Posts Tagged ‘Obesity’

Benefits of Teaching Infants and Toddlers Yoga

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

The Goddard School of Cedar Park incorporates yoga as a regular part of the curriculum. Here’s some background why we do so! As parents we only want the best for our children which include teaching them ways to be healthier both physically and emotionally. While most adults are aware of the benefits that come from practicing a daily yoga routine they are not aware that they can also share these benefits with their children even as young as infant, toddler and Pre-K ages. After your infant is born and up until they are five years old they have a great opportunity to really soak up knowledge and learn new things. Yoga is of course the practice of physical moves that connect both the mind and the body and help one learn how to reach a new level of relaxation.

Yoga Girl
Image by tiffanywashko via Flickr

How can these relaxation techniques help an infant, toddler or a Pre-K age child? Much like the same way they help adults. We adults often take for granted that certain circumstances and every day events do not effect children, even infants, toddlers and Pre-K age kids the same way they affect us. That notion is false. Studies have shown that stressful atmospheres can have an effect on infants moods and make them appear anxious and more fussy. Toddlers and Pre-K age children will also act out more and may even regress. By practicing yoga techniques with them they will learn from an early age to how relax and calm themselves in a healthy way.

Another benefit that will come of teaching your infant and young child yoga is that you are teaching them how important exercise is to both your physical health and mental health. Every year more and more Americans are becoming obese with an alarming number of them being our children. By starting out early and teaching them the importance of staying physically fit your child will have a decreased chance of becoming obese later on in life.

I’ll share some more ideas on yoga for children in my next blog.

Visit our website @ http://www.goddardschool.com//Schools/Cedar-Park-TX/Schools.gspx & follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/GoddardSchoolCP

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