Many adults find fitness, strength, and peace through practicing yoga. Children can also experience these benefits when they follow a scaled-down, child-friendly practice. The Gardner School includes Itsy Bitsy Yoga as part of a preschool curriculum that supports developmental milestones. Developmentally appropriate yoga is wonderful for so many reasons. Check out a few of our favorite yoga benefits for children!
Yoga Increases Body Awareness
Yoga for children involves bending and stretching the arms and legs in animal-inspired poses. Simple stretches and poses help preschoolers feel connected to their bodies. It’s like taking the song Head and Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to the next level—and children love it.
Yoga Builds Emotional Resilience
The slow breathing associated with yoga can help children calm their minds and bodies. By helping children be more aware of their breathing and body positions, Itsy Bitsy Yoga can help little ones make the mind-body connection. Slow, deep breathing can help regulate a young child’s brain and emotions leading to a calmer state of mind. Anyone who has watched a young child fall asleep when they are still and quiet, and breathing slowly, knows this can be helpful to their little bodies.
Yoga Integrates Physical Movement
Physical activity is so important to introduce to little ones early on in life. It helps children associate moving their bodies with fun and playfulness. Yoga allows for big stretches and long muscle movements to build balance and strength. It also helps establish healthy fitness habits early in life. We all feel better after a little movement and stretching—and that’s true for preschoolers, too!
Yoga is Fun
With a little music and a group of friends, Itsy Bitsy Yoga is a playful way to learn balance and center a child’s attention. Children use all five senses to explore their world, and touch is one modality of that learning process. When preschoolers practice yoga, you may hear giggles, belly laughs, and squeals of joy. Fun and friendship are just a few of the many reasons that The Gardner School includes yoga in our preschool curriculum.
A Curriculum in Perfect Balance
The Gardner School is committed to providing a mix of academic engagement, social interaction, free play time, and enrichment activities like dance, cooking, sports, music, drama, and art. The Gardner School gives children the best possible chance to succeed by providing a diverse, responsive approach to learning. To understand why parents choose The Gardner School for their children to grow and learn, contact us to learn more or to schedule a virtual tour.