Yoga For Kids Teacher training: Poses To Calm

Giving the gift of yoga to children is not just for those already teaching yoga. Parents of young children can also avail of this opportunity. There are many children waiting to benefit from your knowledge and understanding of the positive effects yoga can have. It can also provide you with the opportunity of a potential career change.

Yoga poses are well known to be great for kids strength and flexibility, but did you know there are other benefits to be gained for kids as well as parents. Join our children’s yoga teacher training course starting February 8th 2020, click here for details.

While being fun, the exercises are known to improve concentration and calm the wiggly ones. “Playing Yoga” enables children to connect with their inner self and develop a deeper relationship with the world surrounding them. Here are some poses to try:

Down-Dog

This pose provides deep pressure to the body which has a calming effect. Stretching the spine in this way helps to tonify the entire central nervous system, resulting in improved development and learning.

Come onto all fours. Tuck your toes under and lift your bottom up high in the air, keeping your hands flat on the floor. Let your head hang down. Wag your tail.[sc:clear ]

Child’s Pose

This pose helps to calm the mind and is a particularly useful posture to teach a child as a way to calm themselves during or after a melt-down. It is a restful pose and can be done after a tough day at school to help a child feel rejuvenated.

Kneel down, bottom on your heels, rest your head on the floor. Wrap your arms around your knees and hold onto your feet. Pretend you are a tiny Mouse. How small can you be?[sc:clear ]

Cobra

This pose is a grounding posture which helps a child to connect to their body and the environment around them. It helps boost the kidneys and the immune system, which can often be over-taxed in children with autism from frequently being in a fight-flight response like when having intense melt-downs. Lie on your tummy with your hands under your shoulders. Breathe in and lift your head and shoulders. Keep your belly button on the floor. Hiss like a snake. Breathe out and lower slowly to the floor.[sc:clear ]

Spinal-Twist

This pose is excellent for relieving digestion problems, which is often a challenge for children with autism. The Spinal Twist also incorporates midline crossing, bilateral integration (using two sides of the body at the same time) and improves body awareness and postural alignment.

Lie on your back, arms out to the sides. Bend your knees, feet flat on the floor. Breathe
in and as you breathe out, let both knees fall to the right, turning your head to the left.
Count to 3. Repeat on the other side.