We all want our kids to be as healthy, well-rounded and as resilient as possible. To help them thrive, we pack their days with school, sports, activities, and social events. Parents find themselves constantly on the go—rushing from practices to games, tournaments to lessons, and recitals to playdates. If you find yourself launching snacks into the backseat of your car as you sprint from one event to the next, it might be time to consider slowing down.
I grew up as a competitive athlete, so I’m familiar with the early-morning practices, late-night games and weekend-filled tournaments. The fast-paced nature of sports filled my entire childhood. It wasn’t until an injury in university forced me to hit pause that I discovered yoga.
At first, I was drawn to the physical challenge; it felt familiar, like training for a sport. But what truly drew me was the profound relaxation that followed each class. Yoga quieted the noise in my head, helped me control my thoughts, and sharpened my focus in ways I had never experienced before. I’ve now been teaching the practice for over 16 years; it’s my passion to share this transformative practice with others and help people discover its power for themselves.
You’ve probably heard of yoga—it’s an ancient practice with a 5,000-year history! Many people think of it as just stretching or an activity for adults, but yoga for kids is a powerful, often-overlooked tool that can increase overall well-being in kids. True well-being isn’t one-dimensional—it’s a blend of physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, and even spiritual health.
Yoga for kids is a dynamic full-body exercise that builds strength, enhances mobility, and improves flexibility. It challenges big muscles and refines the small ones. One often-overlooked benefit of yoga for kids is its impact on proprioception—the body’s ability to sense itself in space. Proprioception is important in all athletic endeavours, whether it’s dribbling a soccer ball, balancing on a skateboard, or perfecting a gymnastics routine. By improving body awareness, yoga for kids helps them move more efficiently, react faster, and reduce the risk of injury in sports.
Have you ever found yourself prepping for a big meeting at work, only to feel your face flush, your hands shake, or your breath become shallow? That’s your body reacting to stress. Yoga teaches the mechanics of breath control—a calm breath leads to a calm body. Proper breathing is the foundation of every yoga pose. Just like you, kids need to learn how to steady their breath and stay composed in challenging situations.
So many sports and activities encourage competition and a mindset that you must be the ‘best.’ A yoga mindset teaches kids that mistakes are part of learning, and it encourages cooperative teaching, helping build confidence rather than fear of failure. In yoga, there’s no “winning” or “losing”—it’s about progress, not perfection.
Many children struggle with irregular sleep patterns due to overstimulation from screens, school and sports pressures, or busy schedules. Practicing yoga before bedtime allows kids to unwind and transition into a restful state. Parents know that a good night’s sleep can make all the difference in a child’s mood and well-being.
By engaging in yoga for kids, they develop valuable tools to navigate life’s challenges and increase their overall well-being. And the best part? No travel is required – you only need to go as far as your living room TV to participate.
Megan McDougall is a Hatha Yoga teacher with certifications from Modo Yoga and Baptiste Power Yoga. She’s the author of Yoga Adventures for Little Explorers, a fun, interactive story that guides readers through a yoga sequence from start to finish using animal poses and starring a goofy Gorilla in Hawaiian shorts! (Pownal Street Press, May 6, 2025)
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