5 Easy Wheelchair Yoga Poses | Kids Yoga Stories

Do you work with children who use a wheelchair? We have had several requests over the years for people looking for wheelchair yoga poses:

Like Debra, who is a mobility specialist working with children who use wheelchairs or who are visually impaired, and using yoga poses to help them understand their range of motion and shifting their center of gravity.

Or Nancy, who is an occupational therapist working with children who use wheelchairs, helping them to increase the mobility of their arms.

Or Natalie, a physiotherapist looking for a wheelchair yoga poster to help her students maintain posture, align their bodies for better breathing, and participate in physical activities with their friends.

Or Marta, who teaches at a special needs school and was looking for resources to teach all the children yoga poses, while still including her student who uses a wheelchair.

Or Celia, who is a yoga teacher working with adults and children who are bound to a wheelchair and looking for some new ideas.

Whatever your situation working with people in wheelchairs, we would love to hear your story and if this poster is helpful to you and your students!

5 EASY POSES TO PRACTICE IN A WHEELCHAIR WITH KIDS

Start this wheelchair yoga flow by first coming to stillness and taking a moment to take in a deep breath. Everyone should take their time as they follow these five wheelchair yoga poses in the logical sequence. Explain to students that they should do what feels comfortable, while feeling the stretch and moving their bodies in different ways. Use this as a time to reboot and refocus.

1. CAT-COW POSE FLOW

How to practice Cat-Cow Pose Flow: In your wheelchair, gently place your feet flat on the ground or on your footrests. Sit with a tall spine, even if you have to scoot forward a little bit in your seat. Take a moment to come to stillness and take a deep breath. Then round your back and tuck your chin into your chest, stretching your back. Then look up slightly, arch your back, and open your chest. Continue this flow from Cat Pose to Cow Pose a few times to stretch your spine. Once you are comfortable with this movement, try inhaling as you round your back in Cat Pose and exhaling as you arch your back in Cow Pose to play with linking moment with breath.

2. SIDE BEND

How to practice Side Bend: From the same position, keeping your feet flat on the ground or on your footrests, place your palms on your knees. Take a moment to come to stillness and take a deep breath. Then take your left arm straight up to the sky. Tilt your upper body to the right and place your right hand on the chair. Open your chest, look up, and feel the gentle stretch on the left side of your torso. Come back to center. Switch sides and repeat the sides, feeling the stretch on the right side of your torso.

3. SEATED TWIST

How to practice Seated Twist: Sit upright in your wheelchair. Check that your spine is straight and your feet are flat on the ground (or footrests). Twist your upper body to the right. Take your left hand to your right knee and your right hand back behind the wheelchair. Take a few deep breaths to help you deepen into the twist. Then return to facing forward and repeat on the other side.

4. PIGEON POSE

How to practice Pigeon Pose: Sit tall with your feet flat on the ground or on your footrests. Bend your right leg and place your right ankle on your left knee. Place your left hand on your right foot and your right hand on your right knee. Take a moment to feel the stretch in your glutes. If you are unable to bring your right foot to meet your knee, then simply try crossing over your left leg to feel to glute stretch. Switch sides and repeat the steps.

5. CHILD’S POSE

Sit back in your wheelchair, slowly bend your upper body to rest on your thighs, rest your arms down toward the floor, and take a few deep breaths.

DOWNLOAD YOUR POSTER

We have combined these simple poses into one printable poster to add to your walls.

PIN IT FOR LATER

CHECK OUT OUR CHAIR YOGA POSES CARDS FOR KIDS

Practice these 40 chair yoga poses for kids during a transition time or subject change, when you’re stuck indoors, for a brain break to calm their bodies and minds, or for a movement activity when introducing a new topic. Try all your favorite poses, like Cat Pose, Tree Pose, or Downward-Facing Dog Pose using a chair. An Index and Pose instructions are included. Instantly download, print, and practice! Ages 4+.

Please note: The printed cards are single-sided to allow for game playing and flexibility to use as needed. We also recommend using a hole punch and adding a ring to hold the cards together.

Purchase your Chair Yoga Cards for Kids here.