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How to Adapt Yoga for Diverse Students

Giselle · September 12, 2022 ·

Adapt Yoga for Diverse Students | Kids Yoga Stories

How to adapt yoga for diverse students? We’ve heard from our Kids Yoga Stories community about the challenges of adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs. 

We hope that by sharing each other’s tips and strategies, we can find success in bringing yoga to all children, regardless of their needs, preferences, or backgrounds. One person’s strategy or experience might be just the thing to help another educator handle a situation successfully.

The question we asked our community was: 

“What’s your #1 tip or resource for adapting yoga and mindfulness activities for children with additional or diverse needs (for example, ADHD, Autism, wheelchair use, loss of hearing, trauma, and English language learners)?”

From those responses, we’ve compiled these 5 C’s—top tips for adapting yoga for diverse needs. At the end of the day, yoga is for everyone!

We send our deepest gratitude to all the educators whose willingness to share made this resource possible.

Adapting Yoga for Children with Diverse Needs

Step One: BE CALM 

The first step in adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs is to be calm and organized. This helps to build a strong foundation in managing your own thoughts and emotions—and gives you a moment to take a pause. 

You can do this by practicing breathing exercises, taking a mindful moment to ground yourself, or being silent for a few moments to allow your mind to declutter. Taking this moment to calm your mind and body will help you connect more deeply with your students and see the miracles that arise.

Once you feel balanced and regulated, it’s important to be organized with your plans. Children love structure, and you can bring a well-organized, well-thought-out yoga program to your students to create successful experiences. 

Start simple, set expectations at the start of each yoga lesson, and set up consistent rituals/routines. All these are important components in making the children feel safe and providing them a sense of belonging.

What our Kids Yoga Stories community has to say:

Be flexible, plan ahead, and have a back up plan.
-Lisa D.

As a yoga instructor and mom to a child with epilepsy and cerebral palsy, I see firsthand how planning ahead and keeping an open mind creates a class that is accessible for all. Fortunately, my little yogi helps me plan out kids classes. When a pose is added in that she feels is difficult, I ask how we can make it work for her. I start every class with a reminder that all of our bodies move differently and each pose will take different shapes. In boat pose, it’s a simple reminder that there are row boats, sailboats, and cruise ships, all different but beautiful. In tree pose, we form a forest to help those whose balance may need a little assistance. As I watch my daughter in practice, I am constantly reminded that yoga is for every BODY.
-Erin M.

My main advice for teaching yoga, as with any other subject is to explicitly teach and model your expectations. All children, especially in this post-pandemic world, need and want to learn everything. We as educators sometimes forget that our students (not all) have missed out on many social emotional learning opportunities that happen on a daily basis in our classrooms. This is why explicitly teaching your expectations is essential, along with taking your time to master a pose before moving on to the next. I have always found that having a core of three to four poses and then rotating through new ones helps. Every student is then confident for most and learning others. This leads to confidence in the known and willingness to try new ones. My students on the spectrum (we try not to specific label any more) find comfort in the routine and knowing what is coming next. This structure and routine works well for many students, including marginalized students.
-Emma B.

Step Two: BE CURIOUS 

The second step in adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs is to get curious about which yoga and mindfulness practices would fit best. Yoga is composed of breath, meditation, mindfulness, physical postures, positive affirmations, karma yoga, and character education. There is something for everyone!

Some students might do well with breathing exercises to start with, while others might benefit from moving through some yoga poses using a chair. Others might enjoy mindfulness activities, yoga games, a quiet meditation, or acting out a yoga story.

What our Kids Yoga Stories community has to say:

Only yoga-breathing games in ages under eight and a combination of asanas, breathing, meditation, and games for older. The fact is that the most children have a lot of energy (most children with Autism) at the beginning, so it is difficult to catch their attention.
-Virginia S.

I am a behavioral health school educator and teach mindfulness lessons to elementary school students preschool through sixth. I have several students who have just arrived from other countries as well as students with ADHD, autism, and many who have complex traumatic backgrounds. When I introduce mindful movement, we talk about what doing something in unison means—doing the same thing at the same time. Then students follow my movements. No language is required, though sight is. All the classes in the school participate in this as a “game” to see which class can follow most closely. Many times, we do fun or silly movements to get wiggles out. After the class is moving in unison, we add our breath to the movement. This works well for most students and is a great way to come together as a group before we start our lesson for the day. My tip in a nutshell: just move.
-Kathryn R.

Fun games and good story books work best. A child with autism doesn’t participate half the time, and I never force it. One time, we played a toe-ga game barefoot, and I knew that boy wouldn’t want to take his shoes off. He saw how much fun everyone was having and shared that his mom had made a rule to not take off his shoes and socks. Someone called his mom to get permission, and he was so happy to participate. So sometimes a child may not want to break a rule that we don’t know about.
-Stacy J.

