have less buying power than our parents had. Many children are shifted from school to day care, while both parents are working extra hours to support the family. Many of today's meals are composed of processed foods -whether they are store-bought, or bought for takeout, from a restaurant.

Physical education has suffered serious cutbacks since the "Cold War" ended. Back in the 1970's, and before, children ran and played outside more often. The Yoga lifestyle helps parents and children manage diet in a very busy and stressful world. If you are conscious of it, there are wiser food choices, even from restaurants. When children practice Yoga, they become much more aware of their diet, posture, activities, and daily exercise routine.

Educators, doctors, Yoga teachers, and parents cannot afford to wait until the next study on childhood obesity is completed to take action. Children are bigger than ever, due to inactivity and a high fat / carbohydrate diet. Large numbers of big children will become even bigger adults, who are at risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, various forms of cancer, and much more.

Therefore, educators, doctors, Yoga teachers, and parents must be proactive. Do not expect grant money, government assistance, or any help from "big brother." Look at the reaction to global warming by the world's governments and you see how long it takes to get a reaction. For parents with school-aged children, there has never been a better time for them to attend Yoga classes.

Children consider Yoga an extension of other games and exercises they would normally do. Children will naturally jump, roll on the ground, run, and spin around, in the course of playing with their friends. With proper supervision from a certified Yoga teacher, children learn what they can and cannot do. Kids Yoga classes teach safe Hatha Yoga techniques for flexibility, strength and muscle tone.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publication

Kids Yoga: Dealing with Anger Management

By Paul Jerard

How can Yoga help children deal with anger issues? What solutions can Kids Yoga offer to parents and emotional children? Let's take a look at some solutions that your local Yoga teacher will have to offer in a Kids Yoga class.

Children learn, at a very young age, that anger and tantrums can help them get their way. Parents naturally want to give a child the best of everything, but what was "cute" at two years of age, may no longer be acceptable behavior for a child who is five years of age.

The foundation of a child's personality is created in the first seven years. Parents are looking for constructive activities for children, but where do they start? Kids Yoga offers children a chance to develop strength, flexibility, endurance, and to enjoy the companionship of other children, without a competitive mind-set that can cause aggression.

Controlling aggression, by attending Yoga classes for kids, carries over into the competitive aspects of life. We know that our children are going to face athletic and academic competition. Children are naturally competitive, and they want to win every time. This is a basic component of human nature, but we also know that our children will not always win every contest.

Yoga is the perfect outlet for children. For those who consider Yoga a "feminine activity," consider this: The National Football League teams have Yoga teachers train their players, and they teach "Yoga."

Why? Have you ever noticed that football players are faster, bigger, more flexible, and more coordinated than they used to be? I can remember when a guy, over 300 pounds of body weight, was slow. It's all about the cross-training and professional teams in all sports, incorporate Yoga to avoid injuring their multi-million dollar athletes.

In the West, it is often forgotten that Indian males practiced Yoga for thousands of years. Many were from the Kshatriya caste. This was the Indian warrior caste and the people who turned back Alexander the Great. The Indians are a deeply spiritual people, but they have a proud history of military prowess. Do not forget about the Gurkas.

Lastly, most of the Asian martial arts can trace their ancestry back to the Shaolin temple. The Shaolin monks credited an Indian sage by the name of Bodhidharma for passing on his knowledge of health maintenance. We do not know the exact specifics of what Bodhidharma taught, but you can be guaranteed a good part of it was Yoga. It is said Bodhidharma was from royalty, a Brahman at birth, studied under Buddha, and became a member of the Kshatriya caste.

History has many "twists and turns," but the fact is - Yoga can make the weak strong and flexible. Kids Yoga enhances athletic performance, and it takes fortitude to be consistent in Yoga practice.

Yoga for children is an activity with many rewards, including anger management.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Mommy and Me Yoga - Benefits for Life

By Paul Jerard

What can children and parents gain from practicing Yoga together? When should I start teaching Yoga to my son or daughter? What about Mommy and Me classes? Let's cover a bit of ground, and establish some realistic expectation for parents and children.

What can children and parents gain from practicing Yoga together? "The sky is the limit," as they say. Children and parents need more bonding time. We need to eat together and find activities that solidify our relationships. Mommy and Me Yoga classes offer a chance for families to bond, while children are impressionable.

Like any activity, Yoga can be practiced at an early age. As long as Yoga practice is supervised, and the teacher is knowledgeable, parent and child will benefit in many ways. Parents who have no knowledge of Yoga should consider toddler classes or the Mommy and Me Yoga classes.

Classes should be divided according to age. For example - Children who are one to two years of age could be separated from the two to four years of age group. Below twelve months of age, most children are in the watching stage.

Some babies will copy what they see, and you should never expect too much from any child. Children will learn Yoga much better in a patient environment. There should not be a deadline for the time it takes a child to learn aspects of Yoga. Children have a lifetime to learn the many benefits of Yoga. Surprisingly, most children of all ages will demonstrate Yoga techniques they learn at home.

