The 5 least favourite yoga games of my learning disabilities groups

Knowing the 5 favourite games I thought I'd share with you games they are not so keen on and why. The least liked games is a bit generous as a title. I have included use of props and other aspects of yoga that my groups have shared their less than favourable opinions.

Pipe cleaner yogi

The aim of this game is to bend the pipe cleaner yogi into the pose you want everyone to do. Looking back I think I introduced this game too soon. The group weren't confident in identifying poses and also when i reflected and thought about what I was actually asking the group to do, I realised it was quite complex. I was asking them to think of a pose, visualise the pose, move the Yogi pipe cleaner (person) into the shape of the pose. To achieve this the person requires good transmission of messages from the brain to the hands telling them what to do and relying on good fine motor skills to move the pipe cleaner yogi limbs in the right direction. It's tricky. I haven't tried this game again but after a few years of yoga and I think it will be worth trying again!

Pom poms

I love pom poms in yoga. Not so much of a game but a fun way to get toes moving. Some in the group like pom poms, others not so keen. We wiggle toes, squeeze and release toes and then pick up the pom poms with one foot then the other. It is interesting to see how different everyone's feet are, length of toes and the challenge that picking up the pom poms can pose. Despite the lack of favour for this activity, I bring it into my lesson plan every month or do to focus the class on foot work and balance.

Balloons

This is a unique one! I have one group who love balloons and another who don't. Balloons are unpredictable and can burst making a loud bang. Some people are quite scared of balloons. Always check with each group before introducing balloons. I use these for coordination, balancing on head, catching and kicking the balloon. However they all enjoy footwork with tennis balls. Having the soles of their feet massaged with the ball is great fun.

Sitting on the mat

This may seem strange as we do yoga on a mat, but there are some class members that prefer to do their yoga on a chair. A few I will admit, it is probably better for them, but others I am constantly trying to get them to get on their bottom on the mat. This is my challenge - to find the magic pose or few poses to get them on the mat. I'm open to suggestions here. Comments gratefully received.

Music versus no music in relaxation

This is personal preference and the majority of all my learning disability class attendees like relaxing music. It helps to bring calm to the group. When there is no music I find the group are very aware of noises in the room or from each other. Music helps to provide a focus for relaxation. There isn't any body who dislikes the music they like relaxation both in silence or with music.

I've tried different games, props and poses in my yoga class. Some successful and others less successful. It's always worth trying something new because you just don't know how the group will respond. The people in your yoga class will always tell you whether they liked something or not! Honesty in feedback is a fabulous quality of adults with learning disabilities.

Please comment on what your group likes or dislike I would love to hear from you and learn from your experiences.

Namaste