Children often experience stress during significant assessments, such as board exams or sixth-grade finals. It is likely that you have observed how stress can hinder one's ability to concentrate on tasks. This phenomenon applies equally to your children. The pressure associated with exams can adversely impact their focus. Engaging in yoga is an effective method for alleviating stress. Moreover, the advantages of yoga extend beyond stress relief, offering numerous benefits for children. Rather than solely immersing them in their studies, encourage them to dedicate some time to practising yoga poses, which can facilitate relaxation and enhance their concentration.

Yoga for children: Is it good for kids?

Yoga is a time-honored discipline that harmonizes the mind and body. According to yoga specialist Himalayan Siddha Akshar, it aids in soothing the mind, strengthening the body, enhancing emotional control, and fostering body awareness. The practice of yoga offers advantages to a wide range of individuals, including children. Research from Harvard Health Publishing indicates that it can enhance both physical and mental well-being in school-aged children.

Other benefits of yoga for children includes improving concentration. It also helps to reduce stress, and boost confidence, as per research published in Frontiers In Psychiatry in 2014.

Yoga for children: How does it help to improve concentration?

There are many benefits of yoga for children including improving concentration.

• Mind-body connection: Yoga can improve communication between mind and body. "This way it promotes self-awareness and mental strength and calmness," says the expert.
• Regulates breath: Pranayama and mindful breathwork during yoga asanas help to connect with each and every breath. "This art of connecting mind with each and every breath instills stillness and promotes strong awareness of mind," says the expert.
• Reduces stress: It can help to keep stress at bay, which is needed if you want your child to concentrate better. A study, published in Neuroscience Bulletin in 2020, showed that participants in the highly-stressed group had attention and concentration problems.

Yoga for children: Poses to improve concentration

Here are some important poses of yoga for children that can help their concentration:

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)

• Cross your legs and sit on floor while keeping the spine straight, shoulders relaxed and breathing normally.
• Keep your hands on your knees with your palms down.
• Close the eyes and focus on your breath.
• Open eyes slowly, extend legs forward and relax.

2. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• To do tadasana, stand straight with both your feet together, arms by the sides.
• Slowly inhale, lift both your arms over-head with palms facing each other.
• Stretch your body upwards while grounding the feet.
• Hold your breath and stay in this posture with eyes gazing forward.
• With a slow exhale, bring the arms down.

3. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

• Stand in neutral position and shift your weight on the left leg.
• Raise your right foot and place it on your inner left thigh and balance.
• Focus on your breath, continue to inhale and exhale.
• Lift your palms and bring them in front of your chest or extend your arms overhead.
• Bring your right foot down and return to neutral position.

4. Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)

• Sit is sukhasana then bring your legs back and sit on your heels, giving pressure on your calf muscles.
• Place your hands on your thighs.
• Keep your back straight and focus on each and every breath.
• Lift your hips up and return to sukhasana.

5. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

• Yoga for children is incomplete without balasana. Sit in vajrasana with your heels to the ground, putting pressure on you calf muscles.
• Kneel on the ground, stretch your arms forward and rest your forehead on the ground.
• Continue to breathe deeply and relax your body.
• Gently lift the upper part of your body and come back to vajrasana.

6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

• To do bhujangasana, lie down on your stomach with your palms under the shoulders.
• Gently inhale and lift your chest up while keeping your elbows bent.
• Look slightly upward and hold the position.
• Exhaling, lower your chest back to the floor.

7. Dandasana (Staff Pose)

• Sit straight with your shoulders relaxed, and gently extend both your legs forward.
• Rest your hands on either side.
• Relax and then sit in sukhasana.

8. Padmasana (Lotus Pose)

• Sit in sukhasana and bring your right foot on left thigh and vice-versa.
• Stretch out your arms out, and let your palms rest against your knees.
• Sit straight, relax your shoulders relax and breathe normally.
• Unlock your legs and stretch forward, coming back to sukhasana.

9. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist)

• Sit in dandasana with your legs extended.
• Bend and bring your right knee over your left thigh.
• Place your right hand behind and your left elbow on your right knee.
• Twist your body gently and hold the position.
• Untwist and come back to dandasana.

10. Simhasana (Lion Pose)

• Yoga for children can be fun with animal-inspired poses. From vajrasana, kneel down and place your hands on your knees.
• Deeply inhale, open your mouth wide, and exhale with a lion’s roar.
• Relax and breathe normally.

11. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

• This is another way to make yoga for children fun. Kneel down on the floor with your knees hip- width apart.
• Bring both your hands to your feet, and hold your heels, arching your back and looking upward.
• Hold your breath and focus.
• Inhale and return to the kneeling position.

12. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

• Lie down flat on the ground on your back with your arms besides, and relax.
• Close your eyes and focus on your breath while doing Shavasana.
• Gently wiggle your fingers and roll to one side.

There are many benefits of yoga for children. Some of the poses can help them to relax and improve concentration. Most of these poses can be easily done. However, if your kids have respiratory health issues, check with a doctor.

Read Also: How to Reduce Sugar in Your Diet Without Missing the Sweetness

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