For a kid, there is a lot to handle today.

With the proliferating competition in schools and colleges, life of Children is becoming really stressful. The peer pressure of performing well in studies and staying involved in extracurricular activities, the stress of meeting expectations of teachers and the parents, the difficult stage of puberty further emphasized by negating temptations, and overstimulation, children have to go through a lot at a delicate age. They need a break– a break from stress, pressure, activities, television, and video games to improve their overall well-being. When we talk of time away for healing, what better way can be than Yoga.

Yoga that includes breathing techniques, physical postures, and meditation can incredibly benefit the children. It is a low-cost tool that can fix issues of children’s body and mind, and further help them grow into a well-rounded individual by improving their overall being. Here are 8 of the many incredible benefits children can reap from yoga.

1. Provides Flexibility and Strength: Children are born with an innate flexibility. But as they grow, they lose their flexibility due to the changing lifestyle. A regular practice of yoga can help children maintain their flexibility. Yoga poses like Warrior I and II stretch and strengthens the muscles in their growing bodies which protects them against injuries, especially when kids are engaged in sports.

2. Enhances Concentration: Yoga helps increase their concentration and focus ability. Meditative practices help children to place focus on one thing at a time. They learn to focus on what’s happening inside rather than focusing on the distractions of external world. This refines and enhances their focus ability which helps them in learning and understanding things taught in the class. As a result, they perform well in all areas of life.

3. Develops Self-esteem and Confidence:  Yoga develops greater strength, flexibility and focus in a child. The combination of these three does wonder on their confidence. When they display these three and complete a difficult pose successfully, it boosts their self-esteem to the next level. They start to believe in themselves and pursue their true potentials. Achieving success in yoga encourages them to become persistent to achieve success in all ventures of life. By boosting confidence, yoga builds block for a successful future.

4. Develops Awareness: By guiding their bodies through various moving, standing, sitting, inversions, backbends poses, Yoga Teaches Children to use all of their muscles in innovative ways. Through yoga, they get to challenge muscle groups and become aware of their body’s potential. Through deep breathing and meditation exercises, children learn about their mind which helps them improve their attitude and approach in life. Be developing awareness of the body, mind, and spirit, yoga helps children become kind, responsible, and confident. When they learn about themselves, including their strong and weak points, they deal situations in a better way.

5. Teaches Self-Acceptance: With the growing competition, when children are compared by their parents and society to more talented children, they acquire a sense of self-doubt which works as an obstacle in their progress as they feel hesitant and nervous, and think of themselves ‘not-good-enough’ all the time. Yoga teaches children to accept and cherish themselves as they are. It helps them fight off the feelings of self-doubt and encourages them to give their best. With  regular practice of yoga, they start loving their body and mind. They gradually learn what they are, and become positive and optimistic about life and their abilities.

6. Builds Patience and Fearlessness: Children are quite impatient and fearful. Yoga helps them overcome their weaknesses. The practice encourages them to slow down, focus and learn, and grow. They gradually learn to get in and come out of the poses perfectly. During this time, they may fall a number of times. But after a few attempts, when they finally perform the posture perfectly, all their fears go away as they realize how strong and capable they are.  Yoga teaches them that ‘nothing is impossible’ and everything can be achieved with hard work, dedication, and patience.

So, get your children involved in yoga and let them grow and flourish in every possible way.