Yoga for kids

By: Jennifer Howe

Click here to join a discussion with other local moms about yoga for children.

Pinellas County, Florida - Master Mehrdad Moayedi has been studying martial arts since he was 3 and has won several, prestigious competitions.

But he dials down the energy from time to time to share his skills with less competitive students. He's teaching yoga to preschoolers.

He believes it's the foundation they need before they pick up a bat, a ball or a pencil.

"The kids do need discipline and at the same time, they need direction," Mehrdad says. "You have to make it fun and they have to look at you as you are their role models."

Yoga helps to strengthen joints and tendons and prepares them for sports and other group activities.

It also teaches them how to control their bodies, and their reactions to stress.

Amber Thomas says she can already see a difference in her high-spirited son.

“Three deep breaths and he calms down,” she says. “And he's able to talk to me about whatever's upsetting him, and it really helps."

Mary Patty Price says she enrolled her son, Riley, when he had trouble controlling his energy level in class.

“And we were like, OK let's start him in and see what happens, Mary Patty Price says. “And a week later, his teacher said he was night and day. Absolutely night and day. He had more focus. He knew what to do with his energy. He knew when to exert his energy and when not to exert his energy."