Whether they’re permanently attached to their favourite device or studying hard for exams, there’s no denying that children today lead busy lives. As adults, embracing conscious living by practicing yoga is a lifestyle choice that many of us make to calm the frenetic pace of life – and it can benefit children, too. As the fastest growing fitness activity, it’s little wonder yoga has picked up a burgeoning group of young followers.
London’s TRIYOGA is one of the city’s premiere destinations for children’s yoga. With 15 years’ experience teaching youngsters, Annie Carpenter is an expert on little yogis. Today, she practices in Chelsea. “Yoga is an excellent practice for children” she explains. “It can increase their coordination, concentration, self-awareness and self-esteem, whilst boosting stamina and developing good posture. It is a wonderful tool for both body and mind.”
Yoga is also a great stress and anxiety alleviator. “By practising yoga and mindfulness in a safe environment, they can learn tools to calm down, slow down and feel better when they are sad or upset. For instance, gentle breathing exercises like blowing their sad feelings away in a balloon, or using a breathing buddy to relax them, are fantastic techniques.”
While travelling it’s important to maintain both you and your child’s fitness routines, with a wealth of Rocco Forte Hotels recognising the importance of wellbeing for our younger and older guests. At Munich’s The Charles Hotel, the Spa has an exceptional program of special classes and treatments for children. From yoga or Pilates personal training to chill-out massages and mini makeovers, you can treat your family to a range of extraordinary wellness experiences whether they’re seasoned yogis or new to the practice.
Children are adaptable and take to yoga incredibly quickly. “Kids live in the moment”, Annie reveals. “They tend not to worry if they are doing it exactly right, or if they can't do it. They just throw themselves in and play. Yoga is non-competitive, so there are no set levels or grading that they have to achieve - just whatever their bodies can do that day.”
Image credits:
iStock/FatCamera
This year, there's a quieter approach to wellness emerging. Something gentler. Wellbeing that requires no instruction, that can be woven effortlessly into daily life and sustained, or improved, while on holiday. The kind that leaves you feeling restored without quite knowing when it happened. Wellness that happens around you rather than to you.
The sound comes first - the soft thud of a well-struck ball, rising into a clear blue Sicilian sky. Ahead, fairways unfold in undulating greens towards the blue calm of the Mediterranean. The air is warm, perfumed with orange blossom and sea salt. There’s no rush, only a meditative rhythm: swing, step, breathe and repeat, interrupted only by the sound of waves.
In Sicily, family is both foundation and compass. It shapes the way people live, a framework for generosity that extends beyond bloodlines. To be welcomed here is to be drawn into that circle, to share in the easy warmth of belonging.
