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Strategies: A Journal for Physical and Sport

Educators
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Dogs, Cats, and Kids: Integrating Yoga into

Elementary Physical Education
a b
Lisa Toscano & Fran Clemente
a
Physical Education and Human Performance Department , Manhattan College
b
Newmark High School in Carteret , NJ
Published online: 18 Jan 2013.

To cite this article: Lisa Toscano & Fran Clemente (2008) Dogs, Cats, and Kids: Integrating Yoga into Elementary Physical
Education, Strategies: A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators, 21:4, 15-18, DOI: 10.1080/08924562.2008.10590779

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Downloaded by [University of Southern Queensland] at 11:52 11 October 2014
Dogs, Cats, and Kids:
Integrating Yoga into
Elementary Physical Education
By Lisa Toscano and Fran Clemente
Integrating yoga into elementary physical education classes
offers new movement possibilities for a wider group of stu-
dents than traditional sports and fitness classes. Taught as
warm-up exercises or as an entire class, yoga offers children
of any age and physical ability the opportunity to experience
success in physical activity. Children need to experience joy
while participating in physical activity in order to build a
foundation for lifelong wellness.
Yoga is a sophisticated system for achieving radiant
physical health, superb mental clarity and therefore peace
of mind (Schiffmann, 1996). Most commonly yoga is re-
garded as a physical discipline, one that teaches strength,
flexibility, and balance as integrated rather than isolated
components of fitness. A physical yoga practice consists of
exercises called postures or asanas that strengthen, stretch,
and align the body. The brilliance of an asana practice lies
in its mindful execution, not in how far you can go in each
pose (Finger, 2000). Each posture requires combining the
mind, body, and breathing practices. The mental and emo-
tional components are a natural result when the body is
exercised in an integrated manner. According to Bersma
& Visscher (2003), children are natural yogis. Taking a mo-
ment to breathe, relax, or stretch will leave students calm,
March/April 2008
alert, and ready to learn. Therefore, yoga can be used as a
warm-up or as the class itself. Short yoga exercises are also
a welcome break or pick-me-up in a classroom setting. Low
impact and non-competitive yoga can become an ideal life-
long exercise and should be an activity that is part of every
physical education curriculum.
Adding yoga to a school’s curriculum will help to pro-
vide a quality physical education program consistent with
the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE,
2004). In addition to these six standards, the integration of
yoga into elementary physical education is also supported
by Appropriate Practices for Elementary School Physical Education
(NASPE, 2000).
Teaching Children not Activities
Yoga is an individual practice, not a game or competition.
According to the National Standards for Physical Education
(NASPE, 2004), young children should engage in a variety
of physical activities that help promote physical fitness. Yoga
creates opportunities for children to explore movement with
a variety of postures that can be fun and challenging. These
postures are an exploration of body movements, which en-
able more students to participate without the pressure of
STRATEGIES 15
 winning or losing. As students develop an awareness of the
relationships between activity and its immediate and identi-
fiable effects on the body, regular participation in physical
activity enhances the physical and psychological health of
the body, social opportunities and relationships, and quality
of life (NASPE, 2004).
Physical Benefits
Yoga is a physical discipline. Doing the asanas will strength-
en, stretch, and align the body. After practicing the asanas
with care and awareness, one can tone and condition the
body. The benefits of this physical practice include the de-
velopment of long lean muscles, better posture, improved
breathing, enhanced digestion, better circulation, a relaxed
nervous system, and a fortified immune system (Finger,
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2000). A physical practice can be adapted to whatever the
student requires. Age, body type, flexibility, or skill aptitude
need not prevent anyone from enjoying the benefits of yoga.
Practicing yoga at a young age shows children how to em-
phasize proper body alignment, which increases their ability
to use their muscles and joints more efficiently.
Additionally, yoga can be adapted for any age group.
Children ages 2-6 love to role play and pretend and usually
have short attention spans. Moving from poses quickly with
music or in some game activity is a fun way to teach yoga
while developing flexibility, strength, balance, and posture.
At ages 7-11 children are usually gaining more control of
their movement and will generally show some marked im-
provement as they practice the asanas. Yoga is not mechani-
cal, and connecting breath to movement will enable chil-
dren to bring a creative expression to their postures. The
key is to keep the activity fun and free from expectations,
(Wenig, 2003).
