Benefits of Yoga Bingo
The game that we now know as Bingo has been around since at least the 16th century, when a version of it, Lo Giuoco Del Lotto D’Italia, was widely played in Italy. The game had spread to the rest of Europe, including the UK, via France and Germany, by the 19th century and remains popular to this day.
But what gives this simple game its incredible staying power? Well, for one, it is simple to learn and fun to play. But research has also shown that playing Bingo also has benefits for mental well-being.
The game requires focus and concentration, as well as good hand-to-eye coordination, and playing regularly is an excellent way to exercise and improve these skills for all generations.
Another advantage is that the format of the game can be adapted for educational purposes. Bingo games are regularly used in the teaching of mathematics and foreign languages to practise verb forms, multiplication tables, and more.
But here we’ll be looking at another adaptation of the game, one that will bring both physical and mental benefits to the players; Yoga Bingo. The idea of combining what was originally a western gambling game with an ancient Eastern physical, mental and spiritual practice might seem odd at first, but read on to learn the surprising benefits of this unexpected union.
What is Yoga Bingo?
Yoga Bingo is a fun activity for all ages and abilities. It’s especially suitable as an introduction to Yoga for kids and beginners as it can be used to introduce and practise a variety of poses to groups of all sizes.
Although yoga bingo would be based on the traditional game, one would expect traditional bingo sayings from the original game would be revised/refined when playing the yoga version. And, of course, you would be right.
Each participant is given a yoga bingo "ticket" with pictures of Yoga poses on it. The caller has flashcards with the poses, and calls out the names as well. Any participant who has that pose on their board attempts to complete it before marking it off.
The Benefits of Yoga Bingo
The practice of the ancient spiritual art of Yoga in any format, individually or in groups, has well-documented benefits for both mind and body and these include;
- Improving flexibility
- Strengthening the muscle
- Improved posture
- Body awareness
- Coordination
But using the Yoga format also brings its own additional benefits. It’s a fun exercise that can be used to break up the traditional format of a Yoga class, as well as help the members learn and practise the poses. It can also be used as a quick daily activity for all members of the family, from kids to grandparents, to practise mindfulness and physical exercise together.
In a Yoga class setting, the interactive element helps to reinforce what the students have learned as they concentrate on matching the images on their cards with the names being called by the instructor.
Research into cognitive development and the power of the mind have shown that learning is an interactive process rather than the passive one, it is treated as in the majority of educational establishments. Any way learners can physically interact with material, helps improve both integration and recall of that material into the mental processes. And Yoga Bingo certainly fits the bill!
Yoga Bingo also helps exercise visual discrimination, and motor planning skills as participants must identify and plan their movements from visual prompts rather than the orally delivered instructions of the trainer.
As you can see, Yoga Bingo is a fun, beneficial activity that can be used to practise mindfulness and improve the mental and physical well-being of participants of all ages.
