5 Love Languages of Yoga with Kids

Written by A. Simon - October 2019

Copyright - Minnesota Kid’s Yoga Co. LLC

Many of you have already heard of “the 5 love languages.”

I was recently re-reading a book that has been on my shelf for many years. The book is titled, “The 5 Love Languages of Children” written by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell. Chapman, also wrote New York Times’ best seller, “The 5 Love Languages” for adults. As an elementary teacher, the kids version of these books was extremely compelling to me! As stated in both books, we all have love languages that speak to us. All humans need their buckets full in order to function successfully. When our buckets are empty, we feel lost, broken, ignored, and even unimportant. Kids need to know they are loved, even more-so than adults. With that said, how can these languages be filled through yoga? Let’s dive in…

PHYSICAL TOUCH

This is a language that is often challenging, especially for teachers, to convey with kids. We are in an era where physical touch isn’t always appropriate. However, for kids that need this love language, it is vital! Yoga (especially partner yoga) is a perfect platform in which physical movement and cooperative teamwork creates natural opportunities to meet it. Many kids’ yoga teachers incorporate partner yoga poses where two children are met with a challenge of forming a pose united. Poses such as Tree Pose with hands-held, Down Dog with hands overlapping, or Boat Pose with the soles of feet together are three great examples. For some kids, this contact can be uncomfortable at first. However, I have found that kids begin to warm up to the concept, and ultimately have a lot of fun with it! Teens in particular, like to giggle initially, but they soon realize the unique bonding experience, and admire the trust level that comes with partner yoga.

When we think about sports such as partner-figure-skating, team-gymnastics, dance, hockey, football, or wrestling; contact happens non-stop. In some of these sports, the contact is not always kind or inviting; however, kids learn safe ways to prevail. In yoga, partner poses build this same level of trust and commitment. Kids enjoy thinking of new ways to balance together. Further, their love language is met through a healthy movement!

AFFIRMATIONS

As a teacher, we are constantly teaching kids to speak words of kindness. Further, teachers share words of encouragement with their students daily! Parents learn to give affirmations to kids as well, especially in moments of pride or in moments of nurturing. Affirmations are vital to build kids’ awareness to their unique talents and abilities. In yoga, kids learn to build each other up through kind words. Many competitive sports now days tear kids down, or worse, cut them from a team completely. When kids practice yoga at a young age, they practice saying kind words to friends or classmates each time they go to their mat. The more they practice this skill, the more it becomes their innate personality.

QUALITY TIME

As media, job expectations, and after school activities continue to require more and more time spent away from family, kids who need this love language may feel more alone than ever before. However, yoga classes sprinkled into a school day, or yoga performed in the living room with one’s family, is an easy way to build-in quality time, and further, requires no money and little-to-no effort!

When kids practice yoga with their classmates at school it creates a unique bonding experience. Yoga demands one’s full attention as well as develops mindfulness strategies. When teachers do yoga with their students, they are proving to their students that they are human too. In contrast to standing as an authority figure at the front of the room, when a teacher does yoga (and even falls in different yoga poses) they share a vulnerable side to them, one in which kids can connect with!

Also, when families do yoga together, it creates moments of comfort. When kids see mom/dad trying something new, while also choosing to spend quality moments with them, they feel valued and special — filling their buckets right…on…up!

THE GIFT OF SELF-ESTEEM

If you are familiar with The 5 Love Languages series, then you know that the love language of “gifts” is actually a material item, whereas I am explaining it as an emotional item instead. When kids do yoga, they learn to accept, and honor their bodies as is. They also learn about gratitude and joy.

When kids do yoga next to peers, they learn to accept each other’s gifts, rather than critique them, or become envious of them. A well-trained, knowledgeable kid’s yoga teacher, understands the importance behind teaching kids these morals. More so, great kids’ yoga teachers make sure to remind kids of these morals during each and every class!

ACTS OF SERVICE

In yoga, kids learn a lot about kindness. Through yoga and mindfulness lessons, kids capture the understanding of kindness towards others, which goes beyond their mats. Further, kids learn that when they go out of their way to do nice things for people (ex. donate time to a local shelter, help a classmate with a worksheet, bake cookies for a neighbor, etc.) they feel love and joy themself. Generosity and doing kind acts of service to anyone who needs it, not only fills a child’s love bucket, but further, it’s a great way to teach them how to be caring, selfless human beings — which, they will carry with them for the rest of their life!

Lastly, if your child needs to receive an act of service to feel loved, something as simple as assisting them as they learn a new pose, or helping them roll up their mat can be effective. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference.

In conclusion, if you are a parent or teacher, looking for ways to help your children feel happier and more loved, try teaching them yoga! Even if they don’t like yoga initially, at least you made an effort to help fill their bucket, and who knows, maybe it was just what they needed after all!

Print a FREE Minnesota Kid’s Yoga Co.’s 5 Love Languages of Yoga with Kids cheat-sheet here.

*Please note, some of the languages were changed slightly to fit the needs of this blog article!