Emotional and Mental Benefits
Modern day life has not only created stress and pressure for
adults, but also for children. Pressure in school, busy par-
ents, fast-paced video games, competitive sports, and the de-
mands of an overly active world are all contributing factors
to a child’s stress level. Teaching yoga to children can help
them learn to relax, teach self control, and instill a sense of
peace in their daily lives. Marsha Wenig (2003) the president
and founder of YogaKids, believes yoga can counter the pres-
sures of this fast-paced society and help children quiet their
minds. In addition, learning a breathing practice can help
children see that the mind and body are connected. Breath
control is an important aspect of yoga. Children who prac-
tice yoga learn to connect their breath to movement. Yoga
teaches them calmness and inward focus, which is a valuable
skill they can apply throughout their entire life.
Furthermore, yoga is a great mental discipline. Practic-
ing the postures or asanas requires an attention to detail
16 STRATEGIES
that helps develop focus, concentration, and observation
skills (Finger, 2000). It promotes self-discipline and devel-
ops inner strength, which improves an individual’s mental
outlook. It also encourages children’s creative imagination
and self expression.
Connection to Other Activities
Practicing yoga is a wonderful complement to other activi-
ties in a physical education program. According to Finger
(2000), the flexibility, total body strength, and clear focus
that yoga creates are ideal for all sport activities. Increased
reaction times, respiratory endurance, and muscle strength
are additional benefits (Finger, 2000). As an example of its
effectiveness, yoga has been added to many professional
sports teams’ fitness programs to help keep their athletes
injury free.
Sequencing a Class
In a yoga class for children the teacher not only instructs,
but also guides and helps them relax and enjoy themselves.
The class format includes poses, movement with breath,
anatomy, breathing techniques, and music. Following are
the suggested different poses for an elementary yoga class.
Sun Salutations. Inhale arms over head, ex-
hale forward, and bend from hips (bend knees
if needed to emphasize correct posture). Inhale
half way to a flat back, exhale forward bend. In-
hale sweep arms up over head, exhale namaste
(palms together). Repeat three times.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Stand tall
with big toes together and heels about an inch
apart. Activate thighs by pulling quadriceps up
toward hips. Let arms hang down by sides with
fingers pointing down. Relax shoulder blades
down your back.
Standing Moving Meditation. Inhale arms over head, ex-
hale arms back to side. Connect breath to movement. Close
eyes and repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Up Cat. Begin on all fours with
wrists under shoulders and knees un-
der hips. Fingers face forward and are
spread wide. On an inhale, curl toes into
the ground and rotate tailbone to the sky
while lifting chest through shoulders and curve spine into a
smoothly arched backbend. Lift chest away from waist and
slide shoulder blades down the back. Look slightly upward.
Down Cat. Breathe in deeply. While
exhaling, tuck tailbone down and under
and pull abdominal muscles backward
toward the spine. Press firmly down with
hands to stay lifted out of the shoulders
and press the middle of back to the sky, rounding the spine up-
March/April 2008
 ward. Curl head inward and look at the floor between knees.
Warrior Series. There are three variations to the War-
rior series which should be taught and practiced in the fol-
lowing sequence:
Warrior 2. Spread feet about four
feet apart and begin on the right side by
turning right foot so it points to the right.
Turn left toes so that they are parallel to
the back of the mat and draw an imaginary
line from the heel of the left foot to the
middle of the right arch. Bend left knee into a right angle
so the thigh is parallel to the ground. Stretch out arms and
look over the index and middle finger of the left hand. Re-
lax shoulders and hold for three breaths. Switch feet and
repeat on the other side.
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Warrior 1. Turn hips to the front of
the mat and bend left leg (front leg) into
a right angle. The right foot (back foot)
should be hip distance wide and pointing
to eleven o’clock. Raise hands over head.
Push into the small toe side of the back
leg and bend the front leg deeper. Hold for three breaths.
Switch feet and repeat on the other side.
Warrior 3. From Warrior 2, shift
weight onto front foot and pick back foot
up so that it is parallel to the ground.
Stretch back leg behind and flex the back
foot. Put arms out in a “T” position like
airplane wings. Keep both legs straight
and strong with a micro bend in the front leg. Hold for three
breaths. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Triangle Pose. Begin in Warrior 2 pose with right leg for-
ward and straighten the right leg. Press down evenly with both
feet and draw quadriceps up and into hips. Place left hand on
hip and stretch right leg. Reach forward with the right hand
and tilt upper body forward while moving hips backwards.
Drop right hand to right leg and raise left arm up. If it is com-
fortable, turn head to gaze toward left hand. Hold for three
breaths. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Tree Pose. Begin
standing with hands in
namaste position. Lift
right foot and bend
right knee. Press foot
against the inside of
left leg, either on the calf or above the knee on the inner
thigh. Raise arms up over head and spread arms wide like
the branches of a tree. Hold for three breaths. Switch legs
and repeat on the other side.
