Learn the benefits of yoga for the body and mind.
Discover fun yoga poses to help dyslexic children focus and deal with anxiety.
This may help the child have a calmer mind and a more positive outlook on life.
Calm down yoga
Yoga can help dyslexic children focus and relax.
This Mooki Cards activity is based on scientific research, on “Trends in mental health care among children”.
Try it today
- Find a quiet spot. Ask the child to stand tall like a tree, with their hands pressed together.
- Hold the pose for 5 slow breaths in and out. Then let the child choose a pose to try next.
Want a set of calming poses your child can follow?
The Calm Down Yoga card has ready-made steps for you on the front and a picture activity for your child on the back. Everything is in one place. It’s one of 56 ten-minute activities in the Mooki Cards deck.
Instant download · use on a phone or tablet, or print and fill in
Yoga to calm dyslexic kids
Get advice from the Dyslexic Mum about how yoga can help to calm the body and mind:
“I started doing yoga after my children were born. I wanted a way to get fit, and yoga seemed like a good choice, a gentle way to exercise with so many health benefits. It helps build muscle, regulate breathing, and calm and ease stress.
I began with a few drop-in sessions at my local leisure centre, and now I practise yoga every few days. Yoga has helped so much with my anxieties, calming my breathing and clearing my mind. My child watched me do yoga, asked to join in, and now we do it together.”
Watch the clickable video ‘Calm down yoga’ below, where the Dyslexic Mum discusses the benefits of yoga on the body and mind.
When doing yoga with a child, follow the top tips below from the Dyslexic Mum:
- Yoga time – find a time in the day to do yoga. This may be before doing homework, to help the child concentrate. Doing just 1 or 2 poses for a few minutes can help focus the child’s mind.
- Balloon breathing – when doing yoga it is important to focus on breathing. This helps the body relax and calms the mind. Ask the child to imagine their tummy is a balloon filling up when they breathe in. Breathe in slowly, then relax on the out breath.
- Relax and focus – yoga is good to do before a stressful school day. It can help calm the child and reduce their feelings of anxiety. Yoga is also a good way to relax the child after a stressful day at school.
To learn more about dyslexic kids and mental health, see “Healthy habits”.