In today’s fast-paced world, we are filled with technology, tight schedules, to-do lists, and many demands. It often feels like we never have a moment to pause. As a result, many individuals are experiencing increased stress, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling with mental health challenges. This has led countless people to seek alternatives beyond conventional techniques. They recognise the importance of slowing down. Connecting with themselves and consciously prioritising their mental well-being is vital. Without these practices, it can feel like being on a relentless roller coaster of unwanted emotions, leaving one drained. As a result, many are embracing yoga and mindfulness. Others are engaging in new hobbies or regular exercise. Prioritising healthy sleep is another popular approach. Society is gradually understanding that nurturing our own well-being is essential for thriving, not merely surviving. Research indicates that post-COVID, more individuals are exploring these holistic options. They are striving for improved work-life balance. This results in happier and healthier lives.

Studies have also revealed an increase in children grappling with similar feelings related to our fast-paced environment since COVID. It’s important to remember that our moods and habits can significantly impact children. This is especially true during their formative learning years. Our influence can affect their overall development. With many children attending full-time childcare, implementing a program like yoga will help not only the children but also educators and the broader community. Imagine a program that supports emotional well-being, self-regulation, resilience, motor skills, social development, cognitive growth, and more.

I can hear you saying that you use YouTube yoga in your service to support student well-being. But what if I told you that research highlights a strong connection? Excessive screen time in young children hinders development. It affects both fine and gross motor skills, as well as concentration. Screen time often replaces active play and hands-on experiences essential for proper motor development and focus. While it seems like only 10-20 minutes a day in care, we must ask ourselves how much screen time children are exposed to outside of our supervision.

When speaking with educators facing challenges, I’ve noted key links between excessive screen time and overall development:

• Sedentary behavior: Extended screen time reduces physical activity. This reduction hampers the development of gross motor skills like running, jumping, and balancing.
• Limited hand manipulation: Screen activities often involve repetitive actions or swiping. These actions do not adequately stimulate the fine motor skills necessary for tasks like writing, drawing, or buttoning clothes.
• Attention span issues: The fast-paced nature of screen content can lead to difficulties in focusing and maintaining attention, affecting concentration. While TV can put children’s brains into a passive state, screens like phones and iPads work similarly to gambling machines, leading to addiction-like effects. This contributes to dysregulation and consequent behavioral issues.
• Reduced sensory input: Active play and learning provide valuable sensory experiences crucial for brain development, which can diminish with excessive screen time.

Research consistently shows a negative correlation between high screen time and scores on motor skills assessments in young children. Those with increased screen time display poorer hand-eye coordination. They also show reduced dexterity. There are delayed developmental milestones in both motor and cognitive skills.

The question arises. Is playing a yoga video on YouTube the most effective way to incorporate well-being into your service?

The answer is NO! Yoga and well-being revolve around community and connection. They focus on brain health, heart health, and sensory integration. Communication, nervous system regulation, and range of motion are essential. Mental and physical health are also key components. All of these can’t be effectively taught through a screen.

To genuinely gain from yoga, a qualified instructor must lead it. They can collaborate with students to create a tailored plan. This plan fosters their growth and development of essential skills. This also alleviates some of the stress for many overworked and overwhelmed educators in the field, who often lack the time to take on additional research or implementation tasks amidst their already busy schedules. Bringing in an experienced children’s yoga teacher can help lighten the load for educators.

As a yoga teacher for early years students, I focus on vital skills such as core development, motor skills, regulation, resilience, compassion, self-expression, and identity, among others. I collaborate with educators to identify the areas where they require assistance and support, as well as the aspects of development that need additional attention. Together, we strive to determine the most effective ways to achieve these goals without increasing their workload, all while ensuring a fun and positive experience for everyone involved.

Overall the advantages of incorporating yoga into your services with an experienced children’s yoga instructor far outweighs the modest cost, benefiting not just your students, but also your educators and the entire community.

If you’re still undecided, why not get in touch with us? Discover what we can provide and how we can help transform your students, educators, and community into composed, skilled yogi masters.