Baby Cobra. Lie on stomach and gently squeeze legs
together. Put hands under shoulders with fingertips point-
ing straight ahead. Exhale completely. While inhaling, raise
March/April 2008
chest and head off the floor without using hands. Hold for
two breaths and lower chest and head to the ground. Repeat
three times.
Cobra. Full cobra begins like baby
cobra. While lifting head and chest off
the ground, push hands into the ground
to lift higher. Legs rotate inward and
all ten toes stay on the ground. Shoul-
ders rotate back and down and thighs are active but stay on
the ground.
Upward Dog. Upward dog is the
next level in the cobra series. From full
cobra, push toe nails into the ground
and lift thighs off the ground. Rotate
shoulders back and down, activate
quadriceps, and tuck tail bone. Engage the core muscles
by pulling stomach up and in toward spine. Hold for two
breaths, lower chest and head to the ground. Repeat two or
three times.
Camel Pose. Kneel
on the floor with legs and
knees hip-width apart.
Press the tops of feet into
the floor and push thighs
forward. Bring hands to
lower back, point fingers upward. Inhale and exhale for
a few breaths, extending the rib cage and broadening the
chest. To add more challenge, curls toes and bring hands to
your heels. Head can extend back or tuck into chest.
Child’s Pose. Begin by bending knees
and sit down on heels. Open knees slight-
ly so stomach can relax between thighs.
Bend at the hips and fold forward, letting
shoulder blades relax away from ears. Let
arms rest beside with the back of arms
on the ground and palms facing upward. Place forehead on
the ground.
Extended Child’s Pose (Extended Seal Pose). Using the
same body position as child’s pose, extend arms forward in
front with palms facing downward.
Dandasana. Sit on the floor with legs
stretched straight out in front. Flex feet while
engaging quadriceps back toward hips and
lengthen spine.
Seated Twist. Starting in Dandasana,
bend right knee into chest while engag-
ing the muscles of the left quadriceps and
flexing the left foot. Lift left arm on an
inhale. On the exhale hug right knee with
left arm and place right hand directly behind.
Savasana. Lie on back with feet out to the sides and
palms about six inches from body with palms facing up.
STRATEGIES 17
 Breathing
An important part of yoga training is breathing. Breathing
is part of what separates yoga from other forms of exercise.
Traditionally considered the primary carrier of prana or
life force, our breathing originates deep inside of us, radi-
ates outward and then inward, providing a steady rhythm
for movement (Schiffman, 1996). The breath brings the
poses to life and establishes the tone of our practice. Our
breath oxygenates the organs, muscles, and cells of the body
and calms the nervous system. According to Bersma & Viss-
cher (2003), when children are rowdy or listless they can
be calmed down or brightened up with breathing exercises.
Children should be taught the basics at the start of class.
These are: 1) breathe slowly and deeply; 2) breathe in and
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out through the nose; 3) use complete breaths by expanding
the stomach, chest, and lungs on the inhale and by emptying
the lungs, chest, and stomach on the exhale; and 4) move
into extension on the inhale and flexion on the exhale.
Conclusion
Yoga offers new movement possibilities to a wider group of
students than traditional sports or fitness curriculum, mak-
ing it a valuable addition to any elementary physical educa-
tion program. Additionally, adding yoga to a school’s curric-
ulum will help provide a quality physical education program
18 STRATEGIES
consistent with the National Standards for Physical Educa-
tion (NASPE, 2004). It can be taught as either a warm-up, or
as the entire class, and offers children of all ages and abili-
ties the opportunity to experience success in physical activ-
ity, which can help build a foundation for lifelong wellness.
References
Bersma, D. & Visscher, M. (2003). Yoga games for children:
Fun and fitness with postures, movements and breaths. California:
Hunter House.
Finger, A. (2000). Introduction to yoga: A beginners guide to health,
fitness and relaxation. New York, NY: Three River Press.
National Association for Sport and Physical Education, (2000).
Appropriate Practices for Elementary School Physical Education. Reston, VA.
National Association for Sport and Physical Education, (2004).
Moving into the future: National Standards for Physical Education. 2nd
edition. Reston, VA.
Schiffmann, E., (1996). Yoga: The spirit and practice of moving
into stillness. New Yourk, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Weing, M. (2003). Yoga kids: Educating the whole child through
yoga. New York, NY: La Martiere Group.
Lisa Toscano is an assistant professor in the Physical Education
and Human Performance Department at Manhattan College.
Fran Clemente is the principal of Newmark High School in Car-
teret, NJ.
March/April 2008