Make it fun for them. I work for the community learning disability team in Buckinghamshire, and we work with young adults. We have developed adapted yoga and tai chi and use props like coloured paddles as visual aids to reach towards and hold for poses such as cat, child’s, seated twist, extended mountain, knee to chest, and side bend. We encourage then to bring a favourite toy, which can be used throughout the session again as a prop. We buzz and hum for breathing activities. We have run outdoor yoga group sessions and have had clients in wheelchairs.
-Tracy H.

I love teaching children about yoga as an energy-management system. Your energy can be high, medium, or low. Sometimes I pair this with the Zones of Regulation to help students identify where they are. I layer on pranayama with the energetics and Zones and, of course, Asana!
-Jennifer G.

It helps to use a consistent background track as part of the routine to serve as a prompt. When first starting, I usually do two poses per yoga routine per day, even if I repeat them again throughout the day (say morning upon entering the classroom and then once again in the afternoon before leaving to go home). I use an easier pose coupled with a more challenging pose. I repeat the easier pose and change the second one every day to build up their repertoire. I keep the same six poses for about six weeks; I find this is roughly how long it takes to develop familiarity to prompts and starting to self position.
-Mariana R.

I always try to help them control their energy by doing the tree pose, or just pausing and breathing with one hand on their heart and one on their belly. The first time, the pose doesn’t last too long, but with time, they come to enjoy it and really do it. For the Tree pose, we start with the foot at the ankle with the toes resting on the floor if need be. They enjoy the challenge and do a great job a it. Their energy is now focused, and they are ready to go back to work.
-Magali F.

Start with a warm—up (movement), then a little pause, then more movement, and wear them out. Then do some breathing/relaxation. Keep it fast with simple instructions for the movement so they don’t get sensory overload (ASD & ADHD).
-Nikki V.

Step Three: CONNECT 

The third step in adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs is to connect deeply with your students. By actively listening to what they say, observing them during the session, or adjusting your expectations, you might discover a new way of presenting the yoga and mindfulness activities that could be more effective.

You might also reflect on what’s working and not working in the yoga lesson. By connecting to their diverse needs, you might discover how to best engage them in the practices and make it fun and meaningful for them—allowing them an opportunity to explore the practices within the boundaries of the class.

What our Kids Yoga Stories community has to say:

Adjust your expectations. Often as adults we plan for activities and with that comes an expectation about what successful engagement or outcomes look like. When working with children (special needs or otherwise), I find it important to adjust my expectations so that I leave room for each child to interact and explore in their own unique way. The focus should really be about helping kids get connected to their bodies, and that will look different for everyone!
-Meg F.

Start with what the child can do with ease, then take it one degree further and observe the child’s ability to stay engaged.
-Christine R.

The best for me is when my grandkids visit me. I keep them active.  First, they get to share things that happened to them in class or at home when they visit me. This way, they feel someone is there to listen to them in whatever they want to say. They like praise, and it makes them feel important for the work they did. Doing the art activities together makes them feel some sort of gratitude for themselves that they did something on their own with Grandma’s guidance.  
-Illa S.

Step Four: BE CREATIVE 

The fourth step in adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs is to be creative in using various modalities to cater to the different learning styles and abilities. 

Consider incorporating music or other props into your lessons. Many pediatric therapists use chairs as a support for practicing the poses. Following along with yoga videos might be helpful. Tap into their different senses to pique their interest—all while being mindful of their sensory and stimulation preferences.

One of the most common learning tools is to use visuals for children to see the yoga poses or breathing exercises in images. Choose the modifications that suit your child best to help them feel safe and engaged in the practice. 

What our Kids Yoga Stories community has to say:

For preschoolers, with and without special needs, we have two rules:
1. Stay on your mat
2. Mat stays flat
We have the kids say these loudly at the start of the session, clapping with each word. It helps!!

Karen L.

Don’t sensory overload.
-Rick T.

I work in a childcare service where many children attend who are on the autism spectrum, and creating opportunities for moments of calm are valued via breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation. In these group experiences, visuals are incredibly helpful in maintaining interest, and educators’ participation is key. I often utilize Cosmic Kids guided yoga sessions on YouTube because the presenter is animated and highly engaging, which the children love. She takes them on a journey involving various poses, and our three-through-five-year-olds enjoy emulating her stances. Cosmic Kids also have an array of guided meditations done by the same UK-based presenter. Meditation is more difficult for some children as they have to visualize things in their mind, but try some from Cosmic Kids “Peace Out” and “Zen Den” clips. Weighted blankets can assist in calming active bodies to relax during these. My children just love to gather a cushion and lie on the carpet in a darkened room as instrumental relaxation music is played. We also turn on a small light that projects coloured dots onto the ceiling. The slow motion of the lights is mesmerizing in conjunction with the peaceful music. This would suit children with hearing loss too.
-Michelle L.

I work mostly with students with ADHD, Autism, and auditory processing and sensory processing challenges. I use lots and lots of visuals, including yoga cards often from KYS, writing cues for kids to see, visual schedules, props, and color-coding. Thanks!
-Synthia G.

