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many adults have taken up yoga, but yoga has not gained as the same popularity with children. Child yoga can offer many of the same benefits to kids as it does to adults.

What can yoga offer your child?

A healthier body Childhood obesity is on the rise and one of the main reasons for it is that kids today do not move enough. Yoga is a powerful technique for children to begin moving their bodies in ways that feel good and help them look good. Even if your child is of normal weight, yoga can help her become stronger, gain endurance and flexibility. If your child is involved in another sport, a regular yoga practice is a great cross training activity and it may help him reduce the risk of injuries.

The ability to control stress Today's children are under enormous stress. They are often over scheduled, they face tough competition in school, they have to deal with peer pressure, and they are trying to find their way in the world. This combination can cause children to become stressed out. Yoga can help your child learn how to relax. When your child learns how to control her breathing and relax during her practice, she can then apply this to her world when she encounters challenging situations.

Increased self-esteem Yoga is a non-competitive activity. Yet it does offer your child the ability to master challenging poses (especially as he gets older). Your child can feel good about his increasing ability without having to worry about how he compares to everyone else. This experience of success can help your child feel more confident in his ability to be successful in other things too.

Greater concentration
The breathing and inward focus that is a main component of any yoga practice can help your child learn to focus his mind more effectively. A number of studies have shown that many children who practice yoga, especially those with problems such as adhd, are able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

What is a child yoga program like?
The main focus of a child yoga program is on fun. Often the children will pretend to be the animal for which the pose is named. For instance, when they are doing Cat Pose, they become the cat and may even meow. If they are doing Downward Facing Dog with their butts high in the air, they will often bark, as they become the dog. The children are encouraged to fully participate in and enjoy the 'game of yoga.' Sometimes the instructor will create an entire story about the poses that the children are in so as to make the class interesting and to fully engage them. The children don't realize how much they are benefiting from the practice; the only thing they know is that they are having a good time.

Practicing yoga at home with your child.
While child yoga classes are wonderful, they are often hard to find. Depending on where you live, you might not be able to find a place to take your child. Don't fret. There are a number of excellent videos and books that you can get which will help you become your child's yoga teacher.

*Find a spot in your home where you have room to move freely.

*Establish an atmosphere of fun.

*Put on the video and do the poses together, hopefully with lots of giggles sprinkled in.

*Pick out some poses from a book that you can do have your child choose some of the them.

*When doing the relaxation exercise, talk your child through it by describing a warm, inviting place such as a quiet field near a bubbling brook with butterflies and singing birds. Use your imagination to create a safe and friendly space and help your child experience it in his imagination.

Child yoga is an enjoyable activity that can provide major benefits to your child. It will help her grow stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally and she'll have a lot of fun too!

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.

David Walker continues his review of the January transfer window and how the moves will impact each teams success, or survival at the end of the 2005/06 season.

Everton
After spending the early part of the season facing a relegation battle the only reinforcements came in the form of Alan Stubbs, joining from Sunderland for his second spell at the club.

Two players have left the club Marcus Bent to Charlton and Per Kroldrup to Fiorentina. The Danish defender arrived in a 5 million switch from Udinese but returned to italy for substantially less after making just one league appearance.

At 10 points clear, Everton look safe from the drop but you may be tempted by the 33/1 relegation odds.

Fulham
Fulham are battling against relegation and have made five new signings. Goalkeepers Tony Warner and Antti Niemi joined from Cardiff and Southampton respectively while New Zealand international Simon Elliott arrived from Columbus Crew. Defender Wayne Bridge and midfielder Michael Brown joined from chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur on loan.

Without an away win all season, Fulhams strength and key to survival lies in their form at Craven Cottage. 26 of the 29 points accumulated have come from home wins and manager Chris Coleman will need to keep up this momentum. Fulham can be backed at 14/1 for relegation.

liverpool
Third in the table and a favourable draw in the Champions league has seen further recruits arrive at Anfield. Defender Jan Kromkamp arrived in a swap deal from Villarreal which saw Josemi return to Spain while Danish defender Daniel Agger cost 5.8 million from Brondby.

A host of fringe players left on loan deals but all transfers were eclipsed by the return of striker Robbie Fowler, five years after leaving Anfield. Fowler scored 120 goals in 236 premiership matches for the Reds previously and with Manchester United wobbling, liverpool could eclipse them in second position. They are three points behind in third but have two games in hand. Rafa Benitezs side can be backed at 6/5 to win the premiership in the without Chelsea market.

Manchester City
Following a blistering start to the season, City are sitting comfortably in tenth position. manager Stuart Pearce will not stand for half measures and has motivated his side into three wins out of their last four matches, including a 3-1 derby win over bitter rivals United.

Pearce has boosted the ranks with the 6 million signing of Greek striker Georgios Samaras from Heerenveen after allowing Robbie Fowler to rejoin liverpool and the loan capture of Espanyol midfielder Alberto Riera. Pearces managerial qualities have not gone unnoticed and he is quoted at 20/1 to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson as the next England boss.

Manchester United
The former premiership powerhouses have been exposed yet again this season as being nowhere near chelsea in terms of results, consistency and strength in depth. However, the Glaziers sanctioned the arrivals of Spartak moscow defender Nemanja Vidic Spartak for 7 million and 5.5 million signing Patrice Evra.

A dire spell in Europe has seen them with the Carling cup one of their only chances of silverware this season although Sir Alex Fergusons side are still 5/6 favourites for the premiership without Chelsea. Strike duo Ruud van Nistelrooy is 5/6 and Wayne Rooney 10/1 to top the premiership scoring charts.

Middlesbrough
One of the pre season outsiders for a top four position, Middlesbrough are now staring relegation square in the face. Boro have won just once in their last 10 premiership outings and that was away at rock bottom Sunderland.

No players arrived in January although Szilard Nemeth left for Strasbourg. One of the few bright spots, striker Yakubu, can be backed at 16/1 to top the premiership goalscoring chart while speculative punters may fancy the 13/2 on offer of relegation.

newcastle United
manager Graham Souness became the latest premiership managerial casualty after recently losing five of their last six league matches. With just 36 wins in his 83 matches in charge the club are hovering six points above the drop zone.

big money arrivals Michael Owen and Alberto Luque failied to ignite an expected charge for European football and former West Ham manager Glenn Roeder and Alan Shearer have taken over the reigns temporarily. Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is the 9/2 favourite to take over permanently and despite a poor run of form the Magpies remain 20/1 outsiders for relegation.

The third and final part of the review will look at transfers involving Portsmouth, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United and Wigan Athletic.