Yoga keeps kids 'engaged, energized'

“Wow, yoga is awesome and very, very fun,” said 8-year-old Kate O'Neill from Lake Zurich.

That's right, 8 years old. If you think yoga is a bunch of adult women dressed in Danskin idling the day away in weirdly twisted positions, think again. Yoga and its benefits are not just for adults anymore! According to the National Health Interview Survey data, in 2012, three percent of kids now do yoga, up from 2.3 percent in 2007.

“Yoga Kids” is a movement across the county. It can be found in studios, park districts, libraries, community centers and backyards everywhere. The Hindu discipline incorporates breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures practiced for health and relaxation. Yoga helps lower blood pressure, reduce heart disease, strengthen balance, enhance flexibility, increase concentration and helps with mental issues including depression.

Also trending now throughout the country — bringing yoga into the classroom. Mindful Practices, a school wellness organization that empowers teachers and students through yoga, partners with more than 70 Chicago-area schools each year. Additionally, they trained a group of teachers and youth at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights on how to provide yoga and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) instruction to preschool students in their school district.

“Yoga in the classroom can be easy and effective,” said Carla Tantillo-Philibert, founder of Mindful Practices and author of “Cooling Down Your Classroom.” “If students' behavior is frenetic, teachers learn strategies to bring about a sense of calm and focus. If students are lethargic, yoga can be used as an energizing movement tool. Breathing exercises are also particularly useful prior to test-taking.”

Mindful Practices' SEL and Yoga programming implemented in schools between February and June 2015 had preliminary findings showing increased student self-awareness, understanding of emotions and self-regulation in third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students. Teachers in the study reported that student attendance increased on days when SEL activities were taught (19% agreeing attendance increased on SEL days at week 4 to 59% on week 12). Teachers also reported their professional development/training in SEL strengthened their teaching of SEL (31% strongly agreeing on week 4 to 49% on week 12).

“Ultimately, the goal is to add in movement and mindfulness ‘minutes' or breaks throughout the day to keep students engaged and energized about learning,” Tantillo-Philibert said. “Students also learn how to build stronger self-awareness and interpersonal skills, which are lifelong assets.”

Yoga practice in some northwest suburban schools have aided focus, reduced stress and bickering, increased attention and allowed for a positive learning environment. Wheeling High School, Rolling Meadows High School and Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect have all realized these benefits from incorporating yoga in dance classes, P.E. classes, and even in cross-country and track teams. The Vanguard School in Arlington Heights utilized yoga effectively every Friday.

Youth stressors include academic, social, bullying, popularity, college test scores and overstimulating environments, just to name a few. Recognizing these stressors is what inspired social worker Deanna Ligman to bring yoga to the Academy at Forest View in Arlington Heights.

“Research supports yoga as a positive way to cope with stress,” said Ligman.

Ligman explained students would come to yoga eyes wandering, fidgeting, angry or upset, and leave calm and easy. Teachers reported when the students returned after a session, they were collected and self-aware of their social and emotional needs.

“Their minds are noisy and yoga teaches them to quiet their minds,” Ligman said. “There is not bullying at our school, but if bullying was a conflict, they would learn how to step back from it; process it more appropriately, and go back open-minded.”

Mountain, chair and warrior poses had similar effects at North Elementary School and Terrace Elementary School, both in Des Plaines.

“The yoga experience proved to be very good for the children's focus, self-control, and mental and physical well-being,” said Mindy Ward, director of community relations at School District 62. “We found children performed better and learned relaxation and control techniques crucial to success.”

Youth aerial yoga has also found a place on the map in recent years. It involves performing a series of exercises inspired by yoga, Pilates, calisthenics and aerial acrobatics in a hammock-like apparatus.

For some kids, aerial yoga can be more beneficial than a mat yoga practice due to the engagement of the senses helping to maintain the focus of a child throughout the practice. It is challenging in a mat practice to maintain a younger child's attention in order to receive the most benefits offered from yoga.

“With the heightened intrigue to learn and understand how to use the hammock as a fun prop, as an instructor, I have discovered that children are very dialed in and attentive throughout the class,” said Holly Johnson, owner of Aviana Yoga. “The favorite pose for everyone though is hands down, Corpse Pose in the hammock, offered at the closing of each class for a time of meditation and relaxation. Children have reported that they feel the most at ease and at peace than anywhere else while cocooned inside the bright and bold colors.”

Rhonda Young of Lake Zurich put her 14-year-old daughter, Joselyn Wurth, in Johnson's aerial yoga class to address some health needs. Joselyn is diagnosed with ADHD combined and language delay.

“I always look for something that gives her an outlet and I welcome a broad range like yoga,” said Young. “It's a form of medicine.”

Indeed, there is a strong therapeutic component to aerial yoga. Disguised as a fun and playful art, it offers children with special needs a way to grow and discover an outlet for balance.

“During the aerial yoga practice, the hammock lends itself as a prop for support in helping to guide the body, which may be lacking in muscular activation, or potentially stiff from over activation, through various range-of-motion exercises to help stimulate the activity of the brain and the connection to the body for a better sense of balance and body intelligence,” Johnson said. “The compression of the fabric across the skin and hugging of the body stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to surrender into a space of relaxation and ease.”

“I felt very happy and relaxed,” said Wurth. “It helped me deal with having to go to summer school.”

Kristin O'Neill involved her daughter, Kate, in aerial yoga for something different, and found added benefits.

“She met new girls; boosted her confidence, and found even when her limits are tested she could accomplish things if she worked hard,” said O'Neill.

With all its advantages, perhaps Kate sums it up the best. “The flips were awesome and yoga is just really cool.”

Yoga fun at home

• Spend quality time with your children doing yoga

• Spice it up by taking the workout outside

• Develop themes for each practice

• Challenge, but also keep poses doable to avoid lack of interest

• Develop a ritual so kids know what is expected and can perfect

• Demand attention, but also allow for creativity

• Make it game-like

• Make sure there is an element of relaxation-not over exertion

Benefits of Youth Yoga

• Builds confidence

• Assists neuromuscular and vestibular system development

• Reduces stress and anxiety

• Develops discipline

• Aids balance and focus

• Increases flexibility and good posture

• Initiates self-control

• Builds conflict resolution properties