Everyone knows the benefit of doing yoga and from ages yoga asanas helping people to heal the body. Practicing yoga was a must in ancient universities and schools. Our ancestors clearly understood the meaning of yoga and how it heals oneself. As we get into poses, we will understand our limitations and try to challenge ourselves to do better in all aspects of life. Irrespective of physical agility or spiritual background or age, everyone can get benefit from yoga.

For kids, practicing yoga helps in cognition, focus, concentration, relieves anxiety, improves communication skills and gives confidence. Practicing yoga meditation helps them to understand the world better and shapes them to be a better human being. For adults, yoga helps to improve balance, reduces body pain, eases joint pain, reduces anxiety and depression, increases oxygen intake and more over helps them to connect better with surroundings.

When kids and adults practice yoga together, it can be a fun filled event!  In the process there is a lot we learn. We will get inspired by young minds and the outcome will be awesome! There are different ways to get everyone in the family for a fun filled yoga practice.

1. Identifying yoga pose: Have a child to perform a yoga pose by showing yoga card. Let others identify the pose. Then have an adult perform a pose and ask children to identify the pose. Take turns like this and challenge the group to do poses with everyone.
2. Challenging poses: Select some of the mid-level and advanced poses  like balancing, inversion and crazy poses. Tree pose, warrior -3 pose, peacock pose, ashtavakra pose, wheel pose, camel pose – these are challenging poses- to mention a few.  Ask anybody to come forward and try the pose. This inspires children to practice yoga in the future.
3. Breathing exercises: Practice inhale and exhale together. Kids will like to breath like a lion, they will enjoy deer seal (Mrigi mudra), single nostril breath, Bhramari or hummuing yoga breath.  These breathing exercised well suited for all age groups.
4. Mirror mirror : Ask child to sit or stand in front of you. Keep eye contact and slowly get into an yoga pose. Let the child mirrors the pose. Do not talk, just have eye contacts. If you are in tree pose, move the branches or in dance pose try to lift the heel. Mirroring the opposite person without talking and smile is going to be fun!
5. Chaduranga dandasana, Surya Namaskar: This is a full body exercise and have a goal of completing specific number (12, 24, 51 etc) Surya namaskar. You will be surprised to see kids enthusiasm to complete the challenge.

This International Yoga Day take time to practice yoga with youngsters and family to make it fun and interesting.

Image credit; Mother and daughter doing push ups together on yoga mats at home – null