Experience with action (i.e. verb) concepts. While practicing yoga, children get real life experience with action concepts such as “turn, reach, push, spread, extend, flip, lift,” supporting vocabulary development.
Experience with spatial (i.e. preposition) concepts. While practicing yoga, children get real life experience with spatial terms such as, “up, down, behind, in front, left, right,” supporting vocabulary development.
Experience with concepts related to time. While practicing yoga, children get practice with concepts such as “3 breaths” or “hold for 30 seconds.”
Experience with vocabulary related to breathing. Yoga teaches children how to become aware of their breath. Yoga also teaches children how to control their inhale and exhale, which improves oxygenation in the body and calms/excites the nervous system.
Repeated exposure to word combinations. While practicing yoga, children get to hear many adult models of word combinations (e.g. “lift arms up,” “spread fingers wide”), supporting grammar development.
Abstract concepts. Abstract concepts, such as courage, love, truth, authenticity, are concepts that do not have a tangible referent in the world to refer to; rather, the definition is completely formed in the mind. Yoga teaches abstract concepts by using a theme, or heart value, that is discussed throughout the entire yoga practice, supporting a child’s understanding of these abstract terms.
Decontextualized language. Decontextualized language involves using language to discuss items/events/people that are not in the present moment. For example, discussing what happened the previous day is using decontextualized language. Yoga uses supports decontextualized language by using kids’ imaginations and interweaving a theme throughout class.
