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Benefits of Yoga and Mindfulness for Kids

By Christine Walker, Owner/Teacher, Little Bee Yoga Company March 26, 2020

In today’s world, children have much more anxiety and stress. I think back to when I was a child and I worried about far, far away Russia bombing us. That fear was based mostly on songs like “99 Luftballoons” and other 1980’s music. When it was time for us to take standardized tests, I was so excited for that day. I was told to do my best, not to worry because I’d never get the test back and to bring a book to read when I was done. i loved to read so that was music to my ears. Sports was based more on the pure joy of play. It was town sports with your friends, it was capture the flag in the yard. It was just fun!

Now a days the kids are aware of bad things happening in “safe places” such as schools, movie theaters, churches…it is in their backyards. Standardized testing has caused severe stress and anxiety in children... such pressure is incredulous. And sports, it seems like the joy of play has been squashed and the main goal is to “be the best”. And now the Coronavirus has been added to their plate. No school, no playdates, no sports, no going to the movies, no visits to the playground, no visiting beloved grandparents. So much to wrap our heads around let alone the little ones.

It can be difficult for children to regulate their emotions. Science tells us that the parts of our brain that are critical to handling emotions aren’t fully developed until we are in our 20’s, but we can take steps when children are young to help manage their feelings. Any type of exercise can help reduce anxiety however yoga is a particularly good option for reducing anxiety in children. Yoga is beneficial for children because it builds their self-esteem and confidence by improving their skills, it is practiced in a safe, non-judgement environment, they feel like a member of a community, they learn how to control their breathing, practice calming visualization techniques and learn that movement can combat feelings of anxiety and empowers them to slay the dragon!

Practicing yoga on a regular basis is important for the child to be successful. Anxious children are prone to be bored or discouraged easily so it is important to keep the poses, breathing and visualizations fun, developmentally appropriate and engaging.

I would like to breakdown yoga for the anxious child into four main parts: Awesome Asanas, Pranayama Power, Meditation Magic, Guided Relaxations – The Dessert of Yoga.

Let’s begin with a list of some Awesome Asanas that will promote calmness and relieve anxiety.

  1. Tree Pose - By implementing basic standing balances, you promote concentration, focus and awareness, with the intention of taking your mind away from anxiety and placing your attention on your physical self
  2. Warrior 3 Pose – This pose stimulates the abdominal region, which helps to improve digestion. Proper digestion and overall gut health is imperative in the fight against anxiety…recent studies have linked the two together. Warrior 3 also helps to calm the mind by shifting the attention away from intrinsic thoughts and redirects your thinking back to yourself. While in this pose the child can say, “I am brave!”
  3. Child’s Pose – This pose helps to relieve tension in the back, neck and shoulders which is where you tend to tense up when feeling anxious… It promotes relaxation by steady conscious breathing which aids the calming of the central nervous system.
  4. Headstand – This pose delivers freshly oxygenated blood to the brain. It reverses the blood flow in their body, causing them to focus more attention on their breath, rather than their anxiety. By focusing their awareness of their body’s place in space, they begin to feel calmness.
  5. Legs Up the Wall – This pose is beneficial because it restores, calms and soothes tired legs and lower back. This pose also reverses blood flow in the body.
  6. Jellyfish Pose – This pose is a peaceful calming pose that is a good transitional pose to savasana. They lay on their backs and lift arms and legs (tentacles) flowing and swaying them as though they are in the ocean. Just float and flow!
  7. Rag Doll Pose – Calms the nervous system while rejuvenating and relieving fatigue.
  8. Mountain Pose – Helps with grounding and centering.
  9. Savasana Pose – This pose is beneficial because it relaxes the body, lowers blood pressure, and calms the mind. However, sometimes children can feel very vulnerable just lying there, open. To help them feel safe and relaxed you can cover them in a blanket and/or place a lavender eye pillow on their eyes. Sometimes that doesn’t work, so then you can have them go into Crocodile Pose (see next pose)
  10. Crocodile Pose – This pose has the same benefits as savasana however instead of lying on their backs, they are on their bellies.

Here are some beautiful partner poses the child can do with a caregiver. These poses promote calmness and enhances connection. Connection is so very important because we never want them to feel as though they are alone.

  1. Huddle Pose – Kneel down to face your child and come into Child’s pose together with your arms extended. You can give each other a little massage while in this pose.
  2. Lizard on a Rock – The rock is child’s pose and the lizard does a backbend over the rock…lizard stretches arms overhead, finding the rocks hands and voila, you have a beautiful connection and a delicious stretch.
  3. Twist Back to Back – this pose promotes calm…you start with back to back breathing and then you each reach your left hand across to your right knee and your right arm out straight to reach around for each other’s left knees.

The second part is Pranayama Power. Breathing is the most important part of yoga. It has the power to soothe our nervous system because it short circuits our hormones that cause stress. When we lengthen our exhalations, we activate our parasympathetic nervous system which will then calm us.

Babies are simply amazing. As soon as they are born they breathe fully and completely with their whole being. As they grow and become adults their breathing becomes more and more shallow resulting in the average adult only using about 25% of their lung capacity. This shallow breathing results in many issues such as sleep deprivation, poor focus, and low energy which results in chronic anxiety. When children learn to continually breathe deeply they become calmer, more focused, less agitated and less reactive.

