Family Yoga for Children with Special Needs
This Saturday, I was invited to teach a Yoga class for families who have a member with a developmental disability. It was a fairly large group, about 25 participants. Most of the children attending had Downs Syndrome and all but one were ambulatory. I hadn’t planned much in advance because I wasn’t sure who would be attending. The sequence and the story line - “Spring”, of course - were pretty much the same as I do for my open Family Yoga classes. I offered less verbal instruction and more demonstration and gesturing. They loved it! Smiles filled the room for most of the class and afterward, several kids came up to thank me and show me poses they already know. Several moms expressed a strong interest in continuing. They had not been able to find ongoing classes they could attend with their child.
The interest in Family Yoga is skyrocketing as more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of the practice. People are also starting to recognize that is accessible to everyone, not just the flexible and fashionably dressed. For this group in particular, having parents participate made it easier for the child to participate. Parents gave additional cues and adjustments (something I typically discourage in an open class) based on a lifelong understanding of their child’s learning style and specific needs.
We planted fruits and vegetables into the garden (in a standing forward fold), grew from Seed to Tree, bloomed into flowers and let the sun shine (with Sun Salutations).  One girl, who had practiced with Sonia Sumar as a baby, came up to me after class and planted a kiss right on my cheek.