Beth Rush
It can sometimes be challenging to get your child to try new things, especially if it’s something that they are unfamiliar with. Your child may have heard of yoga because of you but is not entirely sure what it means. You can use ambiance to ease them into the world of yoga softly. This way, yoga for kids feels comfortable and safe while having a good time.
Although it will take time for them to fully feel comfortable, you can prepare them by being organised and excited to learn yoga poses and mindfulness skills. Making it a fun and exciting experience will keep them wanting to continue trying. This is how you can use ambiance to encourage your child to do yoga.
Why Children Should Do Yoga
There are many benefits of yoga for children, just as there are for adults. Kids can feel pressure from school and other activities, making them feel just as stressed as adults. Processed foods have also become a norm in their lives, which can negatively impact their health.
“Practicing yoga can help them calm down and fall asleep more quickly”
Yoga can help improve their health. It can help build strength, balance and coordination which can help them with other activities they are involved in. Outside of the physical benefits, it can improve many mental attributes too. Yoga can help improve concentration and self-esteem. These are two important aspects you will love your child to acquire. If your kids suffer from ADHD, studies have shown that yoga can improve symptoms as well.
You can eventually try incorporating yoga into a bedtime routine. It can help your child’s brain wind down after a long day at school or thinking of future worries. Practicing yoga can help them calm down and fall asleep more quickly.
Creating Your Child’s Yoga Space
You’ll want to take some steps to ensure you are prepared to teach your child yoga. When you make yoga a fun experience it can be less scary and ensure a successful time. When you feel confident and prepared, your kids will too.
1. Make Sure They Know Their Space
You may dedicate an area where you do your yoga practices together or set up a space each time you go to do it. Make sure that wherever you choose, your child has a clear view of you or whoever is demonstrating the poses.
You can make designated spots for them, so they know their area to do yoga. You can do this by assigning yoga mats of different colors or using markers so they know where to sit before you start. This is helpful so they get used to using a small space to practice in. Making sure they stay on the mat keeps them in a safe space while adding in some color for fun.
2. Utilise Lighting And Sounds in their Yoga Space
Creating a peaceful environment can be achieved with lights and sounds. Natural light is the best for an organic ambiance in the room. If natural light is not an option, you can get lamps that have less harsh lighting. There are also covers you can get to dim fluorescent lights since they can be overpowering. You can also try some electric candles to add to the calming environment.
A silent room may cause more of a risk of distraction. You can add light music in the background to enhance the calming effects. Try instrumental music to keep from distractions as well. There are plenty of playlists that you can use that will help create a calm environment to teach your child.
3. Use Calming Scents
Your kids should practice doing yoga on their mats with bare feet. It can cause a stinky foot smell depending on if it is done before bath time. Adding calming aromas will benefit you and your child. You can get room sprays or an essential oil diffuser to set the tone. Here are some scents that can create a fresh and calming aroma.
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Orange
- Lemon
- Rosemary
While many of these can work at any time, you can use them to create a seasonal theme. Maybe stick with the peppermint scent for a winter wonderland yoga experience or lemon for fresh summer practice. You can customise it to your liking.
4. Include Things They Love
“This can help them feel accepted for who they are”
If you feel your child is not warming up to yoga, try incorporating things they love into it. Your child may be into a TV show, dolls or superheroes. Try to add a theme or bring elements of whatever it is into your practice. This can help them feel accepted for who they are, even when easing them into something new. Allowing your child to feel heard can create a positive relationship between the two of you and yoga, as a fun activity.
For example, if your child loves Spider-Man, make your yoga practice have a Spider-Man theme. You can find a yoga mat with similar colors and turn the color of the room red. If your diffuser has a light, you can also change the setting to match the color theme. You can get creative and make up a pose that Spider-Man would do.
5. Include Positive Affirmations
One way to boost your child’s self-esteem is by adding affirmations into your yoga practice. You can make visuals so they read them or you can say them together. You can include a new poster with a simple positive affirmation like “you are strong” or “you are amazing” or just pick one for the day and include it in your yoga.
Studies have shown that affirmations can help restore self-worth and make you feel more positive about yourself when thoughts can challenge you. Building these skills at a younger age will help your child as they grow.
6. Use Visuals To Help Them Learn Yoga
If you feel you may struggle with teaching yoga to your kids, you can use other visuals to help teach. You could follow along to a video together while helping them too. There are yoga videos for children that have themes that could make it more fun and easy to follow.
“channel your inner teacher”
You can also include pictures for them before you start your practice. Take it as a time to channel your inner teacher, explain a pose with a picture and introduce the name. You can create scrapbooks of all the poses you learn together so they can go back and do them themselves in the future.
Have Fun
Remember, this is a great time to spend quality time with your children while teaching a new life skill. Having fun and ensuring you both get the most out of the experience will make it memorable and fun.
Featured image courtesy of Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Beth Rush
Beth is the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind. She is a well-respected writer in the personal wellness space and shares knowledge on various topics related to mental health, nutrition, and holistic health. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth Rush!