Yoga for Children Encourages Healthy Childhood

Childhood used to be a blessed oasis of peace, play, and carefree play. Today, unfortunately, many children live in an embattled world, often juggling the stress loads and pressures of adulthood.

The numbers are disturbing. More than one million children under the age of 5 are depressed, and today, preschoolers are the fastest growing market for antidepressants! Childhood obesity rates have more than doubled over the past 30 years and the incidence of diabetes among children is expected to almost double over the next fifteen years.

Much of this is due to lifestyle changes like unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. Yoga doesn’t just provide more physical activity for children, it also nurtures the development of children and helps them grow into the happiest, healthiest and most well balanced adults they can be.

Yoga for children is like therapy for childhood. When practicing yoga, children exercise and play; they have fun, but at the same time, develop an intimate relationship with their body and their inner self.  Yoga helps young bodies grow strong and healthy. It increases flexibility, enhances coordination, builds strength, and fosters body awareness. In addition, yoga helps increase children’s ability to concentrate and induces a sense of calmness and relaxation.

By helping children to develop strong and healthy bodies, yoga fosters self-esteem, the ability to cope better with life stressors and it sets a lifelong foundation for well-being and maturity.

Yoga for children is used in schools, hospitals, for recreational activities, and as a way for parent and child to connect and spend time together. There are many wonderful yoga therapy programs out there for children with special needs, and many unsung heroes bringing light and change where it is most needed. Browse through the articles on this website for stories on how yoga in general and yoga therapy specifically are helping children navigate the challenges of childhood in the 21st century and grow up strong and healthy in both body and mind.

Children come into this world very pure. It is up to the adults to help them stay bright, strong and healthy.”

– H. H. Sri Swami Satchidananda

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