Yoga is a hot trend in Canada right now. Currently, about 21% of the Canadian population practice yoga on a regular
basis. Many became yogis because the practice can relieve stress, improve health issues, and even boost one’s
sleep quality.
There are many benefits to regular yoga practice, which is why it can be suitable for families who want to improve
their physical, mental, and spiritual health together. So if you and your family want to try yoga, here’s how you can get
the kids to join in and enjoy the practice:
Look for yoga tutorials that appeal to kids
Your kids are more likely to join in if they have an engaging instructor. Energetic kids may find yoga slow or
unstimulating, which is why you may have to capture their interest with the help of yoga tutorials.
Fortunately, you can encourage your kids to get into yoga with the help of YouTube channels like Cosmic Kids Yoga.
Kids may pay more attention due to the bright colours and interactive animations shown throughout the video.
Furthermore, preschoolers and kindergarteners may be able to follow along better because of the storytelling aspect
in many of Cosmic Kids Yoga’s videos.
Turn yoga into a bonding activity with the family
Physical activities are more fun when done with loved ones. I personally enjoyed playing soccer and baseball games
in my childhood because I usually teamed up with my dad. Hours after we finished playing, we’d even sit down and
talk about the best parts of the games.
Likewise, you can use yoga as a unique bonding opportunity with your kids. A previous article entitled Dadbods and
Dadyoga notes that you can treat your kid’s weight as a part of your workout, especially if they love climbing on you.
You can even opt to do simple partner yoga poses, like the partner child’s pose and fish pose, to give them an excuse
to get on your back. These bonding moments will help your kids love yoga time even more.
Use the session to exercise your minds and spirits
Many people think of yoga as just physical exercise. However, you and your family should also start doing yoga to
improve your spiritual and emotional wellness. Modern life can get busy, which is why it’s essential to unwind and
enjoy stillness through regular yoga practice.
Now, this isn’t easy to do, especially if you have energetic kids or are distracted. When this happens, you can
encourage everyone to ground themselves by reminding them to pay attention to their pranayama, or their yogic
breathing. You can even state breathing instructions out loud to guide everyone into a state of relaxation.
Be in tune with your kids’ emotions during the practice
Yoga can also be useful for your kids’ socio-emotional learning. A study showed that yoga can teach kids how
to regulate their attitudes and emotions. On top of that, yoga can also develop prosocial behaviours, like kindness.
You can facilitate the socio-emotional learning of your kids during the practice by staying in tune with their emotions. If
they struggle with tough poses, you and your partner can reassure them that they’re still learning the pose and will
improve over time. You can also teach them to be kind to their bodies by sticking to variations of poses that aren’t
strenuous.
Adjust the practice based on your family’s preferences
Have you ever tried bending the rules of a game to have more fun? My dad and I used to change the rules of sports
games whenever we played together. Some people might frown at the thought of using one’s hands during soccer
games, but sometimes breaking the rules made things more fun than not.
Similarly, your kids will love yoga even more when you adjust the programs based on their daily preferences. To
illustrate, you can allow them to stay in a relaxing pose for minutes, even if the instructor already moved on to a
different one. You can also do yin yoga on days when they have low energy, and do vinyasa when they feel more
active.
Yes, it’s possible to get your kids to join yoga sessions. Once kids realize that yoga can be fun, they can become
more active and willing participants in your regular yoga practice.
Written exclusively for Daddysdigest.com