Definitions and Examples of Developmental Domains 145speech. The repetition of yoga chants, such as “Namaste,” as well as
the production of words while performing yoga poses (e.g. “meow”
in cat pose), provide opportunities to practice and master sequenced
speech movements.
Vocabulary/concepts
Vocabulary refers to the words and concepts refer to the knowledge that
underlies the words that children both understand and produce. These
lexical items that children are exposed to through yoga reflect many
different notions including inanimate objects such as “bridge,” living
creatures such as “caterpillar,” actions such as “stretch,” and attributions
including colors and shapes, locations, directions, and feelings.
Symbolic play
Symbolic play refers to the capacity of children to use objects and
actions to stand for other objects and actions. This is commonly called
pretend play during the preschool years and requires the ability to hold
an image in mind without seeing it in the present moment. The term
imagination is often used for this same capacity at later developmental
levels. Yoga provides numerous contexts for children to use their bodies
to pretend when they practice the many poses that are named for
animals and objects.
Emergent literacy
Emergent literacy refers to the reading and writing knowledge and skills
that precede and lay the foundation for literacy. Yoga poses, breathing
exercises, and meditations can easily be paired with the written word
in order to increase phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and
print awareness.