Kids Planet Church Walk hosts outdoor yoga session

On Tuesday 19^th November afternoon, Kids Planet Leeds Church Walk located just off Kirkgate in the city centre, teamed up with local yogi, Helen Anderson of Flow with Helen, to highlight the importance of outdoor activity and mindfulness for young children, especially in the colder and darker winter months.

Following research showing that 62 per cent of parents in the Leeds area believe time outdoors promotes wellbeing and mental health in young children, the toddlers and parents took to the space to learn new skills and embrace the fresh air, despite the snow.

Held in the welcoming outdoor space of the Leeds Church Walk setting, the session introduced children to the benefits of being outdoors, which include improved mood and overall wellbeing. A recent study from the nursery group found that nearly three quarters of parents (74%) think fresh air improved physical health and ability, and over two thirds (62%) of parents in the local area think time outdoors improves mental wellbeing.

Helen Anderson, the yoga instructor on the day, expressed her excitement to be part of this initiative: “I’m thrilled to partner with Kids Planet to bring this special session to families. Being outside and practising mindfulness are powerful tools for managing emotions, and I can’t wait to share this experience with the local community. The session proved that we don’t need fancy equipment to take part in physical activity outdoors – just getting outside, stretching, and taking some deep breaths is enough.”

James Holding, parent at Kids Planet Church Walk, said: “My daughter absolutely loves being outside. Any time she can she wants to be outside no matter what the weather. It was one of the reasons we chose Kids Planet, because of things like this yoga day that they’ve done today. Even though it’s been snowing and a lot of people haven’t made it into work, they still ran a yoga session outside. It’s been good fun and great to see how much the kids enjoyed it.”

Kids Planet Church Walk encourages Leeds families to join in and experience the unique benefits of outdoor yoga, helping young children navigate the seasonal changes with joy and resilience. As part of their So Much More campaign, Kids Planet are hosting a number of events this winter to promote the wellbeing benefits of being outdoors – which all of its 220 nurseries ensure to do, in all weather!

Find out more about our very own outdoor learning approach called ‘Udeskole’.

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