Yoga has a lot to offer children in terms of their health as well as complete well being. Yoga offers us a tool by which we can provide a safe and healthy future for our beloved children. Yoga is both preventive as well as therapeutic for health problems that face children and is also rehabilitative in many situations. It is also important to understand the special needs of the children when teaching them Yoga and methods to create interest in them for this great jewel of our cultural heritage. Yoga helps children cultivate conscious awareness and increases self-awareness and self- confidence. This article describes the health needs of children, as well as the benefits of Yoga for children. In addition, the author describes ways by which the teaching of Yoga for children can be more meaningful as experienced in Ananda Ashram at Pondicherry. Benefits of Yoga Sport in stimulating children to take up the practice of Yoga is described along with important Yoga practices for children such as play Yoga, Asanas, Pranayamas, Kriyas, Mudras, relaxation and teaching of Yoga theory. Yogic values need to be introduced to children in order to make them aware and conscious of these wonderful concepts of daily living, which are qualities to be imbibed with joy, and not learnt with fear or compulsion. The parents and teachers can by example show their children the importance of these qualities and when the children see the good examples of their parents and teachers living there principles they will surely follow suit sooner than later.

1. YOGA FOR HEALTH
IN CHILDREN
Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
M.B.B.S, A.D.Y, D.S.M, D.P.C, P.G.D.F.H., P.G.D.Y., F.I.A.Y.,
CHAIRMAN
International Centre for Yoga Education & Research,
Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry, South India

2. INTRODUCTION
• Children, a unique segment of population
• Have very specific health needs
• A majority of deaths occur below 5 years
• Age of both physical and mental growth
• Stressful periods (puberty and adolescence)
• Stress of academic pressures
• Need outlet for creativity & abundant energy
• If youthful energy isn’t canalized properly -
socially deviant behaviors such as truancy
and juvenile delinquency

3. Dr Swami
Gitananda Giri,
a pioneer in
teaching Yoga
to children

4. BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR
CHILDREN
• Prevention is better than cure
• Improved immunity
• Asanas, Kriyas, Mudras and Pranayama
stabilize and balance the energies
• Develops and strengthens all systems and
develops flexibility of the body
• Yoga seeks balance, which is lacking in
most other sporting activity
• Various disorders such as Asthma and
Diabetes can be controlled

5. • Better coordination, concentration, mental
calmness and attention span in ATHD, MR
and other mental disabilities
• Reduced duration, frequency and severity
of epileptic attack
• Reduce anxiety and aggressive behaviour
• Asanas tone up abdominal area and helps
relieve functional abdominal pain, juvenile
DM, hepatic and renal disorders
• Loma Viloma :
– flexibility, balance, control, strength and
endurance are developed
– helps improve and regain lost power and
function in children suffering handicaps

6. • Pranayama:
– improves the academic performance of slow
learners
– internal cleansing
– improves lung function, heart function, speed of
reaction and cognition
– develops an integrated personality
– synchronized use of breath power with
movement brings about revolutionary effects on
performance and improved state of mind,
emotions and all round health

7. • Children are prone to glandular imbalance
• Homeostatic influence on the psycho-neuro-
immuno-endocrine system and thus
both the hypo as well as the hyper
functioning of the system is controlled
and equilibrium is attained
• Proper and proportional growth and
development through Yoga
• Positive anabolic growth in children -
genetic potential attained

8. • Inculcation of Yogic values
– prevent problems that children face as they
grow into young adults
– social life improved- children also influence
elders
– mental solace and ethical strength
– never become asocial or anti social beings and
will have a positive self image of themselves
– substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and
other social disorders that plague modern
youth can be prevented as well as controlled
• Yogic concepts - Only a ‘quiet mind’ and
‘controlled body’ can produce real ‘skill in
action’

9. • Yogic relaxation
– counterfoil to the extreme stress of
competitive pressures
– fosters mental, emotional and physical health
– Concepts of ‘Spanda-Nishpanda or ‘exertion-relaxation-
exertion-relaxation’ in an alternating
rhythm
• Yoga provides a more conscious and
aware outlook of the whole phenomenon
of human life on earth
• Makes the child a more valuable member
of the human social unit

10. TEACHING YOGA TO CHILDREN
• Yoga is fun
• Stimulate interest in ‘Concepts of Yoga’
• Emphasis should be on movement initially
• Emphasize breath - movement correlation
• Adequate relaxation at end of class
• Follow the ‘carrot’ approach
• Jovial advise on diet and pitfalls of modern vices
• Periodic discussions with parents
• Yoga family - emotional and psychical bonding
• A happy home makes a happy child

11. • Karma Yoga at home
• Importance and power of prayer - emotional
and mental strength
• Antenatal period of the mother is an important
contributor to the child’s health.
• Strive to bring the young ‘mothers-to-be’ into
the Yoga fold as a healthy baby is spawned
from a healthy mother
• Young girls must be stimulated to take up
Yoga as it may help to prevent many genetic
and congenital disorders in their offspring as
well as help them have a safe delivery

12. IMPORTANT YOGA PRACTICES
FOR CHILDREN
• Play Yoga
• Asanas :animal and bird poses
• Pranayamas: sounds and breath
• Kriyas: Children enjoy adventure
• Mudras: pre puberty- no topsy turvy
• Relaxation: very important
• Yoga theory: wholistic development

19. Limbs of
Yoga
Pranayama
and its
dangers

22. YOGA SPORT : A TOOL TO
REACH CHILDREN
• Yoga Sport– a ‘fact’ in today’s Yoga world
• Outlet for the competitive spirit, drive and energy
• Learn to accept the ‘highs’ with the ‘lows’
• Enthusiastic participation more important
• Intense practice -develop amazing skills
• Meeting point –positive peer pressure
• Shaken out of the complacency
• Competitive edge sharpens and focuses the body
awareness, greater accuracy and perfection

23. Yoga is
fun
with
friends
!

27. CONCLUSION
• Yoga practices and values need to be
introduced early to children and youth
• Health and happiness can be attained
• Yogic qualities are to be imbibed with joy, and
not learnt with fear or compulsion
• Parents and teachers must reiterate the
importance of Yoga by example
• Our duty is to make them aware and
conscious of these wonderful concepts of
daily living

28. ALL THAT IS NEEDED
IS A SMALL SPARK
TO ILLUMINATE
THEIR LIVES WITH
YOGA FOREVER

29. THANK
YOU
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