Here are some fun calming breaths to add to their toolbox:

  1. Take 5 Breath – Holding up one hand, lift one finger at a time counting 1,2,3,4,5 as you inhale. Pause. Exhale and count down backwards 5,4,3,2,1 as you pull one finger at a time back in. Repeat 3-4 times. This breath is calming and relaxing.
  2. Snake Breath – Inhale slowly and deeply, filling up your belly. Breathe out very slowly, making a “hissssss” sound for as long as possible. Repeat 3-4 times. This breath reduces tensions, helps to focus and brings the kids into a state of calm.
  3. Stop and Smell the Flowers – Imagine you are in a garden full of flowers. Close your eye and picture your favorite flower. Breath in very slowly and deeply to smell the beautiful fragrance of your flower. Exhale very slowly. Repeat 3-4 times, focusing on the slow pace of the breath. This breath is calming, nurturing and cleansing.
  4. Ocean Breath – Take a deep breath through nose and then exhale whispering out the sound “hhhh” through your mouth as if fogging up a mirror. Now inhale and exhale keeping your mouth shut while making the “hhhh” sound. You will hear the beautiful sound of the waves as you continue doing this with mouth shut. This breath calms, promotes focus and concentration, grounds and centers child.
  5. Hoberman Sphere – A hoberman sphere is a great visual for kids to see how their bellies expand when they inhale and fall when they exhale.
  6. Back to Back breath – This is a partner pose that encourages calm and connection. The child and adult simply sit in easy pose, back to back belly breathing together. It’s such a beautiful way to connect with your child in a deep and meaningful way.

The third part is Meditation Magic. Adults have a difficult time with meditation. The art of sitting still, focusing on breath, and being present within a few minutes can seem utterly impossible. Kids have an even harder time doing this, however if taught though the five senses and it’s age appropriate, children will actually crave to be quiet and connect with themselves.

Here are some wonderful ways to teach them meditation:

  1. Peace Begins with Me and the Magic Calming Jar -  Explain to the kids that the calming jar (a bottle filled with water and glitter) is clear and calm and that is how we want them to always feel. However things happen to make us sad, angry, and scared so we use meditation to help calm us. We play a game called Kookoo Head where we all go “Blah, Blah, Blah” at the same time. During this time, I am also shaking the calming jar and making the glitter go crazy in the jar. I then place the jar down and the kids stop Kookoo Head and start saying “Peace Begins with Me” while tapping their thumb to each finger per word. They will watch the glitter in the jar start to settle and clear and they will also notice their bodies settle and become clear. That is the pure magic of meditation in motion ☺
  2. Coloring Mandalas or Zentangles - From choosing colors to the gentle, repetitive motion of your hands as you bring color to paper, coloring can be seen as a form of “active mediation”. Often times when you think of meditation you think of sitting still for a long period of time. With active meditation it is just the opposite. Repetitive motions such as coloring (or running, walking, dancing or even drawing) can help strengthen your focus and easily shift your attention back to a relaxed state. Stressful thoughts and future worries can be simply pushed aside as you take time to enjoy the present.
  3. Candle Gazing - Is a form of sight meditation. Sitting in easy pose, simply focus your eyes on a candle flame while practicing balloon breathing. If you are nervous about a real flame you can use flameless tea lights. This calms and centers the kids and also focuses attention.
  4. Magic Mist - is a smell meditation. You spritz lavender into the air and they breathe in deeply and breathe out saying “ahhh” this meditation encourages deep breathing and calming.

The last part is Guided Relaxation: The Dessert of Yoga. As I have mentioned before, we live in a very busy and stressful time and that doesn’t give the children much opportunity to just be. Quiet times are so important because it allows their bodies to relax, recharge, focus and find their inner calm. Many children are unable to do this on their own, however when you give them guided visualizations as part of their relaxation practice you will give the tools to help them focus and ease them into the state of relaxation that their little bodies crave. Teaching the fundamentals of guided imagery to children will build self-esteem, promote creativity, and help to identify their strengths, adding to their repertoire of skills to face new challenges, problems, or pressures at home, school, or in their personal lives. Guided imagery provides children with a natural tool to balance support and connect mind, body and spirit. This is by far the most favorite part of their yoga practice for most children (and I think for the adults as well!) The Imaginations Series by Carolyn Clarke are a beautiful collection of guided relaxations.

Yoga’s methodical approach to breathing, meditation and moving is an amazing tool…it’s stress management for kids! They will be able to use it throughout their lives for a very long time. May the whole world be filled with peace and joy, love and light and lots of peaceful children. Namaste.



Christine Walker is a certified Kidding Around Yoga teacher for children ages 2.9 - 10 years old. She is the owner and instructor of Little Bee Yoga Co. a traveling yoga company that supplies yoga mats, music, props, stories, crafts and a super fun & special yoga experience for kids. Her classes are fun-filled and motivate children to be active, build confidence, and manage the spectrum of emotions in their day to day activities- stress management for kids! It will incorporate cardio conditioning, fun music, stories, crafts and teach the children the traditional benefits of yoga: meditation, breathing techniques, peace and relaxation. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/Littlebeeyogacompany/