SOMERS - Yoga, so many adults do it — not just for exercise — but to help handle stress. As it turns out, yoga for kids is just as beneficial.
“Yoga isn't just about the poses and postures, you know, it really is about centering yourself and integrating wholly your mind, your body and your spirit. And so it's really good that we teach kids not just about the poses but about all aspects of it,” said Wildflower Society yoga instructor Jill Majerus.
Kids yoga at Wildflower Society is a fun class aimed toward teaching children self-confidence, awareness and focus.
“I get stressed after school with schoolwork, sometimes. It helps me to relax. Like sometimes if I'm frustrated on a question at school, it kind of trained us to take deep breaths and that's really helped me,” said kids yoga student Eirelyn McClure.
The class is centered on a saying brought up by a coloring activity at the beginning of class. This week's focus was ‘be kind,’ and the poses and activities focused on bumble bee-type behaviors.
The class is controlled chaos, and every day is different depending on how the kids feel and act.
“Every day is different and just like for us, every day is different and just coming in and seeing like okay, what can we do? What do they need?” said Wildflower Society yoga instructor Sali Vanichanan-Meek.
Kids learn about how their bodies do simple things, such as breathing, through demonstration tools and activities like yoga freeze dance.
“There is some yoga moves that can help us get stronger and, help us be very confident,” said yoga student Elise Koontz.
"The best part is yoga freeze dance," said yoga student Addy Koontz.
The program is one day a week for six weeks, for kids in kindergarten through fourth grade.
“And it's really just about creating a safe space for kids to like learn to notice things about their bodies. And their breathing and their minds and settle themselves. We really just try to focus on different tools and creative ways to teach them to take notice and then bring themselves back to a place of joy and happiness and calm,” said Majerus.
If you're interested in the program, visit the Wildflower Society's website. They are located at 77 Deer Creek Road in Somers.
