“Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter your flame.” - B.K.S. Iyengar
Really, there is no such thing as beginning a yoga practice too soon.
A person’s relationship with yoga can change, grow, and evolve over time to suit their individual physical and mental needs. Introducing the yogic path to young children simply gives them more time to become familiar with yoga.
At What Age Should Children Start Yoga?
As you are probably aware, yoga is more than just physical asana, and even that has a wide range of complexity. You can teach very young children about the different yoga poses, breathing exercises, and meditation.
And exactly how early can you start? Kids can technically start “practicing” yoga in utero during prenatal yoga sessions.
After birth, and before they are old enough for class, you can guide your baby through simple stretches. Try guiding your baby’s arms and legs into different positions.
Going to Yoga Class
Generally, kids can start yoga classes from 3 years old. While this might seem early, it’s the age when children start to understand their movements and can start to relax in group or solo sessions.
Of course, a yoga lesson needs to adapt to the child and their age. Kids want to play around and it means that their lessons need to have an appropriate amount of fun, and the yoga trainers need to have adequate knowledge of how to teach yoga to babies and toddlers.
A great option for class for young kids is the “Mommy & Me” style of class, designed for children and their caregiver to practice partner yoga together.
As your child grows older and more independent, it’s possible to shift them into classes where they are comfortable practicing without you. Or, you can always practice together!
Find the perfect yoga course here.
A Typical Yoga Session for Kids
Like other styles of yoga like Ashtanga or Hatha, children’s yoga typically has its own poses and class structure. Starting your child out with an age-appropriate class will help pave the way to more advanced classes in the future.
Yoga Classes for Young Kids (3-6)
Depending on the teacher, each class might be conducted the same way, or differently every time. However, the structure of the class will roughly be the following:
- An introduction to yoga with fun and games.
- Practicing different yoga poses and breathing exercises.
- Relaxation and mindfulness meditation to finish the session.
From this simple plan, the child can learn about yoga and know it is a safe place where they can be themselves.
Yoga Classes for Children (6-10)
As a child is a little bit older, they are generally capable of focusing a little bit more on the task at hand, so they might not need all the excitement from the teacher to stay interested in class.
Transitioning your child to a beginner’s class might be a good option. You might be able to find a class specifically for kids. But, you might only be able to find an all-ages beginner’s class. As long as your child isn’t disruptive, they should be able to enjoy and benefit from the class as well as any adult.
More advanced asana and pranayama might be introduced at this level. Your child might start to have a preference of which type of yoga they are more interested in.
Yoga Classes for Young Adults (10-16)
At this age, it’s probably no longer appropriate to seek out children’s yoga, even if your child has never attended a class before. They should instead go right to a beginner’s class.
If your child is becoming more experienced with yoga due to a long time practicing, you might look into more advanced styles for them to try.
In this case, the structure of the course will be just like any adult course, because it is an adult course. It depends on the school of yoga being taught, as well as the teacher’s methodology.
Essential Yoga Exercises for Kids
“Move your joints every day. You have to find your own tricks. Bury your mind deep in your heart, and watch the body move by itself.” - Sri Dharma Mittra
There are many asana that you can encourage your child to do, even without a formal class.
These poses are essential if your child wants to feel strong, flexible, and balanced in yoga. They are also beneficial for everyday body awareness and mindfulness.
Best Yoga Exercises for Kids Between 3-6
Not only are these poses helpful to get your child familiar with basic yoga asana, they are great to start early since they can help your child retain flexibility into adulthood.
Ensure, however, that your child does not get into the habit of hyperextending themselves! Their young joints and muscles will be able to repair themselves quickly if injured, but the older a person gets, the more prone to injury they become.
It’s important to start instilling the importance of proper joint movement to avoid injuries from repeated overexertion later on.
- Malasana
- Utthita Tadasana (with or without backbend)
- Virabhadrasana I & II
- Vrksasana
- Ardha Padmasana or Padmasana
- Bhujangasana
- Ardha Hanumanasana or Hanumanasana
- Supta Matsyendrasana
- Bitilasana Marjaryasana (Cat-Cow)
- And of course, Balasana
Best Yoga Exercises for Kids Between 6-10
As your child is a little older, they can better understand the importance of proper alignment, and can more easily ensure they are performing asana safely with less help.
They also begin to develop more muscle, which means they can start working on more upper-body strength! Once again, the earlier this habit begins, the easier time they will have mastering more difficult asanas later on.
And not only will asana be easier for them to practice, but their overall health will be benefitted. A child who can safely and confidently lift reasonably heavy objects, including their own body, is more self-sufficient and confident.
- Utkata Konasana
- Adho Mukha Svanasana and Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
- Trikonasana and Parivrtta Trikonasana
- Ashta Chandrasana
- Ardha Chandrasana
- Virabhadrasana III
- Phalakasana and Phalakasana I
- Vasisthasana
- Chaturanga Dandasana
- Dhanurasana
- Urdhva Dhanurasana
Best Yoga Exercises for Kids Between 10-16
At this age, your child will be developing even more muscle, and if they have been practicing yoga asana for a while, they will be able to perform very advanced poses.
