Thursday, October 23, 2008

Yoga for children

Yoga is not just for adults , it is a great way to usher tiny tots into a healthy regimen for children too.

Yogasanas are unique postures that involve stretching and bending which help in relaxing tensed or contracted body muscles.

Parents invariably do not pay much attention to the physical fitness of five-year-olds, as it is widely believed that children who cross the toddler stage are physically active anyway. That may indeed be true in most cases;

But it is not necessary that they will sustain that lead for a long time. Soon other pressures - like sedentary habits required for academic work, and irregular and insufficient dietary intake - are bound to catch up and whittle away that advantage. 

Yoga is best taught in school, but if your child's school doesn't than you can teach him at home. It serves a great way to bond with your child, too. Alternatively, you can get his friends or neighbourhood children together for a fun-and-games session of yoga to kindle interest in them. 

It is absolutely essential that you inculcate the habit of physical exercise - as distinct from sports and playground activities - in your child. There is no better way to ensure this than to teach your child Yoga.

Yoga moves beyond physical exercise and is a great tool for calming and controlling the mind and the senses. This, as you'll agree, is more relevant in the case of children who, almost without exception, are hyperactive and excitable by nature and need to be reined in. 

Yogasana carried out in slow, rhythmic repetition are extremely beneficial for toning the body and massaging the internal organs. They help in improving the overall immunity by restoring circulatory, respiratory and digestive vitality. It helps wayward children to get centered and more in tune with their inner selves, even if they may not realize it as such. 

Children can start yoga from age five. A 15 - 20 minute session is enough to get them started. This can be gradually increased to half an hour or more for older children




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