School and college-going students may have youth on their side, but that does not mean they are spared from the stresses and pressures of life.
So, let’s talk about the benefits of yoga for children, mindfulness for children, yoga for schools, mindfulness for schools and much more.
Sitting at a desk for hours a day, going back home and pouring over books to finish the daily homework assignments, studying and acing numerous tests, participating in various extra-curricular activities, etc. all cause the body and mind to tense up.
To add to these, there are social and family challenges, anxiety, bullying and emotional that also take their toll on children and why yoga for children and mindfulness for children is so important.
1. Emotion regulation
In order for students to succeed at school and in life, it’s crucial for them to develop self-regulation skills: the ability to monitor and adapt their behaviour, attention, and emotions in response to internal cues, the environment, and feedback from others. Research suggests that school-based yoga for children may benefit students’ self-regulation. By being able to express their emotions, children are able to control their behaviour, meaning a greater participation within the classroom.
2. Academic performance
Most schools use academic performance as the primary criteria for student success. Unfortunately, many students struggle to achieve or maintain adequate grades, which can lead them to disengage or drop out. But research suggests that yoga for children might improve attention and memory and alleviate academic stress, three factors that are important for academic success. There are many ways in which YogaBugs in the classroom can improve academic performance, such as increasing concentration, building confidence, expressing emotions and developing creativity.
3. Improves Memory and Attention Span
Yoga kids helps to improve the memory function in both adults and children, a direct benefit of which would be a better academic performance in children. Yoga for kids also helps to improve children’s attention span and focus. In fact, yoga aids children suffering from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) as well by reducing its core symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Many children suffering from ADHD are able to reduce their medication with regular yoga practice. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.
5. Teaches Correct Breathing Techniques
Breathing is fundamental to life and how we breathe is directly related to our overall well-being. Good breathing affects our movement, our posture, and our ability to handle stress in a positive way. This is incorporated into mindfulness for children.
6. Reduced anxiety and tension
Children and adolescents are exposed to a variety of stressors at school and at home. These stressors can range from extreme, chronic stress such as living through poverty or abuse, to relatively minor stressors such as test anxiety. Adolescents with unmanaged stress are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, which is why some researchers have explored whether school-based yoga for kids might help reduce anxiety, tension, and stress.
Releasing anxiety and stress improves the behaviour of a child, which in turn can improve sleeping patterns and improve confidence and the ability to learn. This will then lead to an overal happier child with less for parents to be concerned and worried about.
7. Promotes Mindfulness
Mindfulness for kids is simply learning to be in the present. Focusing on your breath or directing your attention to the furthest sounds you can perceive is mindfulness; this can be done at any time of the day – even for a few seconds.
Mindfulness for children enables people to become less anxious and more relaxed. Children can become more mindful using creative and entertaining visualisation techniques. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.
8. Resilience to stress
Yoga for schools may also help students cope with negative life events, like troubles at home or getting a low grade in an important class.
9. Improves Flexibility, Balance and Posture
Sitting down to study for long hours at a time and too much screen time can lead to incorrect posture. This poor posture in childhood can develop into major anatomy complication in adult life.
The practice of various asanas on a regular basis leads to correction of posture, enhances flexibility and improves balance as it brings equilibrium to the whole body. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.
10. Improves Self-Control
Through controlled breathing and controlled movement, yoga teaches people self-control. As a result, they do not react impulsively or make hasty decisions even in an emotional state.
With self-mastery, a person can keep his or her anger in check and make rational decisions when required. If a young yogi can learn self-control at a young age, indeed, no door can ever be closed for him or her. This is one of the amazing benefits of yoga in schools.
11. Improves Confidence
Concentration is improved because all of our YogaBugs classes are fully inclusive, with no element of competition. Children feel proud of their achievements and the sessions build self-belief. This self-belief encourages children to try new things, which will equate to improved learning.
