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Children follow their mothers to practice yoga at the Provincial Sports Center
Yet, nearly 1 year, currently with 2 sections per week, the students of 4 classes (from 4 years old or older) of the Thao Nguyen Xanh high-quality kindergarten (An Cuu City) are eager for practicing yoga. It is thought that the innocent and active children initially did not know what yoga was and what to do for.
Not to mention doing the right movements, catching the concentration of young students and making them sit still on yoga mats to follow the model movements is a huge challenge. Grasping this mentality, the yoga instructors mainly show the children the movements simulating the movements and shapes of the animals which are close to them, or the ones that they have seen, or have been told through pictures, through stories, media, etc. Gradually, the exercises become a favorite “game” of the children of this kindergarten.
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Training yoga for children in Thao Nguyen Xanh kindergarten
With the neatly arranged yoga mats, dozens of children automatically sit on their positions and focused on carrying out every single movement of Truc Nhan – a yoga instructor coming from Suc Song Moi Yoga Club. After the warming up time, the children performed quite well the movements simulating the butterfly’s wings, the cobras, the camels, the cats, and the green trees, etc.
“With flexible bodies, many movements are performed more accurately by the children than those done by adults. However, while the adults have to finish their exercises according to the regulations, the practicing time of children will be finished whenever they feel tired”, said Mrs. Ho Thi Nhu Mai, a yoga instructor, Head of the Suc Song Moi Yoga Club.
Performing the movement of the cobra
“In addition to enhancing health, yoga also helps children learn how to be a good listener, promote their concentration and reduce school violence. Practicing yoga will bring many long-term benefits in the process of physical and mental development, especially for children with disabilities and hyperactivities. Therefore, bringing yoga as an extracurricular activity of the kindergarten has got the support of parents”, Mrs. Truong Thi Duong, Principal of Thao Nguyen Xanh Kindergarten shared.
With regard to Tinh Truc Gia Center for Supporting Disabled People (Thuy Xuan ward, Hue City), this sport has become the useful “spiritual food” for nearly 30 children with disabilities for 9 years. “Yoga partly helps children balance their pressure and adjust behaviors, etc. In the past, many children suffered a limitation in communication, eating, and personal hygiene, etc. However, after a while getting used to yoga, the children gradually can do their daily activities themselves without any help”, Mrs. Ho Thi Nhu Mai, a yoga instructor said.
According to Mrs. Ho Thi Khanh Nhung (Tran Phu str. Hue City), a yoga practician at Suc Song Moi Yoga Club – Provincial Sports Center, initially, I had to take my children with me to yoga class because there was nobody taking care of them at home. After 1 to 2 times, they insisted on requesting to go with me.
At that time, I just thought that they said for fun because they felt bored. Surprisingly, until now, they have followed this sport for over 1 year. “Children in general and my children in particular are both active. After a certain time practicing yoga, this characteristic is still there. However, it becomes controllable; and in addition to improving health, my children have formed the particular calmness and concentration in mind,” Mrs. Nhung said.
In addition to Suc Song Moi, until now, there are various yoga clubs in Hue such as Star (Hai Trieu St., Le Thanh Ton set), Olympic (Phan Chu Trinh St.), Moc (Hue Industrial College), etc., which attract thousands of arrivals of practicians, from adults to children.
With the benefits brought by yoga, as well as the practicing is not too complicated and expensive, this sport can become one of the extracurricular activities held in schools to help students release stress, pressure, heading to reduce school violence, improve students’ health and brainpower.
Story, photos: Han Dang