Benefits of Yoga for Children Explained

In today’s fast-paced world, children are exposed to a host of distractions and temptations. Children face constant over stimulation. In such a situation, yoga can prove to be extremely beneficial for them.

Benefits of yoga for children :

Increases focus and concentration- Mastering yoga asanas require focused body movements. Performing yoga asanas physically helps in clearing mind of other thoughts. Thus, yoga boosts attention span in children and their ability to concentrate. Research has found that such an ability to focus helps children perform better at school and get better grades.

Improves balance and coordination- Balance is integral to yoga. Balancing asanas promote physical poise in children. Immense mental focus is required to master an asana, which fosters mental stability in children.
Promotes flexibility-Yoga promotes flexibility in children as it makes children use all their muscles. Different yoga asanas challenge different muscle groups.

Boosts confidence- Yoga helps to boost confidence in children. The confidence makes children capable to work towards their goals until they are not achieved. A yoga teacher can only guide, and thus, a child’s success is based on the child’s efforts. When a child achieves some goal, he/she develops a sense of achievement, which boosts his/her self-belief and sense of self-worth.

Helps in stress management- Yoga has been found to work wonders for stress and anxiety because it creates a sense of calm and reassurance. Controlled breathing techniques are especially useful in stress management. Once children master these by practising yoga, they can apply them whenever they need reassurance. Thus, yoga can promote self-regulation in children, helping them take control of their emotions.

Yoga is non-competitive- Physical activity is essential for children and activities like football, cricket, athletics etc. are popular in keeping young kids active. However, not all children enjoy competitive sports. Since yoga does not focus on winning or being better than the next person, it is much more inclusive and makes children physical active. Yoga focuses on being the best version of oneself. Thus, yoga is excellent for children raised in a competitive environment.

Promotes mindfulness- Yoga helps children live in the present moment by getting them to focus on themselves. Promoting mindfulness is extremely important as children today are pressurised to be competitive from a very young age.

Promotes self-awareness- While trying out different asanas, children learn more about their body and its capabilities. They also learn more about their minds and understand that they can control their attitudes and responses to life events. This coordination of the body, mind and spirit, helps them develop into a more confident, kind, and responsible adult.

It is essential that children take care of their physical health and mental wellbeing at the same time. Health insurance for children is also an important aspect in this regard. Know more about ManipalCigna Health Insurance here.