S p o r t 4 A l l - I S S U E 07
Find their zen
Niki Perry, founder of Blessed Yoga in Sussex and mum of three daughters, explains why doing some simple yoga moves with your children will set them up for life.
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t’s widely accepted that yoga and mindfulness improve both physical and mental health in children, as well as in adults. Not only is it great for physical health, but yoga also calms the mind and helps children relax and sleep better. It improves self-esteem and confidence, makes them feel warm and nurtured, and improves academic performance and concentration. For school-age children, it makes a huge difference to classroom behaviour. And it’s fun! Children’s lives today are busy, competitive and goal-oriented and, for many, there is little time to just play. Some have access to outside space, many don’t. Yoga gives them the space to reconnect with themselves, the time to notice their feelings, where they might be gripping muscles tight, or holding their breath. It
allows them to let go and just be themselves. As the Dalai Lama said: “If every eightyear-old in the world is taught mediation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”
KEEP IT SIMPLE AND FUN
It’s important that yoga isn’t just another lesson. Let children play with the poses, build in stories with positive themes – make them feel strong, give them an awareness of those around them and how to behave kindly. And, just as importantly, bring them to a lovely stillness at the end, even if just for a moment. Learning to be still and calm, to listen to a little story (to meditate, although you don’t need to call it that) is a precious skill that will really help them – off the mat as well as on it.
Let children play with the poses, build in stories with positive themes
www.FamilyFirst.co.uk
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