OM Yoga UK - May 2017

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can then teach the child how to release this

tension through simple breathing techniques.

The child therefore learns, through story, that

these feelings are normal and that there are

solutions. Such storylines, through repetition,

become ingrained in the mind so the child’s

future, automatic response to tension in the

tummy will be to perform deep diaphragmatic

‘belly’ breathing.

The topics that can be addressed in this

way are limitless: making friends; bullying;

being different, and so on.

Story time

Of course stories have been used for years

by both teachers and parents as a way of

teaching children valuable life lessons –

everyone knows the story of ‘The Boy who

Cried Wolf’. Presenting yoga through story

not only captures their imagination and

enthusiasm but also teaches children about

T

here are so many styles of yoga

and so many different teaching

methods in the world today.

The beauty of it is there is room

for them all. Certain personality

types are attracted to specific disciplines

professing that their form of yoga is the only

‘true’ yoga while others are more than happy

to mix and match believing that yoga is yoga

no matter what. Everyone is entitled to their

opinion and fortunately there is a class out

there for everyone.

Children’s yoga isn’t

any different

Purists state that yoga should be taught to

children using only the true principles of yoga

and the use of stories or games distract

children out of their bodies and minds.

Others teach yoga to children using proven

techniques to support their learning and

encourage their participation.

Young children learn holistically – by visual,

auditory and kinaesthetic means at the same

time. Some are more visual or auditory than

others but by combining the three you are

encompassing all and magnifying the learning

outcome.

According to Dr. Margot Sunderland, an

award winning author and registered child

and adult psychotherapist: “Used well, stories

can become a vital part of a child’s healthy,

emotional digestive system”.

In her book, ‘Using Story Telling as a

Therapeutic Tool with Children’, she explains:

“Children do not have sophisticated coping

strategies for dealing with their intense or

too difficult feelings. They do not have the

inner resources for thinking them through, or

regulating their levels of emotional arousal.”

Managing emotions

Feelings like happy or sad are easily

understood by a child but other emotions

like frustration, tiredness, grief or anxiety, are

harder to conceptualise.

Many young children, on starting school,

develop stomach aches or headaches but

can’t recognise these as symptoms of anxiety

from their new surroundings or life.

Acting out yoga through the medium of

story really comes into its own here. For

example, a story being told through the

expression of yoga could portray the main

character as developing a tummy ache then

through a chance meeting with a wise old owl

could learn that their emotions are creating

this physical ache. Of course, the wise old owl

the power within themselves, physically and

mentally. It provides them with a lifetime

toolbox of techniques to self-calm, energise,

be in the moment and accept – all traits that

can help navigate life’s challenges.

We all use our internal projectors when

hearing or reading a story. We play it out

visually in our head giving the characters

shape and the landscape form. By simply

recapping part of your story at the end of

a children’s yoga class, while the children

are in a supine position, this guided imagery

then becomes a meditative process. This is

a wonderful way to introduce young children

to meditation and mindfulness and the

beginnings of a yoga nidra practice.

Veronica Greene is the founder of Little Greene

Yoga and offers a certified children’s teacher

training package (3-5yrs; 5-8yrs; 8-12yrs &

teens) (LittleGreeneYoga.com)