Parenting

9 yoga asanas to bring out creativity in your child

Imagine how a teenager, Rakesh Krishna (15 years), invented the multi-seed sowing machine, ‘Seedographer’, for systematic cultivation. Or how a kid Prasiddhi Singh (7 years), who became the youngest to create a fruit forest, was so creative. These children are ‘Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar’ awardees.

Creativity for our kids is vital in achieving higher grades in school and later formulating a successful career.

Whether or not creativity is in your children’s genes, improvement is possible with the regular practice of yoga asanas.

Boost creative thinking in your children with the following yoga asanas -

My kid would play with ABCD building blocks, sitting in vajrasan (diamond pose or thunderbolt pose) for long periods. I am sure you might have noticed toddlers in one or more of these asanas: bhujangasana (cobra pose while coming out of sleep), adho mukha svanasana (downward dog pose while playing) and the perennial favorite child’s pose (Shishuasana).

“Every child has creativity in them and this finds an expression when they practice yoga and meditation.”

- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Want to improve your child’s creative thinking skills?

Enroll your child in the Prajñā Yoga - Intuition Process: a unique yoga and breathing program that enhances intuitive ability and cognition in children.

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Add more asanas to your child’s daily regime to benefit their ideation.

Pigeon pose (kapotasana)

(To learn the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, tips for beginners, follow-up poses, the benefits, contraindications, and FAQs of the asana please visit our blog One-legged pigeon pose - Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana)

Preparatory poses for pigeon pose are -
I suggest beginners use supports below the groin region.
It relieves the body of stress and anxiety.
It opens up the chest region, making your child feel energetic, confident and creative.

Equestrian pose (ashwa sanchalana asana)

(To get the step-by-step guide to practice, tips, and benefits of the asana please visit our blog How to do Surya Namaskar (SN) - (Equestrian pose is the fourth asana of SN)

Guide your children to breathe in and push their right leg back. Push their right knee on the floor and look up.
Your children can deepen this yoga stretch by ensuring that the left foot is between their palms.

Warrior pose (veerbhadrasana)

(To learn the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, and the benefits, contraindications, and FAQs of the asana please visit our blog Veerbhadrasana or Virbhadrasana)

The warrior pose is named a ‘warrior pose’ as your children get the confidence of a warrior by holding the asana for only two minutes every day!

Triangle pose (trikonasana)

(To learn the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, and benefits, contraindications, preparatory poses, and follow-up poses of the asana please visit our blog Trikonasana Yoga and benefits)

With improvement in digestion, reduction in anxiety and stress, and better mental and physical equilibrium, creativity blossoms in children.

Garland pose (malasana)

(To learn stepwise instructions to practice, and know the benefits of the asana please visit our blog How to reduce hip fat with 10 effective yoga poses)

It helps balance the air element in the body by restoring the digestive fire and improving digestion.
In turn, it enhances concentration in children.
Malasana excites svadhisthana chakra related to creativity and emotions.

Cow face pose (gaumukhasana)

(To know the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, benefits and contraindications of the asana please visit our blog Cow face pose - Gaumukhasana)

Initially, your child’s left hand may be unable to reach the right hand and vie-a-versa. With practice, they will be able to hold on to one another.

Butterfly pose (badhakonasana) with forward bending

(To know the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, benefits and contraindications of the asana please visit our blog Butterfly pose - Badhakonasana)

It removes tiredness from limbs.
It helps in bowel movements and digestion and thus balances the air element, and settles the wavering mind to blossom creativity in children.

Happy baby pose (anand balasan)

Guide your children to lie on their backs.
Inhale and lift their legs, bending their knees close to the chest.
Exhale and grip the outsides of their feet or hold the big toes (toe lock) with their hands.
They open their knees slightly wider than the torso and bring them toward their armpits.
Ensure their ankle is over the knee and the shins are perpendicular to the floor.
Pressing their tailbone, sacrum and spine down to the floor can impact better.
To feel the stretch in the inner groin, hips and thighs, they can press their knees down.
Tell them to take a few deep breaths and rest in the asana for 30 seconds to a minute.
It releases the tension trapped in the sacrum and the lower back.
It relaxes the brain and mind hence, improves creativity in kids.

Child pose (shishuasana, shashankasana, or balasana)

Balasana

(To know the meaning of the pose, stepwise instructions to practice, benefits, contraindications, and FAQs of the asana, please visit our blog Child pose - Shishuasana)

Children get relieved from constipation. So, vata imbalance is improved to aid in settling down the chattering mind.
The nervous system calms down to surface the creativity in children’s activities.