Why teach yoga to kids?

I am often asked why I only teach yoga to kids. There are several reasons that I choose to work only with kids. One of those reasons is that many yoga studios exist so that adults can practice and reap the many benefits of yoga, but not many studios cater to kids. Kids need yoga and its many benefits as much as adults do. Today, kids and teens face several challenges, many if which can be stressful. There is a lot of pressure on kids to perform in school and a multitude of other activities. There is media pressure to have certain things or look a certain way in order to be accepted. Children are "plugged in" so much that they often lose sight of what it is like to just breath and be still. Many do not know how to be still or feel calm. When a child is given the tools to be still, to breath properly, to go inside themselves and learn who they are, the outcome is a healthier, happier, calm and focused child who knows that they are good enough and can handle themselves in tough situations. Many children come from broken homes or homes that are struggling in this economy. Children pick up on the stress of the adults in their lives. Yoga gives children the opportunity to be still, to breath, to be creative, to learn about themselves, to learn to focus and concentrate, to learn mindfulness, to affirm positive things about themselves, and so much more. Yoga with kids is approached differently than it is with adults, therefore I feel specializing in just kids yoga allows me the opportunity to focus solely on curriculum that will benefit kids and teens.

I am a certified elementary and special education teacher. I believe that children are the area in which I specialize, in part due to my education and also due to the results I have seen with my own children as a parent. I have four sons, one whom is on the autistic spectrum. I have seen the benefits of yoga for all of my children. I have also seen the benefits in the children I teach. I teach, both academics and yoga, to students with disabilities, as well as typical students. I have seen yoga benefit typical kids, kids with ADHD, kids on the spectrum, kids with Down Syndrome, kids with emotional issues, kids with sensory issues, and many others.

Children are wonderful to practice yoga with since they are so willing to try new things, without a care as to what they might look like. Children are not intimidated by the same things adults are and children tend to have more of an open mind, which makes practicing yoga with kids so much fun!

Kids often play sports and a yoga practice helps them become more flexible, which can prevent them for incurring more injuries, while playing sports. Yoga helps kids build strength, stamina, agility, and balance, all useful while playing sports. Yoga can improve the posture of children, as well as improve focus and concentration in children. Yoga gives kids useful tools, such as self-discipline, self-realization, self-recognition, self-esteem, and body awareness. Yoga is noncompetitive, making it more beneficial to children as they seek to explore these tools and benefits for themselves. Yoga can help improve social relations, motor planning (including gross and fine motor skills), speech and language skills, and unity and respect for all people.Yoga promotes fitness in kids, improves sleep patterns, and stimulates on all levels including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Giving these tools to kids at a young age can help instill healthy lifelong habits. Just like teaching our kids in schools, teaching our kids these things is just as important! Now you know why I only teach kids.

For more information on Dragonfly Yoga for Kids and Teens, visit our website at

http://dragonflyyogakids.com