Make yoga a family affair
DOCTOR AND YOGA TEACHER KIKI MORRISS TELLS LISA SALMON THAT CHILDREN BENEFIT AS MUCH AS ADULTS FROM CALMING YOGA MOVES
MANY parents practise yoga both as a way to increase their strength and flexibility, and to give them a little peace and tranquility amid the chaos of family life.
What they may not have thought of is getting the kids to join in too.
But once children get the hang of this ancient Indian practice, not only will it increase their strength and flexibility, but it can help relax them, build their self-confidence and even help them sleep, says yoga teacher Dr Kiki Morriss, author of Nurturing Your Family With Yoga.
What’s more, says Dr Morriss, who is also a medical doctor currently working with the Covid-19 vaccination programme, if the family does yoga together it can bring harmony to family life, as well as creating a bond through the shared interest.
“Family yoga will help you foster health and wellbeing for your whole family, bringing happiness and harmony to your home,” she promises.
“As a doctor and yoga teacher, I’m constantly inspired by the potential of yoga to prevent and treat health conditions, as well as to relieve symptoms. Through my work, I’m reminded on a daily basis that yoga is powerful medicine and I’m a strong advocate for making it available on prescription in the NHS.”
Here, Dr Morriss explains why getting the whole family involved with yoga is a good idea, and outlines a few moves children can try to get started...
Why is yoga good for children?
“Children need yoga as much as we do and there are many benefits, as it helps them build a strong and flexible body, achieve a peaceful and relaxed state of mind, sleep well, build self-confidence and improve focus, concentration and memory,” says Dr Morriss.
“It’s also invaluable in helping them manage stress and anxiety, particularly as we navigate these challenging times.
“By introducing children to yoga, you’re giving them a gift for life.”
How old should children be before they start yoga?
Mother-of-three Dr Morriss says it’s never too early to introduce children to yoga, and parents can start gentle baby yoga, which reinforces the bond between parent and child, when babies are just six-weeks-old. “Babies are natural yogis and you can watch them coming into poses without any need for tuition,” she says.
“Young children approach yoga with a wonderful sense of joy and curiosity. They have natural flexibility and a good sense of balance. “With gentle encouragement, they learn to focus and concentrate over time.” Early exposure to yoga lays the foundations for the teen and adult years, she says, acting as a powerful, preventative medicine and supporting good mental, physical and emotional health.
How do you get children to focus when doing yoga?
Dr Morriss, who’s taught children yoga for 20 years, suggests starting by teaching kids a pose beginning with the first letter of their name.
“This always gets their attention,” she says. “Then you can spell out their name using yoga poses.”
Dr Morriss says many yoga poses are named after and inspired by animals and nature, so parents can encourage children to imagine they are a pride of lions, a forest of trees, a meadow of butterflies, etc.
“The ability to visualise and create mental imagery has been shown to reduce anxiety and build resilience in young people,” she says.
Playing yoga games or asking kids to talk you through flowing yoga sequences, are a great way to keep children engaged, while asking them to do balancing poses is usually another winner, she says.
“Children love balancing poses. See how long they can balance in Tree while brushing their teeth,” she suggests.
Do children enjoy yoga?
Dr Morriss says children usually find yoga is fun, “particularly if their parents practise it with them in a playful, joyful, light-hearted way”.
How often does a family need to do yoga to benefit from it?
Dr Morriss says just doing yoga once or twice a week is great, but she urges parents not to worry too much about how often they’re practising. Encourage your children to practise,
but don’t put pressure on them, she advises.
Is yoga alone enough exercise?
Official recommendations are that children aged five to 18 do at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a day, as well as exercises to strengthen muscles and bones.
Dr Morriss says yoga poses are a great way to strengthen muscles and bones and can be used, along with other forms of exercise, to achieve the recommended level of physical activity.
■ Nurturing Your Family With Yoga by Kiki Morriss is published by YogaWords is available now priced £16.99.