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The many benefits of Yoga for children

Yoga is a very helpful tool that can have a positive impact on children.  A national survey in the USA found that 3% of U.S. children (1.7 million) did yoga as of 2012 — that’s 400,000 more children than in 2007.

I couldn’t find any studies for the UK, but an article I found in the Telegraph, suggests that Yoga and mindfulness “are becoming increasingly common in the run of the school day as more schools introduce yoga and mindfulness classes either as part of the PE curriculum or as an optional lunchtime or afterschool club, positioning them as a nurturing and fun way for children to develop body awareness and learn tools to keep them calm, present and happy.”

A University of Massachusetts study published in 2014 showed overall improvements in primary school aged children’s social interactions with classmates, attention span, academic performance, ability to deal with stress and anxiety as well as boosting their confidence, self-esteem and overall mood, after doing 10 weeks of classroom yoga.

Recent research studies also suggest that yoga can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by improving the core symptoms of ADHD, such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It can also boost school performance in children with ADHD.

yoga for children

In summary

The many benefits of yoga for children make the case for incorporating yoga and mindfulness in mainstream schooling stronger than ever.

Yoga can help your child to:

  • manage stress through breathing exercises
  • develop and build better concentration
  • increase their confidence and body awareness
  • be more health-conscious
  • increase their self-esteem
  • find relaxation and coping strategies
  • improve core symptoms of ADHD
I hope this post has given you some inspiration and encouraged you to find out more about yoga. Let me know if you already practice yoga, and especially if you have children,  I’d love to hear about your experience.

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