OUR PHILOSOPHY:
We think children are pretty amazing and passionately believe that the combination of simple yoga movements with imaginative stories can help to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing. We want children to spend time with Ommie so that they can enjoy magical stories and be active at the same time, enjoying all the benefits of yoga in a simple, fun and interactive way. We don’t want children to think yoga is boring, we want to teach and entertain children so that they want to spend time with Ommie. Ultimately we think they should become the ‘experts’ deciding when and how much yoga they do. That also means your time isn’t tied up for hours on end.
• To make yoga relevant for children. Yoga shouldn’t be difficult to do or to fit into the daily routine. Via different Ommie stories some longer, some shorter, children can learn how yoga can be simple to do every day and start to experience the benefits.
• To be an ethical business. We want to be a responsible company, being open and honest in everything we do. We want to be sustainable and to minimise our negative impact on the environment whenever possible.
• To help less fortunate children. It’s early days yet and we’re still getting our business off the ground, however, as part of making a fair and reasonable profit, we firmly believe that we should give something back to those children who are less fortunate than our own. THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR CHILDREN:
Children today are so busy! Whether getting to grips with tons of new ideas, or coping with tests at school, making new friendships or perhaps repairing old ones, growing up can be complicated and sometimes stressful. That’s why we think learning yoga in a fun, interactive way can help them to lead balanced, happier lives. We’re not the only ones who think yoga for children is a good idea. In schools, where yoga is already part of the daily curriculum, teachers have observed that children are able to concentrate better and experience less stress. Yoga helps to:
• promote physical strength and enhances flexibility1
• refine balance and improve co-ordination2
• improve focus and concentration3
• boost self-esteem and confidence4
• strengthen the mind/body connection5
• equip children with tools for a more balanced life6
WHY OMMIE? We are parents too. Our mission is to positively impact children through the benefits of yoga, equipping them with tools that will enable them to lead a more balanced and happy life. The common thread in all our stories is the lead character Ommie, who takes children on adventures which are all based on mindfulness principles, as well as respect for others and our environment. We found that children responded better to a ‘character’ helping them with the yoga postures and telling them the story. The aim of each story, as well as to teach new yoga postures, is to help them to understand happiness doesn’t have to be “purchased”, it can come from within and by simply enjoying the world around them. Our books are aimed at children aged 3 to 8 years. However, we know of a few older ones who love spending time with Ommie too, so there’s no real age limit!
