Durban yoga class for children promotes mindfulness

THE rain held up as a group of children gathered at Durban Botanic Gardens for a free yoga class on Sunday, February 27. The class was hosted by Sweet Kidz Yoga and Mindfulness, which takes a creative approach to make yoga fun for children.

Yoga instructor from Sweet Kidz Yoga and Midfulness, Eshara Ramphal (61) is a retired analytical chemist who wanted to give back to the community through yoga. She studied yoga through Go With The Flow training academy.

“The course I’ve done covers pastures, physiology, charkas and we have learned how to design classes and interact with children on their level,” she said.

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Ramphal incorporates stories and props to make the class fun and interactive for children. Instead of simply telling children to take the downward dog pose, Ramphal tells a story about puppies at the park, using stuffed animals as props to introduce the pose and keep children focused and entertained.

“I think children are very stressed in this day and age. With all the electronic devices, children are often over stimulated and they can’t deal with anxiety and stress. Yoga is an ancient science which helps children build strength in their muscles as well as flexibility and coordination,” she said.

Aside from the physical benefits of yoga, Ramphal focuses on mindfulness, offering children tools to improve their mental well-being.

“I use a glitter jar to show the children how they can settle their minds. We shake the jar and watch it settle. The jar represents their minds and the glitter represents their thoughts. As they sit, breathe and watch the jar, the glitter settles and so do their thoughts. It helps them deal with everyday stress,” explained Ramphal.

Yoga also improved self-esteem among children, said Ramphal.
“We also develop awareness to eat healthy, react calmly and develop an attitude of gratitude,” she said.

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The class flows from one story to another, said Ramphal.
“We might start in a forest, find a waterfall, go down a river and end up at the sea before taking a hot air balloon up to the mountains. This keeps the children focused. In ?Sunday’s class, I referred to the lake at Botanic Gardens to talk about reflections. At home, children can use a mirror as an illustration,” she said.

The class was a hit for Glenwood resident and mother, Rajeshwari Arora who brought her children, Rajvi and Saawi Arora to the class.
“I want my children to develop and interest in yoga from an early age. I see children are very distracted and yoga increases concentration. I also do yoga, although I don’t attend any formal classes. I do certain yoga poses for strength and peace of mind and I want my children to learn this as well,” she said.

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