Children’s Art and Yoga for Autism and Diverse Abilities: Improve Body Awareness, Sensory Integration, and Emotional Regulation

Based on the trauma-informed GreenTREE Yoga(R) Approach of building safety, supporting empowerment, and maintaining simplicity, this book provides an easy-to-use art and yoga program for autistic children and those with differing needs.

The structured program guides teaching six classes to introduce the benefits of yoga in any setting, including schools, residential centers, camps, and homes. It also can be adapted to your changing program needs.

The program includes simple art projects, yoga poses, and breathwork components, guided by charming illustrations of Shanti the Monkey to lend structure, predictability, consistency, and fun. The simple yoga can be done standing, seated, or lying down. With session plans, scripts, and visual prompts for artwork and yoga poses, this book gives you everything you need to provide a fun program and share resources with parents and teachers to do at home or in the classroom. You can give children tools to build body awareness and emotional regulation skills.

Yael Calhoun, E-RTY, MS, MA, is a long-time educator and author. She is a writer/series editor of over 20 books, DVDs/CDs, and training manuals, including yoga for trauma, pain management, children, seniors, caregivers, and schools. Her recent science-based, practical books include Building Safety with Trauma-informed Yoga (Routledge, 2024); Trauma-informed Yoga for Pain Management (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2024); and Art and Yoga for Children with Differing Needs and Autism: Improve Body Awareness, Sensory Integration, and Emotional Regulation (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2025).