By Melissa Zitt

Yoga is having its time, and for good reason. This ancient practice of aligning mind and body helps foster focus, creativity, calm, strength, flexibility, awareness, and overall health.

Yoga boasts the same benefits for kids!

A growing body of research strongly suggests that yoga improves the following for kids:

• Strength
• Balance
• Aerobic fitness and endurance
• Focus
• Memory
• Sleep
• Behavior
• Anxiety
• Symptoms of ADHD
• Academic performance

Why yoga?

Yoga increases proprioception for kids and adults. Proprioception is your awareness of where your body is in space. A strong sense of proprioception is important in athletic activities, playing musical instruments, writing, etc. It also plays a large role in a child’s focus, speech, alertness, and self-regulation.

In adolescence, the mind and body develop at a rapid pace. When kids practice yoga during this developmentally pivotal time, it encourages an even deeper mind and body connection.

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