Yoga & Mindfulness for Kids with ADHD: Simple Tools That Help
Raising or teaching a child with ADHD comes with unique joys—and challenges. Children with ADHD are often full of energy, creativity, and curiosity, but they may also struggle with focus, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and restlessness. While medication and behavioral therapy are often key parts of a treatment plan, movement-based mindfulness practices like yoga can provide additional support in a fun and empowering way.
At Mini Me Yoga Pennsylvania, we’ve seen firsthand how yoga and mindfulness can help children with ADHD channel their energy in healthy ways while learning valuable tools for self-awareness and emotional control.
Why Yoga Works for Children with ADHD
Yoga is a powerful tool for all children—but it can be especially beneficial for those with ADHD. It offers a combination of movement, breathwork, and sensory integration that helps regulate the nervous system and create a sense of calm. Here’s how:
Movement Improves Focus: Kids with ADHD often need to move their bodies before they can focus their minds. Yoga gives them structured movement that supports attention and builds strength.
Breathing Regulates Emotions: Breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping calm feelings of anxiety or frustration.
Mindfulness Builds Self-Awareness: Practicing stillness, even for a few seconds, teaches children how to notice their thoughts and emotions without reacting right away.
Routine Builds Confidence: Repeating familiar poses and breathing exercises can give children a sense of predictability and control in an often-chaotic world.
Studies have shown that yoga may help reduce symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness in children with ADHD. But perhaps more importantly, yoga creates an environment where kids feel safe, successful, and seen.
What a Mini Me Yoga Session Looks Like
Every Mini Me Yoga session is designed to be fun, playful, and movement-rich—the perfect combination for active minds and bodies. Our classes are intentionally short and accessible, with options for 30- or 45-minute sessions to meet children where they are.
A typical class includes:
Introductions and Greetings to help kids feel comfortable with their space and those they are joining on the mat.
Breathwork such as belly breathing, dragon breath, bumble bee and more to help slow our breath and focus our minds.
Warm Up Movement using counting to get our bodies ready for yoga!
Yoga games and flows with familiar, easy-to-follow yoga poses like Warrior, Cat-Cow, and Downward Dog using kid friendly language and yoga cards to make it easy to follow along
Mindful moments where kids learn to pause, notice, and reset—using visualizations, music, or even short coloring meditations.
Creative themes base on kids interests that keeps kids engaged by turning the class into a playful story or adventure.
We also keep class sizes small, especially in private group sessions, to allow for more individual attention and reduce overwhelm. Children feel more at ease practicing alongside friends they already know.
Parent & Teacher Tips: Bringing Yoga Home
Here are a few simple tools you can try outside of class to help support a child with ADHD:
🌀 Movement Breaks: Let your child do 5 minutes of yoga before or between schoolwork or homework.
🧘 Try the “5-4-3-2-1” Grounding Game: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste.
🌬️ Breath Buddy: Have your child lie down with a stuffed animal on their belly and watch it rise and fall as they breathe deeply.
🧩 Create a Calm Corner: Set up a space at home with a mat, soft lighting, and tools like stress balls, books, or yoga cards for your child to retreat when they need a break.
Helping Kids Shine, One Breath at a Time
Children with ADHD have incredible gifts to share with the world—they just need the right tools to navigate their energy and emotions. Yoga and mindfulness give them space to explore, calm down, and connect.
At Mini Me Yoga Pennsylvania, we’re proud to offer a welcoming and inclusive environment where every child is celebrated. Whether your child is new to yoga or already loves to move, our classes are designed to meet them exactly where they are.
🎉 Book a private group session today for your child and their friends in Berks County!
🧘 Let’s help every child feel strong, focused, and calm—one breath at a time.
