The benefits of a yoga routine for all students are becoming increasingly accepted, with hundreds of schools across the U.S. implementing programs like Yoga Ed and Yoga Calm. Now a study has come out to highlight yoga’s benefits for students with autism. Researchers found that children with autism who participated in a 17-minute yoga program called Get Ready to Learn—which includes deep breathing, stretching, and singing—showed significant behavior improvements compared to peers who did not. Teachers ratings revealed that the students who did yoga exhibited less aggression, social withdrawal, and hyperactivity.
Luckily for parents, there are plenty of resources out there to help you practice yoga with your child at home. PBS.org offers this guide for parents, and an alphabetic list of poses, complete with instructions and photos, can be found at Yogainmyschool.com.