Yoga for youngsters

Virgin Active’s Vinyasa yoga instructor, Bernice Bredenkamp recently started teaching tiny tots the flowing art after noticing a common problem discussed by her friends and family.

“I heard people saying their children are being held back a year at school and that they struggle to concentrate. Some were even going to occupational therapists and taking medication after being diagnosed with ADHD,” said Bredenkamp, who completed her yoga teacher studies in New York and has been back in Ballito for nine years.

Bredenkamp decided to do a kids yoga teacher training course earlier this year and started Bee Yoga Kids.

“Kids yoga is not that cliché idea of sitting crossed legged while you ohm. It is a combination of colour therapy, breath work, learning how to focus and of course core strengthening and flexibility exercises.”

She said she was surprised to see children with weak cores in her first lessons.

“Children do not play like they used to. Most of them do not run around and climb trees like we did while growing up. Those exercises naturally built your core and balancing skills.

“Now, they spend a lot of time glued to a screen and therefore are not moving as much as they should.”

The yoga classes teach children how to use and control their breathing which helps them calm down in stressful situations or can help them wake up when they are feeling tired at school.

“Creativity and imagination are two factors kids do not seem to develop as much with our technology-packed lives. So, we exercise these skills in class. I will tell the kids to imagine being a flower or an animal and to tell me about how they move and what colour they are. They also get exercises to take home and practice such as bouncing like a bunny and swimming like a shark.”

Bredenkamp also gives them mindful exercises to complete at home to help them relax and have quiet time.

“Colouring in a mandala or making a superhero mask are some of the easy, creative tasks they do at home, which keeps them busy and away from screens.”

Classes are offered at Village Kids in Salt Rock, Dolphin Coast Pre-Primary, Skye Aerial Arts and Fitness Studio and Virgin Active Ballito. For more info check out the Facebook page – Bee Yoga Kids or contact Bernice on 082 974 4114.

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