Effectiveness of Kids Yoga to Physical Development in Pre-school Children at Salawan School, Tambon Salaya, Nakhon-Pathom

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Kids Yoga to Physical Development inPre-School Children. The subjects were Thai children aged between three to five years old, who study inthe Pre-School class, Salawan School, Tambon Salaya, Phuthamonthon, Nakhon-Pathom. Randomized Trialsare experiments with division into intervention and control groups. There are 10 subjects for each group.The intervention group receives the Kids Yoga program 2 times a week for 12 weeks, and the controlgroup does not receive the Kids Yoga program. This study collected 3 times outcome data at baseline, afterintervention 6 weeks and 12 weeks. The data analyses were performed on Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test andMan Whitney U test. There was no significant interaction in baseline characteristics of gender, age, muscleflexibility, balance and coordination between the intervention group and control group.The results showed that the children who practiced Kid Yoga for 12 weeks, the intervention group,changes of flexibility and balance score were significantly higher than those of children who did notpractice Kids Yoga in the control group (p < 0.05) and (p < 0.001) respectively. Whereas coordination showedno statistically significant change (p = 0.89).Within 12 weeks, the Pre-school aged children which practiced Kids Yoga had better physical health inflexibility and balance; no changes in the coordination were noticeable. The results of this study may havean advantage in schools and communities to help prepare students for healthy living. However, future studiesshould evaluate the satisfaction and behavior change of children and to promote the Kids Yoga trainingas an alternative form of physical education for pre-school children.