Summer is drawing to a close, and kids are preparing to go back to school this fall, as parents and educators look for ways to supplement the school day with sports and other extracurricular activities that help kids relate better to others and exercise both body and mind in a different way. The concept of structured play emphasizes the importance of these activities for the academic and cognitive development of the child. Fortunately, yoga for children is a perfect way to ensure that through games, postures, songs and dances children have the opportunity to create and discover another world on the mat. 1. Let children create postures
The power of yoga lies in the flexibility of the postures, and children have a great capacity for imagination to create their own variants of postures! Let them explore characters, emotions, and anything else to create their own postures, using what they’ve learned so far. The Monster Pose is ideal for this – for children to invent their own monsters and explore the way they breathe, how they move or the sound they make, and interact with others.
2. Use Games
Yoga games aren’t just a great way to review new poses and encourage group collaboration. They also allow a more relaxed class structure that invites joy, imagination and creativity. Think about ending classes with games that make children think fast and work together, such as “Yogi says” or “Follow Yogi.”
3. Includes drawing
Drawing is a very good way of working for children of any age to take advantage of their imagination by visualizing postures, feelings, fears, values, and others. Complement a lesson with drawings, ask children to draw anything from their favorite posture to something that scares or reassures them. With these drawings you can explore the ideas and thoughts you are having that you might not be able or willing to express otherwise.
4. Leave them free
Put the kids in charge of the class! Letting children lead their peers, or contribute to a group activity, not only achieves their engagement more effectively, but integrates a more relaxed and relevant environment within the class. Get them to take initiative, choose where the story goes, or share the stance they’ve created with others. This leadership gives the child in charge a different perspective on collaboration with others, and the rest of the children feel more encouraged and able to act as they want.
