Utilizing Yoga For Therapy has Multiple Benefits
by Sarah Koppenhoefer-Little, OTR/L
KP West Pediatric Occupational Therapist
For those of us who practice yoga regularly, we are aware of its many benefits. But did you know that it’s good for children, too? Utilizing yoga in therapy sessions, as well as the home, has many benefits for your children, such as:
Improved body awareness and awareness of surroundings
Children gain awareness of where their bodies are in space when maintaining poses
Improved motor planning
Children improve motor planning when transitioning from one pose to another
Managing stress with better coping skills and emotional regulation through breathing, awareness, and controlled movement
Children learn to better regulate their emotions by redirecting their focus
Improved concentration
Children learn to concentrate on their breathing and maintaining poses
Muscle strengthening
Maintaining poses and transitioning between poses improves muscle strength
Better balance
Maintaining poses improves balance
More flexibility
Flexibility is improved through stretching and lengthening of muscles
Relaxation
Yoga has calming and soothing qualities through meditation, holding postures, and moving through series of poses
Attention
Attention can be improved through redirection of focus. Providing opportunities for movement can improve attention prior to completion of other activities.
Follow these links to purchase Yogarilla Exercises and Activities and Yogarilla Body Awareness Exercise flash cards, which include exercises and activities for kids:
