kids — Blog — The Yoga Buggy

I liked getting sat on when I was a kid. True story! The pressure felt safe and...relieving somehow. Although my son hasn't asked to be sat on, he does like hugging contests, which can get pretty smooshy too.

Almost invariably at the end of kids' yoga, children want me to roll them up in their mat. "Roll me up like sushi!" they cry.

Of course, smooshing isn't new. Since time immemorial people have been swaddling their babies to emulate the warmth and comfort of the womb. Those of us that work with kids are probably familiar with deep pressure therapy used to calm the nervous system. Check out this post to learn more!

So, the next time your child is being a little wild, offer them a hugging contest or a yoga mat swaddle. Perhaps they just need a good smoosh!

Little people have a lot to learn. How to read, how to count, the difficult task of putting on socks…. The biggest challenge we all face as we grow up, though, may be how to run this whole “body and mind” thing we find ourselves in. It doesn’t come with an instruction manual. The people around us do a mixed job of handling it well themselves.

Yoga helps children to be more comfortable in their bodies and minds and gives them tools to calm themselves down, cheer themselves up, or even, as my son used to say when he was three, “cheer myself down!”

Yoga poses and meditations, when taught in a playful and creative way like we do at Yoga Buggy, help children’s brains and bodies to grow and become friends with each other. Studies show that Yoga improves balance, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity in children. Yoga and the mindfulness that comes with it offer psychological benefits as well, improving focus, memory, self-esteem, academic performance, and classroom behavior, as well as reducing anxiety and stress in children.

Helping children feel more at home in their bodies and the world is our raison d’etre at Yoga Buggy.

The Yoga Buggy relies on the generosity of our community to bring Yoga to more Kids. Please click here to learn more about what we offer, and connect with us to learn more about ways you can support!