Yoga for Youth with Autism and Diverse Learning Needs

Discover how one teacher uses yoga and mindfulness to support youth with autism and diverse learning needs through movement, breathing, and real-life skill building.

Teaching Life Skills Through Yoga: Patty’s Story Supporting Students with Autism and Diverse Learning Needs

There is something really special about walking into a classroom where every child is met exactly where they are. This is one of the many gifts of teaching yoga to all children, everywhere.

Today, I’d love to introduce you to Patty McCarthy, a teacher and yoga instructor at Annandale High School in Annandale, Virginia. Patty works with youth who are intellectually disabled and autistic, many of whom are also multilingual learners.

When Patty first began bringing yoga for autism into the classroom, her intention was clear. She wanted to support her students not only academically, but in building real-life skills they could carry into the workplace and everyday life.

In one classroom, students are practicing work tasks and preparing for future job settings. In another, they are exploring literature and language. Patty saw an opportunity to weave yoga and mindfulness into both spaces in a way that felt meaningful and accessible.

She began introducing themes like gratitude, empathy, and courage, not just as abstract ideas, but as something the students could feel in their bodies.

And what unfolded from there is a beautiful example of what is possible when we meet students with the right tools and a lot of heart.

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Patty McCarthy's class | Kids Yoga Stories — Patty and her students

What Patty Implemented in Her Classroom

Patty thoughtfully integrated yoga and mindfulness across two different classroom settings, always keeping her students’ needs at the center.

Here are some of the practices she brought to life:

1. Yoga for Workplace Readiness

In her classroom serving multiple disabilities, Patty connected yoga directly to job skills. Students practiced building strength, flexibility, and stamina, while also exploring gratitude and empathy as important workplace qualities.

2. Bringing Stories to Life Through Yoga

In English class, yoga became a way to understand literature. While reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, students explored the theme of courage through movement and poses, making the story more tangible and meaningful.

3. Breathing Exercises for Real-Life Moments

Patty taught simple breathing techniques that students could use beyond the yoga mat. She shared this powerful moment:

“One of my students and I did a breathing exercise when he got stressed out outside the yoga class, and instead of throwing an object, he did deep breathing.”

4. Mindfulness Tools and Crafts

Patty found that hands-on tools made a big difference with her students. She introduced mindful jars and other simple crafts to support self-regulation. These tangible tools seemed to help students engage more deeply. One student who is deaf began using a mindful jar independently to calm down.

5. Props and Sensory Engagement

Props like feathers for balance work added an element of play and focus. Patty shared that her students especially loved using peacock feathers during balancing activities.

6. Yoga Stories and Creative Themes

Patty incorporated Kids Yoga Stories into her lessons, including Trish’s Fall Photography and Mia’s Mountain Hike, using storytelling, props, and creativity to draw students in and keep them engaged.

Why Yoga for Autism and Diverse Needs in the Classroom Works

Patty’s approach is a beautiful reminder that it is not just what we teach, but how we teach it.

Here are a few reasons these practices were so effective:

They were connected to real-life skills.
Students were not just practicing yoga. They were building stamina, learning emotional regulation, and practicing workplace behaviors.
They offered multiple ways to engage.
Movement, breathing, storytelling, and hands-on tools created multiple entry points for students with diverse learning needs.
They supported independence.
Students began using these tools on their own, even outside of yoga class.
They made abstract concepts concrete.
Themes like courage, empathy, and gratitude became something students could experience, not just talk about.
They were adaptable and inclusive
Practices were accessible across communication styles, including for students who are deaf or multilingual learners.

A Reflection for Educators
If you are working with youth with autism or diverse learning needs, it can sometimes feel like you have to choose between supporting regulation, academic learning, and life skills. Patty’s story shows that you can gently weave all three together.
It does not have to be complicated. A simple breathing exercise. A short movement break. A hands-on tool like a mindful jar.
And then one day, you see it. A student pauses. A student chooses to breathe instead of react. A student uses a tool on their own. Those are the moments that matter most.

Imagine This in Your School
Imagine a classroom where:

Students have tools to manage their emotions in real time
Movement supports both learning and regulation
Life skills like empathy and resilience are practiced daily
Every student, regardless of ability, has access to these practices

This is what Patty is building, one small, consistent practice at a time.

The Transform 100K Classrooms Initiative

Patty’s story is part of our Transform 100K Classrooms Initiative, where we are on a mission to bring yoga and mindfulness to 100,000 classrooms around the world.
Every story shared helps inspire another educator to begin.
If you have introduced yoga or mindfulness into your classroom, we would love to hear from you.
Your story might be the one that encourages someone else to take that first step.