I am all about getting kids into yoga. I believe the world moves too quickly for all of our minds and bodies, especially for the younger ones who are still growing. The best way to calm the world down, is to calm ourselves down, even if just for a few minutes.
I was delighted when the chance to review The ABCs of Yoga for Kids came through my inbox. I love finding ways to get kids involved in exercise, especially something as holistic as yoga.
The ABCs of Yoga for Kids is exactly what it sounds like it would be. The book goes through each letter of the alphabet, assigning a new pose to each letter. (A = Airplane, E = Easy Pose, R = Rocking Horse, W = Warrior) The illustrations are beautiful and there is a rhyme to go along with each pose!
The author, Theresa Anne Powers, teaches yoga to preschool and kindergarten aged children at her local schools. She hopes to sharpen and mold their minds through this easy-to-learn system. I love the book and am delighted she offered to answer a few questions for us.
Macaroni Kid Family Fitness: I know a lot of adults who practice yoga. What are the benefits of doing yoga as a child?
Teresa Anne Power: Many people do not realize that kids can achieve the same benefits from practicing yoga as adults. Today's youth are faced with over-stimulation as they strive to keep up with the fast-paced demands of our society. Practicing simple yoga postures is the ideal way for kids to naturally unwind and obtain physical activity at the same time. The benefits of yoga for kids are many, including increased focus and concentration which helps them at school, heightened body awareness and self-control, better balance and flexibility, and enhanced athletic performance. Yoga for kids also promotes calmness and eases stress, and starting at a young age creates healthy habits for life.
MKFF: What is your goal for publishing The ABCs of Yoga for Kids?
TAP: My goal in publishing The ABCs of Yoga for Kids is to introduce yoga to as many children as possible, sharing fun yoga postures with kids across the nation and around the world. If our next generation could learn to calm themselves, while at the same time building strength and fortitude, our world would be a better place. With more body awareness, kids could make better choices for keeping their bodies healthy, both mentally and spiritually.
MKFF: Do the poses need to be held perfectly to receive the benefits?
TAP: The poses definitely do need to be held perfectly to receive the benefits of yoga. Kids who try the postures, according to their own body type, will get 100% of the benefits. The goal of yoga for kids is not doing the 'perfect pose'; rather, it is for the child to feel his or her own body in the postures. It is important for parents to give children positive reinforcement to help them learn and improve, instead of adjusting them or pushing them beyond their capability.
For more details and where to purchase, check out www.abcyogaforkids.com.