If they haven’t been practicing yoga, that’s alright, too. They are still young and able to make incredible progress in a short amount of time.
Of course, as with any exercise practice, ensure that it is suitable for your child in order to avoid any injuries. Any practitioner should have the strength, flexibility, and balance for a pose first!
- Anjaneyasana
- Natarajasana
- Paripurna Navasana
- Vasisthasana I & II
- Garudasana
- Gomukhasana
- Ardha Kapotasana and Kapotasana II
- Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I & II
- Kakasana/Bakasana and Parsva Kakasana/Bakasana
- Tittibhasana
- Surya Yantrasana
- Pincha Mayurasana
- Adho Mukha Vrksasana
- Sirsasana II
Find children’s yoga in Bangalore.
Meditation and Pranayama for Kids
As you probably know, asana is only one element of yoga. While there is a lot to be studied in the path of the yogi, the most common elements are asana, pranayama, and meditation.
While asana is important for physical fitness and exerting mental and physical energy, pranayama and meditation are vital for an understanding of the self.
Instilling the ability to listen to the body, mind, and spirit in your child at a young age also had fantastic benefits. For your child, they can more easily identify when they are tired, hungry, or upset. They will know how to handle their body and mind in these circumstances and take care of or voice their needs.
For you, you will have a more introspective child who can tell you what’s wrong, calm themselves out of a tantrum, and overall be a more mindful human being.
As with asana, the type of pranayama and meditation will differ between age groups and individual children.
Meditation for Kids 3-6
The best way to have your young child be interested in meditation is to offer it after getting much of the physical energy out (like after asana practice), but not so much so that they become over-tired and cranky.
Plan for the meditations to be short, about 5 minutes or so. If your child is willing to meditate for longer, great! If not, don’t fret. It’s difficult for a kid this age to sit still for so long. Building the routine at this point is the goal, rather than any hopes of them reaching enlightenment.
Pranayama
- Ujjayi Pranayama
- Samavritti Pranayama
- Dirga Pranayama Savasana
- Viloma Pranayama
- Bhramari Pranayama
- Sitali and Sitkari Pranayama
- Simha Pranayama
Meditation
- Savasana
- Sukhasana
- Vajrasana
- Virasana
- Simple guided meditation about a theme (courage, thoughtfulness, love, kindness, etc)
- Guided relaxation (similar to Yoga Nidra)
- Read a scripted meditation to your child
- Have your child study a rock, small toy, or other interesting object for an extended time
- Mandala Coloring Meditation
Meditation for Kids 6-10
At this age, depending on the child and the day, they may have more patience for meditation or none at all. Again, it’s important to encourage the routine of meditation, and the use of it practically in everyday life. It might be too much to ask your child to sit and meditate often, but they can use techniques they know to help deal with difficult emotions and situations every day.
Pranayama
- Surya Bhedana (or Bhedi) and Chandra Bhedana (or Bhedi)
- Anulom Vilom and Nadi Shodhana
- Bhastrika Pranayama
- You may also consider introducing Bandhas, Mudras, and Drishtis at this age
Meditation
- Padmasana
- Yoga Nidra
- Trataka / Trataka sadhana (candle-gazing meditation)
- Chakra Meditation
- Loving-Kindness Meditation
- You may also consider introducing Bandhas, Mudras, Drishtis, and Mantras at this age
Meditation for Kids 10-16
At an older age, kids may be able to better grasp the real benefits of meditation and understand how it helps them in more subtle ways. They’ll understand how to use it as a tool to cope with difficult events and emotions. It can help them center themselves before a big exam, public speaking, driving for the first time, talking to their crush, and more.
It will also be of great benefit to them as they grow up and need healthy ways to relax and center themselves with even more stressful situations, like job interviews, asking for a raise or promotion, getting married, dealing with a negative interaction, treating their own children well, and more.
Pranayama
- Kapalabhati Pranayama
- Bhastrika Pranayama
- Kumbhaka Pranayama
Meditation
- Walking / Cankama Sutta
- Mala / Japa Meditation
- Blank Mind Meditation
- Mandala Creation Meditation
- Strictly Mudra, Mantra, Bandha, or Drishti Meditation
Where to Find Yoga Sessions for Kids
Some parents decide to teach yoga themselves whereas others hire a qualified yoga instructor. Some instructors will offer lessons for parents & kids together, or even lessons for the whole family.
Practice At Home
Thanks to online yoga sessions, your child can practice yoga at home with a private tutor! With Superprof, you can get in touch with a tutor online, schedule lessons, and rest easy knowing your child is receiving instruction in the safety of home.
You can also hire a tutor online who will come to your home in person for private lessons.
Practice Outside the Home
Check your local studios for appropriate yoga lessons for kids. Some teachers are specifically trained to teach children’s yoga or yoga for parents and kids together.
You can also see if there are any classes being held at a yoga teacher’s home, through your children’s school, at a gym, in the park, or elsewhere. There are usually many different avenues for finding a yoga teacher!
You might be nervous about your kids doing yoga. However, it is a safe and beneficial practice if done correctly. Simply ensure that your child doesn’t try to practice asana or pranayama that is above their skill level, and they will benefit from yoga for years to come.
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