The Evolution of Children and Teens Yoga

Addressing Modern Needs

Are you aware of the growing challenges children and teens face every day? What if the yoga techniques you already know could be adapted to meet the mental, emotional, and physical needs of kids?

After 27 years of teaching yoga to thousands of children and teens, I’ve witnessed remarkable transformations and huge growth in the demand for children’s yoga.

Why the sudden and rapid growth? To understand, it’s important to look at what’s happening with kids’ health across Australia.

Understanding the Changing Landscape

Our world is evolving, and so are the challenges faced by children and teens. We are seeing a rise in health issues such as asthma, ADHD, mental health issues and behavioural problems, along with increasing awareness of neurodiversity. According to recent statistics, one in seven Australian children aged 4-17 experiences a mental health disorder, while around 10% of children have asthma.

There are about 281,200 children diagnosed with ADHD, Suicide is now the leading cause of death among young people aged 5-17. These figures highlight the urgent need for effective, holistic interventions that work. Like Yoga.

Moving Beyond Game-Based Yoga

In the early days, children’s yoga often revolved around games and playful activities. While these approaches helped introduce yoga in a fun way, they are no longer sufficient to meet the deeper needs of today’s children. The stresses and pressures of modern life demand a more comprehensive approach.

Children need tools not just to stay physically fit, but to manage their emotions, enhance their mental well-being, and develop resilience. When children as young as 3 experience anxiety and are missing days of early childhood, we know something needs to change.

Addressing Diverse Needs

In today’s inclusive society, it’s crucial to also recognise and cater to the diverse needs of all children, including those who are neurodivergent.

The impact of yoga on children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety is profound. At Fisher Road school, a school for low functioning, non-verbal autistic children, yoga is the one form of activity they love and do most days. In fact, during covid, they zoomed my kid’s yoga DVD, every day, so that over 60 autistic children could continue to do their practice at home.

The vice-principal commented that yoga helps the children to regulate and co-regulate their emotions. He said he has never seen anything de-escalate an upset child as the breathing exercises we do in class.

Yoga supports children with autism, ADHD, and other conditions, offering a non-competitive environment where they can thrive.

The Importance of Mental and Emotional Support

Incorporating the tools to help children mentally and emotionally is essential. Practices that are designed to help young people manage anxiety, build self-esteem, and foster a sense of inner calm. Techniques such as asana, mindfulness, breathwork, and relaxation are integral components.

These practices help children navigate their emotions, reduce stress, and improve focus and concentration. The big question is how do you get children to do a relaxation or breathing exercise, so they get the benefits? That’s where training comes in.

The Role of Proper Training

Teaching yoga to children and teens is completely different from teaching adults. It requires specialised training that goes beyond standard yoga teacher education. Proper training equips teachers with the knowledge and skills to create safe, effective, and engaging classes tailored to the unique needs of young people.

This includes understanding child development, learning how to communicate effectively with different age groups, and adapting practices to support physical, mental, and emotional health. Classroom management is different, class structure is different, how you teach and what you teach is different.

Being an effective teacher with the tools to impact little lives requires training. Depending on the age group of the children, the type of impact you want to make and where you want to teach, will determine the type of training you choose.

Yoga Australia’s Children’s Yoga framework involves a 95-hour curriculum to have you become a capable, effective, and impactful children and teens yoga teacher.

Inspiring Change Through Yoga

Over the years, I have seen firsthand the profound impact yoga can have on children and teens. A student once told me, “Yoga makes me feel like I can handle anything.” This encapsulates the transformative power of yoga.

It is not just about physical postures but about building a toolkit for life. I’ve seen shy children become confident, anxious teens find calm, and restless students discover focus.

The Path Forward

Moving forward, there is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health, and yoga is an important part of this conversation as it provides an answer.

Yoga has a significant impact on the well-being of children and teens. With the right training and a deep understanding of their needs, through yoga, children and teens will navigate the complexities of modern life with clarity, strength, and resilience.

Can you imagine if someone taught you yoga when you were a teenager? And the difference that would have made? You can make a massive difference in the lives of children and teens, as a yoga teacher, giving them tools that work now and guiding them toward a different future.

If you want to make a difference and help children or teens, then becoming a children’s yoga teacher might be for you. Learn more about Becoming a Children’s Yoga Teacher.