When should I start teaching Yoga to my son or daughter Yoga? Any time is fine, as long as you make it fun. For parents, this is the beginning of learning how to guide without discouraging. Yoga will teach children life skills, such as stress reduction, anger management, goal setting, and enhance athletic ability.

What about Mommy and Me classes? If you have a Mommy and Me Yoga class in your area, it is worth signing up. Parents should let the Yoga instructor lead the class. This seems obvious, but you would be surprised how often parents can be counter productive to children's activities.

Mommy and Me Yoga classes will contain many of the following aspects: Yoga music, kids music, singing, basic Pranayama, coloring books, theme Yoga classes, Asanas, mixing dance movement with Yoga, drawing with crayons, story telling, Yoga games, focusing drills, relaxation techniques, meditation, and lots of fun.

There are many Yoga books, DVD's, card decks, coloring books, and Yoga music CD's for children. With so much to choose from, a child's attention can be harnessed for constructive purposes. The greatest benefit of all for children is the ability to control their own attention span.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Kids Yoga: Enhanced Goal Setting Techniques

Have you ever noticed what a monumental task goal setting is for anyone? Some adults have no goals at all. So, why should we expect children to constructively set goals, in the age of attention disorders?

Parents know that children need the best possible "head start" in the extremely competitive world of academics, athletics, and later on, in business. Hatha Yoga classes, for children, offers them a chance to set their own goals, without a strict measurement of success.

Children do not have to worry about making the "next cut" in their Yoga class. There is no worry about reaching the next level, but every child wants to perform better in his or her next Yoga class. A little competitive drive is healthy for all of us, and children are naturally competitive by nature.

Keeping the above points in mind, Yoga teachers should design classes for children that contain "Yoga Games." Sure - parents are paying for Yoga classes, but how do you capture a child's imagination for 45 minutes?

Firstly, explain to parents what they should expect to see in a typical Kids Yoga class. If you are working with 45 minutes, you can easily split the class into three - fifteen minute segments. You could start with warm-ups, Sun Salutations, Vinyasa flow, or a standing sequence of Yoga postures.

Then, you could introduce a Yoga game. Games create a little friendly competition and, eventually, goal setting skills start to "take root."

Yoga card decks are good tools for children to learn postures. You could have them each randomly draw a card and perform the particular posture from the card deck. This is just one of many games that children will enjoy.

Kundalini Yoga is quite active; and although it is not a game, a Kundalini Yoga segment will change the pace of your class. This change of pace is what you need to capture a child's imagination.

Finally, have them work off the floor - performing seated Yoga postures, table postures, other postures off the knees, prone postures, and finally, supine postures. At this point, children will look forward to meditation or relaxation.

This is just one example of a way to arrange your lesson plan for children who attend Yoga classes. Children of various age groups will look at Yoga class differently. As a general guideline, children who are four to seven years of age should work well together.

Older children from eight to twelve years of age will not be entertained by the behavior of younger children. Young teens will tend to be very serious, so they should also eventually have their own time, if Kids Yoga classes are full.

Lastly, do not run Yoga classes much longer than an academic class in elementary school. Forty-five minutes to an hour is fine, but after that, you will lose the attention of your youngest Yoga students.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Kids Yoga: Stress Management Sessions for Children

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Let's think about it: Being a kid these days is not what it used to be. If you grew up watching "Leave it to Beaver," you cannot really relate to the current peer pressure, multi-tasking, sub-par education programs, and daily distractions that our children and grandchildren accept as daily life.

Family structure is not what it used to be either. Many children live in single parent households. This has become a painful fact of life for children to accept growing up without both of their parents. The family unit has changed and parents need practical solutions a lot more than criticism or a lecture. Peer pressure in school is much more than just drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Children are harassed by their peers, over every issue, including the clothes they wear.

These days, children are pressured into pretending they are rich or joining a gang. This causes children more stress at an early age than they need. So, what is a caring parent to do? Kids Yoga is one answer. Yoga classes for children offer a positive refuge from life outside the Yoga studio.

Just by stretching muscles, deep breathing, laughing, getting proper exercise, learning how to relax, meditating, and playing "Yoga games," a child can be a kid again. Kids Yoga allows a child to deal with daily stress. Each time a child enters a Yoga class for kids, he or she can "close the door" on negative feelings that stress overload brings.

Children who attend Yoga classes have one common thread: Their parents care about their well being. It is not easy for children to socialize with other "good kids," at a time when physical education, recess, children's programs, manners, and social skills are being placed "on the back burner." Yet the structure of a Yoga class allows children to bond, socialize, learn, and improve their lives with new life skills.

Yoga classes are usually non-competitive, but a parent can easily observe just to make sure. Competition is everywhere, but there is no need for it in Yoga or any form of Mind and Body health maintenance.

Lastly, Yoga has many benefits for both genders. Yoga is good for both boys and girls to learn. The physical skills and knowledge will carry over into other hobbies and sports. Most of today's elite athletes learn Yoga for cross training purposes. An athlete, who is flexible, strong, and calm under fire, is a formidable opponent. This is the reason why so many of the world's professional sports teams cross train their players and teach them Yoga.

Aura Wellness Center, in downtown Attleboro, does not have Kids Yoga classes at this time.

© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications