How Yoga Supports Childhood Development in Mind, Body and Spirit

Yoga isn’t a practice just for adults—it can also be extremely beneficial to children’s development. Adults may receive benefits  such as learning to live mindfully, improvements to their mental health, boosts to their self-esteem or improved body strength, but children’s benefits can run far deeper. Throughout their childhood, children are highly susceptible during the development of their physical, emotional, cognitive and social abilities—learning the practice of yoga can strengthen and enhance these developments.

Physical Improvements in Child Development

Improved Flexibility and Strength

Age-appropriate poses help children stretch and tone their muscles while supporting joint health. This can lead to better posture, injury prevention, and a stronger, more resilient body as they grow.In fact, a study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found that after just 8 weeks of yoga (1–3 times per week), healthy children aged 10–12 showed significant improvements in flexibility and balance, based on sit-and-reach and popliteal angle tests. These gains suggest that yoga can be a practical way to support healthy movement patterns during important developmental years.

Better Balance and Coordination

Poses like tree pose or warrior III help children refine motor skills and understand how their body moves through space. This supports both athletic performance and everyday tasks like walking, running, or riding a bike.

Enhanced Body Awareness 

Yoga encourages kids to tune into how their body feels. By paying attention to things like breathing, tension, or fatigue, they learn to respond to their body’s signals in a healthy way, which can improve self-regulation.  

Emotional Improvements in Child Development

Beyond physical development, yoga also plays a powerful role in supporting children’s emotional well-being. As kids face new challenges, emotions and environments, yoga can be a valuable tool in helping them build emotional resilience and inner calm.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Simple breathing exercises and gentle movement help calm the nervous system, giving kids tools to manage stress in healthy ways. Regular practice can help lower cortisol levels.

Builds Emotional Awareness 

Yoga encourages mindfulness, helping children recognize and name their feelings without judgment. This self-awareness can lead to better emotional regulation and fewer outbursts or meltdowns.

Increases Self-Esteem and Confidence

Mastering poses and seeing personal progress gives kids a sense of accomplishment. It teaches them to appreciate what their bodies can do and builds confidence from the inside out.

And the research backs it up—one study looked at how young children responded to a yoga program that included breathing, movement and body awareness. While it didn’t significantly change how well they could focus, the kids showed clear improvements in managing emotions. They were more likely to stay calm and use positive coping strategies instead of reacting with frustration or outbursts. This suggests yoga can be a helpful tool for teaching young children how to regulate their emotions and respond to stress in healthier ways.

Cognitive Improvements in Child Development

In addition to emotional well-being, yoga also supports cognitive development. It helps kids strengthen their ability to focus, process emotions and make thoughtful decisions—skills that are valuable both in and out of the classroom.

Supports Self-Regulation and Impulse Control

Yoga can help children redirect their energy in positive ways, especially during stressful or overwhelming moments. This can be especially beneficial for kids who struggle with attention, impulsivity or aggressive behaviors. Over time, yoga may improve self-regulation, increase emotional awareness and reduce disruptive patterns that get in the way of learning.

Boosts Memory and Learning

Yoga’s blend of movement, breathwork, and focused attention isn’t just calming, it actually stimulates both hemispheres of the brain. Studies show that this mind-body approach can strengthen memory, sharpen cognitive processing and support executive functions like attention and decision-making.

Encourages Mindfulness and Reflection

Yoga helps kids slow down and become more aware of their thoughts. This cultivates a habit of pausing before reacting, which supports better problem-solving and emotional regulation.

If you're interested in introducing yoga to the young people in your life, there are great opportunities coming up! Check out the Children's Foundations Workshop and Mini Yogis Camps this August—designed to equip both kids and adults with the tools to practice and share yoga in meaningful, age-appropriate ways.