Yoga offers a new twist to help parents positively redirect their kids’ excess energy. Children’s high energy can be perfectly normal, especially for four- to five-year-olds, who are gaining better control of their bodies. The following tips will help parents, as well as grandparents and other caretakers, manage the motion of kids to keep them calm and fit at the same time.

The first tip to help parents not be tied in knots over their children’s excess energy is to teach kids to breathe in and out through their nose while practicing yoga. The nose is smaller than the mouth, making nasal breathing slower and more deliberate. This in turn helps kids relax and be less hurried. Furthermore, breathing in and out through the nose gets more oxygen into the lungs than mouth breathing, which can lead to hyperventilation.

Most parents, at one time or another, have had their children melt down at the supermarket or in another public arena. A good way to change the mood is to instruct children to take some calming breaths in and out through their nose. This simple tip can have a profound impact by teaching children a life skill that they can continue to use whenever they are upset or ill at ease. By focusing on their breath, kids will learn how to calm themselves through self-regulation, leading to increased confidence, concentration, and self-awareness.

Illustration by Kathleen Rietz

The second tip is that practicing simple yoga poses can also help children calm down. Yoga helps children control their energy and teaches them how to relax, concentrate, and be quiet and still. It also improves their physical coordination. While teaching yoga postures, parents can instruct their children to breathe in and out through their nose while in the poses. For example, children can be asked to lie down on their back and inhale slowly through their nose and let their belly expand, as if they were a hot air balloon. As they exhale through their nose, they can be instructed to pull their stomach in toward the floor.

Illustration by Kathleen Rietz

The third tip is that clearing the surroundings of clutter, crowded displays, and other visually stimulating items will help kids focus on the yoga poses rather than on outside distractions. Having a decluttered space helps put their minds at ease and creates a more relaxing environment in which to practice yoga. Preferably, parents will provide a yoga mat or beach towel for their children to use, as it helps ground kids and gives them a personal space in which to do the postures.

There is no magic number of poses to do in one session, nor is there a set time limit to practice yoga. Even just five minutes of yoga a day can go a long way to release anxiety, decrease hyperactivity, and manage strong emotions.

No matter how often or how long children practice yoga, it is a great way for them to channel their excess energy to stay calm and centered.