Need a release: Yoga instructor Kendall Goddard said helping children, such as Victoria Cupitt and Nicholas Hawkes, cope with stress and anxiety was rewarding.Picture: Simon Bennett
THE benefits of downward-facing dog, eagle pose and spinal twists are well known to adults who practise yoga.
But the postures, deep-breathing techniques and meditations that come with the practice could also benefit children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, as some Campbelltown families have found.
Centre co-ordinator Selena Dewar has introduced a yoga class for children on the autism spectrum at Woodbine Neighbourhood Centre on Monday afternoons.
She said yoga was a good antidote to the lack of focus and social skills often encountered by children on the autism spectrum.
"For these kids it's about them finding a safe place so they feel relaxed in their bodies," she said. "There are no restrictions here so if they get up and wander that's OK."
Yoga instructor Kendall Goddard takes children through a typical yoga sequence that involves postures, breathing techniques and meditation. "It's interesting to see the difference in class structure," she said. "The focus here is more about settling the kids."
Wedderburn mother Louise Snowdon said her son Nicholas , 13, seemed "very happy, which is a nice change from stress" after the classes.
"They live with a level of stress about everything so it's good for them to learn skills to relax and not be so stressed about everything. And yoga is just great exercise," she said.
Details: woodbinenc.org.au or 4625 1254.