Fun is the most important thing in children’s yoga. “It’s not about doing the asanas perfectly,” says Sibylle Schöppel, a children’s yoga teacher from Austria. Because of their physical development, children can only hold the poses for a short time. The asanas change more quickly than in adult yoga. If the children practice yoga regularly, the effects of the pose can still unfold. “Exercises like the tree promote balance and thus concentration,” explains Sibylle Schöppel.
Teaching yoga to children in a playful way
The asanas should be taught in a playful way – the names of the respective poses match this. Many children’s yoga positions are based on the animal and plant world and have corresponding names. “Children have a very good connection to nature,” says the yoga teacher. Poses such as the warrior are renamed for children’s yoga and are called unicorn or eagle instead. Similar to adult yoga, the children should learn that each asana is unique and looks a little different for everyone – this should prevent a competitive mentality. “I am valuable just the way I am” is one of the most important positive beliefs that can be conveyed to children in yoga, says Sibylle Schöppel.
There is no rigid routine in children’s yoga. To let the children let off steam, you can incorporate movement-intensive units such as leaps (jumps in which you pull your feet as high as possible towards your bottom) or breathing exercises such as the gorilla (breathing technique in which you tap your chest), says Schöppel. To keep the children on task, children’s yoga works with materials such as yoga cards on which the asanas are shown with the element that gives them their name.
More information on Sibylle Schöppel’s website:
Source: Stern
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