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Yoga for Kids with ADHD 2025: Focus and Calm

Help children with ADHD focus and find calm through engaging yoga sequences. Fun poses that improve concentration, self-regulation, and emotional well-being.

15-20 minutes
Beginner
10 Poses
yoga for kids with adhd children doing tree pose together

Understanding This Practice

As a parent and educator, I've seen firsthand how challenging ADHD can be for children. The constant movement, difficulty focusing, and emotional regulation challenges can affect every aspect of a child's life. When I introduced yoga to children with ADHD, I was amazed at the transformation. Yoga provides them with tools to self-regulate, improves focus and attention, and offers a healthy outlet for excess energy.

Key Benefits

Improves focus
Teaches self-regulation
Reduces hyperactivity

Contraindications and Precautions

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting this practice if you have any of the following:

  • None - modify as needed

Recommended Yoga Poses

tree pose yoga for kids adhd

1.Tree Pose

Vrksasana

Balancing pose that builds focus and concentration - like a tree standing tall and strong.

How to practice:

  1. Stand tall like a mountain
  2. Place one foot on other leg
  3. Find a steady focus point
  4. Grow your branches (arms) up
  5. Stand strong and still
  6. Hold for 5-10 breaths
  7. Switch sides

Benefits:

Builds focusImproves balanceTeaches stillness
cat cow kids yoga adhd

2.Cat-Cow Pose

Marjaryasana-Bitilasana

Fun animal pose that teaches breath awareness while releasing tension.

How to practice:

  1. Start on hands and knees
  2. Meow like a cat, round back
  3. Moo like a cow, drop belly
  4. Move with your breath
  5. Have fun making animal sounds
  6. Repeat 10 times

Benefits:

Teaches breath awarenessReleases tensionFun and engaging
downward dog kids yoga adhd

3.Downward-Facing Dog

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Inversion pose that calms the nervous system while building strength.

How to practice:

  1. Start on hands and knees
  2. Tuck toes, lift hips high
  3. Make an upside-down V shape
  4. Bark like a happy dog
  5. Wag your tail
  6. Hold for 5 breaths

Benefits:

Calms nervous systemBuilds strengthFun for kids
warrior 2 kids yoga adhd

4.Warrior II

Virabhadrasana II

Strong, confident pose that builds self-esteem and focus.

How to practice:

  1. Step feet wide apart
  2. Bend one knee
  3. Extend arms like wings
  4. Look over your fingers
  5. Be strong like a warrior
  6. Hold 5 breaths
  7. Switch sides

Benefits:

Builds confidenceImproves focusStrengthens legs
child pose kids yoga adhd

5.Child's Pose

Balasana

Calming resting pose that provides a safe space for emotional regulation.

How to practice:

  1. Kneel on the floor
  2. Sit back on your heels
  3. Fold forward like a seed
  4. Rest your forehead down
  5. Breathe deeply and relax
  6. Rest for 1 minute

Benefits:

CalmingEmotional regulationRestful
cobra kids yoga adhd

6.Cobra Pose

Bhujangasana

Gentle backbend that opens the chest and builds confidence.

How to practice:

  1. Lie on your tummy
  2. Place hands under shoulders
  3. Press up, lift your chest
  4. Hiss like a cobra snake
  5. Look forward
  6. Hold for 3 breaths

Benefits:

Builds confidenceOpens chestStrengthens back
butterfly kids yoga adhd

7.Butterfly Pose

Baddha Konasana

Hip opener that teaches calm while engaging imagination.

How to practice:

  1. Sit tall
  2. Bring soles of feet together
  3. Let knees open like butterfly wings
  4. Flap your wings gently
  5. Sit tall and breathe
  6. Hold for 1 minute

Benefits:

Opens hipsTeaches calmEngages imagination
mountain pose kids yoga adhd

8.Mountain Pose

Tadasana

Foundational standing pose that teaches grounding and body awareness.

How to practice:

  1. Stand tall with feet together
  2. Press feet into ground
  3. Stand straight and strong
  4. Reach arms toward sky
  5. Be still like a mountain
  6. Hold 5-10 breaths

Benefits:

GroundingBody awarenessFocus
happy baby kids yoga adhd

9.Happy Baby

Ananda Balasana

Playful pose that releases tension and encourages relaxation.

How to practice:

  1. Lie on your back
  2. Lift feet toward ceiling
  3. Hold onto feet or ankles
  4. Open knees wide
  5. Rock gently side to side
  6. Have fun!
  7. Hold for 1 minute

Benefits:

Releases tensionPlayfulRelaxing
savasana kids yoga adhd

10.Corpse Pose

Savasana

Final relaxation that teaches stillness and promotes calm.

How to practice:

  1. Lie on your back
  2. Let arms and legs rest
  3. Close your eyes
  4. Be very still
  5. Feel your belly rise and fall
  6. Rest for 3-5 minutes

Benefits:

Promotes calmTeaches stillnessIntegration

What Science Says

Research supports yoga for children with ADHD. A 2019 study in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that school-based yoga programs significantly improved symptoms of ADHD in children aged 8-11. Participants showed improvements in attention, hyperactivity, and executive function. Another study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine demonstrated that yoga reduced anxiety and improved social functioning in children with ADHD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yoga helps children with ADHD through multiple mechanisms: improving focus and concentration through mindful movement, teaching breath awareness for self-regulation, providing healthy outlet for excess energy, improving body awareness, and reducing anxiety and stress.
For children with ADHD, keep yoga sessions short - 15-20 minutes is ideal. Shorter, more frequent practices work better than longer occasional sessions. You can even break it into 5-minute segments throughout the day.
Balancing poses like tree pose build focus. Grounding poses like mountain and warrior promote stability. Calming poses like child's pose and legs up the wall regulate the nervous system. Animal-inspired poses keep children engaged.
Children as young as 4-5 can begin simple yoga poses. Keep practices playful and age-appropriate. For younger children, focus on animal poses, simple breathing, and short sessions.

Expert Tips for Maximum Results

  • 1Practice 3-4 times per week for optimal results
  • 2Listen to your body - never force a pose
  • 3Use props to modify poses as needed
  • 4Breathe deeply and consistently throughout
Sarah Mitchell E-RYT 500 certified yoga instructor author bio

Written by Sarah Mitchell, E-RYT 500

Sarah is a registered yoga teacher at the highest level with over 15 years of experience. She specializes in therapeutic yoga for pain relief and stress management.

Learn more about Sarah

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