How to improve concentration in children – this is one question every parent is worried about these days.

With the rise of technology, children are distracted more than they were a decade ago. Their concentration level is at the lowest level than ever thought of.

Thus, for children to grow into healthy adults, they need to learn to be mindful not only in schools but also for the rest of their life.

I have explained about the need of mindfulness for children and the advantages of practicing mindfulness.

Mindfulness – is a state of awareness of your mind, which shows you a picture of where you are and what you are doing.

This awareness will reduce a lot many problems we see in children today. To  bring about mindfulness you need to have a healthy body and fit mind.

This is where Yoga pitches in -. Yoga is one such powerful tool that supports children to be more focused and balanced.

How To Improve Concentration In Children

A Child’s mind is more flexible than that of an adult. Thus, it is easy to train a child to adapt to new changes.

However what you train and how you train you child makes the difference between making him/her into a mindful person and not.

For concentration to improve you need your child to be able to restrict both the mind and body. So you need to begin with teaching simple yoga poses.

• By learning yoga children get the ability to concentrate more as their nervous and cardiovascular system is balanced.
• Yoga also helps regulating hormones and provides a relaxed body for the child to concentrate and focus.
• Yoga enables your child to live a healthy life forever.
• Yoga  enables the clarity and improves the ability to respond.

How To Teach Yoga To Children

Its not easy to teach yoga to children – however if you are a regular and disciplined you could make yoga and mindfulness a part of lifestyle of your children easily.

For this you need to begin practicing yoga yourselves and do that with discipline.

Begin by getting up at fixed time and getting the children up too – this time needs to be atleast half an hour before the stipulated time to practice yoga.

If on the other hand you are a person who can spend time int he evening with your kids, you could shift the yoga session to evening and make it a routine.

Yoga should be practiced in a consistent manner to bring about conditioning of mind which in turn would enhance the memory and creativity of children.

There are few yoga postures that keeps the child’s spirit boosted and increase their concentration power.

Children are fast learners and before long you can easily see how quickly they pick up yoga and mindfulness as a part of their life.

As a principle – begin with simple, easy to follow and effective postures, slowly you will find that both you and your kid are able to move towards complex poses.

How to improve concentration in children using yoga

Yoga Mudra

When asked how to improve concentration in children the first thing that comes up is to sit quietly in a place with certain yoga mudras or gestures that is the stepping stone to mindfulness.

Here is how you begin

• Sit with crossed legs (Padmasana) and join the palms together.
• Keeping the back straight, take deep breaths.
• Close your eyes.
• Bring the hands behind the back and hold the left wrist with the right hand.
• Slowly bend forward and try to touch the floor with your forehead.
• Breathe out while bending.
• Relax in that position for few minutes and then slowly return to the starting position.
  Should be repeated 5 times.

  Benefits

  – Fills the body with energy and vitality
  – Boosts memory power

• Done early in the morning – this is the best way to start a day

Sarvangasana

• To do sarvangasana Lie on the back with hands by your side.
• Lift the legs and back so that they come up on your shoulders.
• Support the back with your hands.
• Keep the legs firm and breathe deeply.
• After staying in the position for 30 seconds slowly come back to initial position.
  Should be repeated twice.

Benefits

– Increases blood circulation to the brain and heart

Chakrasana

• Lie on the back with feet apart.
• Bend the knees and place the feet flat on the ground.
• Keep the palms under the shoulders.
• Inhale and by pressing the palms firmly, lift the shoulders and head off the floor by making the arms straight.
• The feet should be on the floor firmly and the back should be rolled up to resemble a wheel. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then come back to the original position.
  Should be repeated 5 times.

Benefits

– Increases blood circulation to the brain

Surya Namaskar

The surya namaskar is a set of 12 asanas put together. It is a good way to keep the body and mind healthy. The 12 asanas are

– Prayer Pose
– Hastha uttasana (Raised Arms pose)
– Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose)
– Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
– Dandasana (Stick Pose)
– Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight points)
– Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
– Parvatasana (Mountain Pose)
– Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
– Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose)
– Hastha uttasana (Raised Arms pose)
– Tadasana

Should be repeated 4 times

Benefits

– Increases stamina
– Clears mind
– Boosts memory power
– Reduces weight

All the above yoga postures should be done along with the following pranayama or breathing exercises for more effectiveness.

How To Improve Concentration in Children using Pranayama

You can never answer the question of how to improve concentration in children without pranayama or breathing exercises.

Control of breath is the first step to know yourselves, the first step towards becoming a mindful being.

NadiShodan Pranayam or The Alternate Nose Breathing

This is the alternate nose breathing technique. As Nadis get blocked during stress, they are relieved with the practise of this technique.

• Sit straight and keep chin mudra.
• Use the ring finger of the right hand to control breathing of left nostril and thumb on right nostril.
• Press thumb on the right nostril and breathe out through left nostril.
• Now breathe in from left nostril and press the left nostril and breathe out through right nostril.
  To be repeated 20 times.

Benefits

– Calms mind

Bhramari Pranayam

This is one breathing exercise I seriously advice for children. It increases concentration and brings about inner peace.

• Sit on Padmasana.
• By using the thumbs to close the ears, place the other fingers over the eyes.
• Apply gentle pressure to the sides of the nose.
• Keep the mouth closed and breathe out slowly through nose by making a humming sound of Om (like a bumble Bee).
  To be done for 5 times.

Benefits

– Reduces stress

-Enhances memory
– Improves hearing power and concentration

Bhastrika Pranayam

Sit straight in Padmasana. Inhale and exhale rapidly. Make sure your mouth is closed. This rapid breathing helps increase the circulation of blood rapidly throughout the body.
To be done for 2 minutes

Benefits

– Clears the mind
– Boosts memory power

If you are seriously concerned with how to improve concentration in children you need to  begin the practice of Yoga and Mindfulness at an young age. tthis helps to improve concentration and teaches them to focus their mind. Keep the poses simple and allow them to enjoy the experience.