In this day and age, in my opinion, there is not enough time for children to play. Between school, extra mural activities, siblings, work, relationships, life seems busier than ever. It seems to me that play time actually needs to be scheduled in to the days activities. Play time allows little muscles to grow, to strengthen, to build stamina, build core strength and to move. And with less play time there is less time for the body to move. Monkey bars, hanging upside down, cartwheels and handstands are almost like a lost art form but it needs not to be! Children need to grow into their muscles and keep moving freely.
And this is where Pilates for children comes in.
And I use the word Pilates a little loosely, as what I teach in my kiddie-lates classes is ‘Pilates based movement exercises’. Focusing on strengthening muscles, building stamina, encouraging them to trust their bodies, and allow them to do what they have been designed to do.
Move. And Play.
Utilising the Pilates exercises like rolling like a ball, single leg stretch, double leg stretch and plank just to name a few, and bringing them into a playful format where children don’t even realise that they are ‘working’ their bodies’. Challenging their bodies, and their beliefs in themselves, with exercises like head stands and balance work. We work with props too, bean bags, big Pilates balls, small Pilates balls, foam rollers which creates even more of an element of fun.
The classes are 30 minutes long and includes a game at the end of the session, and this game is again, building on muscles, co-ordination, balance and proprioception. This session gives them 30 minutes to play and to move freely without the restrictions that we set upon them.
What fascinates me most about Pilates is that you strengthen without even realising it. Such a subtle change in the body, that one day you are unable to do a particular movement and two months down line, you are doing it with ease. And that is with just coming once a week for thirty minutes! Mind boggling! The body is truly a wonderful thing to behold.
Pilates for children is a safe space for children to play, to learn and to move their bodies. I would highly recommend that the instructor that your child goes too, is a trained Pilates professional, works well and can build a rapport with children.
Pilates is beneficial for any age, it is a safe movement practise where you teach your body to move correctly, utilising the correct muscles in a particular movement without extra energy expenditure on incorrect muscle usage, increasing flexibility with mobilising and challenging proprioception with balance control. It truly is a full body workout
Lets keep our children moving, Freely, Fully and Fabulously!