Keep poses simple and adapt as needed. Have tools and chairs on hand to help with balance. Remember some children are hyper-sensitive to touch or have coordination issues. Tools offer a great way to help with safe alignment. If possible, ask about specific needs of the group. Emphasize FUN, breath, and mindfulness. I like to break the practice into four or five short activities to keep the yogis engaged: setting an intention, grounding with breath, learning poses, and mindfulness. Mindfulness coloring pages are a nice to provide as an alternative for children who may get overwhelmed with any given activity.
-Kathleen B.

Give more time, give physical cues along with visual and verbal but not too wordy cues. Notice if they are visual or auditory learners. Utilize balance poses to work on focus and attention. Counting while holding the poses helps keep focus and motivates the challenge.
-Jeanette R.

For children with developmental delays, adding visual supports, footprints on ground, stickers on hands and legs, and visuals in the room to use as targets—for example, “reach the red hand to the butterfly on the window” versus “reach your left hand to the right.”
-Theresa B.

For students who struggle with motor planning, I place feet and hands stickers on the mats to prompt where they should place these parts of the body. It can be as simple as a Post-It note or a dot sticker. For students with autism, I remove abstract language and stick to concrete concepts and language. Visuals and hands-on activities (such as a breathing ball) are always great! Asking students if they’d like to be a leader of the group is a great way to keep them engaged and develop leadership skills and confidence.
-Renee E.

I work in a self-contained ESE class, and I incorporate chairs into many of my yoga sessions. I have one student who wears a body brace that impedes her getting up and down into different yoga positions on the floor. I also have some very unsteady students who may need to put a hand down to steady themselves; standing behind chairs is perfect for this.
-Kimberly K.

Use music with actions. I use the same music to come to their mat/circle, the same warm-up songs, and then use fun music and/or games with objects to keep their interest. I always end with the same cool-down song. Structure, structure, structure and repetition helps with participation.
-Mary H.

I have a delightful ten-year-old son with autism. For us, a visual schedule and visual aids are key, as well as demonstrating the asana/pose and allowing him to join at his own time.
-Barbara B.

Incorporate deep breathing, don’t worry so much about form, and use movement and stories.
-Paula R.

Step Five: COMMIT 

The fifth step in adapting yoga and mindfulness practices when working with children of diverse needs is to commit to continuous improvement. We could do that by taking additional training to learn more about catering to the needs of children with additional needs. We could read books, share with colleagues, join online groups, or speak to professionals. 

We could also set up a weekly reflection journal to take note on what worked and didn’t work, so we can continuously look for ways to improve our teaching. To help children reach their own potential, we have a duty to connect with them on a deeper level, help them express themselves, and show them that they matter.

What our Kids Yoga Stories community has to say:

My number one tip is to do additional training. I trained through Asanas for Autism and Voice Colors.
Serrina D.

About ten years ago, I attended training for “Yoga for the Special Child,” the Sonia Sumar Method. This has been invaluable in my practice as a pediatric occupation therapist within specialist school settings and private practice. Young people of all abilities are able to participate, and then I add KYS weekly posters that are related to the current working theme for short focus breaks in the classroom.
Rachael U.

Further training information:

Shawnee Thornton-Hardy
Asanas for Autism and Special Needs
https://www.asanasforautismandspecialneeds.com/

Sonia Sumar
Yoga for the Special Child
https://www.specialyoga.com/

Louise Goldberg
Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs
https://www.creativerelaxation.net/

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Anna and her Rainbow-Colored Yoga Mats: Yoga book featuring a girl with a hearing loss.

Anna and her Rainbow-colored Yoga Mats | Kids Yoga Stories

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yoga for everyone, yoga for special needs | Kids Yoga Stories

CHECK OUT OUR SCHOOL YOGA PROGRAM

School Yoga Program | Kids Yoga Stories

No two schools are alike.

Every school has its challenges and culture, needs and limitations. Only YOU know what these are. Taking a done-for-you, “boxed” yoga and mindfulness program may seem like a good approach (we all want something simple, right?), but these programs are rarely a great fit. And oftentimes, they’re not suitable for the specific needs of a classroom or school.

Your students are unique and you need a program tailored to them!  

School Yoga Program was created with this in mind. FIND OUT MORE HERE.


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Filed Under: Free Resources Tagged With: adaptive yoga, being inclusive in yoga, classroom yoga, diversity in yoga, kids yoga in schools, yoga accessible for every body, yoga for special needs students, yoga in schools program

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Giselle Shardlow Profile Image Welcome to Kids Yoga Stories. To create the yoga books, yoga and breathing card decks, and yoga and mindfulness classroom resources, I draw from my experience as an international teacher, a world traveler, a certified yoga teacher, and a mom to a spirited child. I’ve been practicing yoga practically my whole life, and after I became a mom, I fell in love with the idea of sharing yoga and mindfulness with my daughter. Read more.

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