In today's world, children are often hurried and forced to adjust to a fast-paced lifestyle full of stimulants and distractions. This can be especially challenging for children with special needs. Nancy Churnin of the Dallas News reports that yoga practitioners of special needs children see yoga "as a way of improving attention span, balance and strength as well as confidence and self-control." Because of the goal of yoga being to calm the nervous system and relax the body, these children can especially benefit.
Step 1
Spread out the yoga mats an equal distance apart from one another, with a few feet of room on each side.
Step 2
Have children start out sitting down in a comfortable cross-legged position. Talk about the breath, introducing the concept of "bunny breath." Have them breathe quickly in and out of the nose like a bunny, allowing them to make little sounds that come naturally.
Step 3
Tell the children to lie down on their bellies like snakes. Instruct them put their arms out on each side, lifting their heads and legs like an airplane, while their bellies stay on the floor. Be sure their legs stay as close together as possible.
Step 4
Instruct the children to go back down and relax like snakes again. Tell them to take a deep breath in and go back to being an airplane, then with a deep breath out, go back to being a snake and relaxing. Repeat this several times.
Step 5
State that now it is "turtle time" and have the children bring their knees in so that they are resting on the tops of their legs. This is a still pose called "child's pose" in yoga. Their arms should be relaxing by their sides.
Step 6
Instruct them to roll over on their backs, hugging their knees into their chest. Have them rock side to side to stretch out their backs.
Step 7
End class with them lying flat on their backs, very still, with their eyes closed. This is a time for deep relaxation and should last for several minutes. In yoga, this pose is called savasana, or "corpse pose."
Tips and Warnings
- For a group of special needs children, keep the class size small so each child can receive the proper amount of attention. You may want to start with one on one practices before working up to a larger group. You can add as many poses as you would like before final relaxation. It is helpful to have the poses described as animals, so that the children can connect and understand them more. Make sure to physically assist the children with certain poses and demonstrate each pose yourself at the front of the room. Calming music is helpful to create a peaceful atmosphere.
- The Dallas News states that it is important to check with a child's doctor before practicing yoga, especially if the child has a condition such as Down syndrome. Certain physical poses may put children at risk, so please check with professionals or become trained before teaching.
Things You'll Need
- Yoga mat for each child
- CD player
- CD appropriate for yoga
Member Comments