Developing body awareness, language and listening skills and cooperation are the aims of a new yoga program at Goodstart Pascoe Vale – Cumberland Road East.
Yoga provides plenty of benefits for children including managing stress, building concentration and feeling healthy.
In fact, a study by the University of California found children who had frequent yoga instruction saw significant increases in self-esteem, overall fitness and a decrease in discipline problems.
And it was these benefits that encouraged educator Constantina Farrugia to introduce yoga to her toddler room.
“So far we’ve learnt some breathing techniques and we’ve been practising our poses, including the dolphin pose, lion pose, swan pose, crocodile pose, frog pose and some balancing poses,” Ms Farrugia said.
“We finished off with some breathing techniques and stretches, and the children really loved and were relaxed throughout the rest of the day.”
Ms Farrugia said children developed body awareness and many physical skills while doing yoga including fine and gross motor skills.
“Yoga incorporates mental, physical, emotional and social development so it’s great to start children off early.
“As children improve vocabulary and language comprehension they also improve movement skills, developing coordination, balance, strength and endurance.
“In this way, children are learning to move and listen at the same time. When a wide range of movement skills are applied to creative movement they expand range of expressive possibilities enabling children to communicate through movement and respond to the mood and quality of literature, art and music.”
The classes are held every day for about 10 minutes, depending on concentration levels, and the children have been sharing their poses with their families at home.
“The parents are really pleased we’ve started doing yoga and are having a great time trying the poses themselves.”
Yoga provides plenty of benefits for children including managing stress, building concentration and feeling healthy.
In fact, a study by the University of California found children who had frequent yoga instruction saw significant increases in self-esteem, overall fitness and a decrease in discipline problems.
And it was these benefits that encouraged educator Constantina Farrugia to introduce yoga to her toddler room.
“So far we’ve learnt some breathing techniques and we’ve been practising our poses, including the dolphin pose, lion pose, swan pose, crocodile pose, frog pose and some balancing poses,” Ms Farrugia said.
“We finished off with some breathing techniques and stretches, and the children really loved and were relaxed throughout the rest of the day.”
Ms Farrugia said children developed body awareness and many physical skills while doing yoga including fine and gross motor skills.
“Yoga incorporates mental, physical, emotional and social development so it’s great to start children off early.
“As children improve vocabulary and language comprehension they also improve movement skills, developing coordination, balance, strength and endurance.
“In this way, children are learning to move and listen at the same time. When a wide range of movement skills are applied to creative movement they expand range of expressive possibilities enabling children to communicate through movement and respond to the mood and quality of literature, art and music.”
The classes are held every day for about 10 minutes, depending on concentration levels, and the children have been sharing their poses with their families at home.
“The parents are really pleased we’ve started doing yoga and are having a great time trying the poses themselves.”