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Last Update 12/7/09
Movement, sports & exercise has been shown to strengthen muscles & bones, regulate metabolism, uplift moods, & release tension in the body and the mind . When movement is incorporated regularly into a child's daily routine in a fun playful way, not only does it give them a chance to practice smooth integrated movements, but It also helps open the door to increased health, enhanced focus, learning readiness & joy. This is especially important to children with limited opportunities to participate in organized sports, such as a child on the autism spectrum. When a child's movements are smooth and integrated it greatly increases self esteem and confidence, encouraging exploration & allowing opportunities for a broader range of life experiences. Yoga is a natural integrated movement system helping all body & mind functions, including brain-body, academic & Life learning that can be adapted to any ability. Through breath techniques, varied movements & animated postures, children can become aware of their body and their sensory system, as they learn naturally how to relax & respond appropriately during new experiences & times of anxiety & tension. Many of our adaptive movement exercises are based on the philosophy which is designed to be fun & inclusive rather than prescriptive in nature. Our classes use targeted Yoga movement, Educational Kinesiology, creative storytelling & art to create a customized program that helps enhance R/L brain functioning. Our programs are also adapted to follow the school phys-ed criteria set by the We use yoga creatively for Spectrum Children & their peers & siblings as a fun way to promote a healthy lifestyle and improve social understanding & Lifetime Learning. We have worked with many children with Autism, Dyslexia, ADD & ADHD and have designed our adaptive play groups & programs with them in mind. Many families have seen overall improvements in attention, communication, behavior, sleep patterns and ability to retain information. We have adapted a method we call *SMART KIDS as a way to address sensory and social needs. Through stories, movement and art, we work individually and as a group to build a variety of new skills. We encourage inclusion & doing our best. We partner with schools, learning centers, nature centers, community organizations, therapists & individuals to bring our programs to children of all abilities. All children of all ages are invited to join us for the fun! Please call for more information. Barbara 215-257-3193 (PA) 856-287-6684 (NJ) (Serving Bucks County PA, South Jersey & surrounding areas) |
| About the Founders: Robin V. Schwoyer is the mother of 3 children. She has practiced yoga since 1984 and has shared this love with her children. She is the Founder and Director of HeARTs for Autism ®, a nonprofit organization serving and supporting families living with Autism Spectrum Conditions. Using the arts in many ways, recreational programs are provided for ASD children, siblings and families. Through art, education and advocacy, awareness for improved ASD research and services is raised in the community. As an ordained Minister in the Episcopal Church, Robin has worked with family and youth using arts, sports and community service to teach about care of self, family, friends and community since 1992. Robin also provides holistic care, life coaching and facilitates healing and inspirational workshops. She is Director & Co-founder of Happy HeARTs Yoga ® and a certified children's yoga instructor. Robin loves to see the joy in the kids' faces as they creatively move and express, learning new ways, and gaining confidence in themselves. Barbara Gini, CMBT, RCYT , also has three children & is a certified Mind/Body Educator & Children’s Yoga Teacher. In addition to being a member of the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association & the Educational Kinesiology Foundation, she is the founder of BodyLogique Creative Fitness & Visionary Publishing and the former Coordinator of Children's Programming for HeARTs For Autism ®. She is the co-founder, and head Instructor of Happy HeARTs Yoga ®, and has more than 10 years experience in the health/fitness, & education fields. She has spent most of her time working in early intervention programs for children with Autism & has a unique way of connecting with children of all ages. Her passion is playing & learning with kids. Barbara believes that simply moving, creating & playing with children will empower them to be more confident & learn valuable Social & Life skills at the same time. She likes working with children, adults, families and educators encouraging non- competitive, whole person learning through movement, with a special emphasis on the special needs community. She has written several articles on Sensory Integration, Stress Management, Health and Fitness and is available for personal sessions & group instruction. |
| * What is the 'SMART KIDS' ® Method? SMART KIDS Method is a unique approach to enhanced learning that addresses alternate learning styles & multiple Intelligences & includes these 3 vital elements: Stories: Story telling is a creative way for all children to learn Life skills, encourage social interaction, reinforce positive character traits & learn about near and distant cultures & the world around them. It improves: short & long term memory, sequencing skills, ability to focus, visual & auditory processing, vocabulary, language & overall communication skills. Read the article: "The Value of Storytelling" Movement: Creates health, energy & strengthens the body/brain connection. It improves gross & fine motor coordination & overall body awareness. It can enhance visual & spatial perception as well as motor planning/memory. Studies show that regular daily intervals of movement in children can greatly enhance learning readiness & release physical & emotional stress. (See and also Art: Art, music & creative writing, allows for unrestricted, unique self-expression for all children. Art pieces & projects become a visual & tangible symbol of the concepts of the lesson, helping to retain it in the long term memory. Receptors in the eyes are stimulated, assisting in ocular control & focus & music helps children to experience rhythm in their bodies so that they can effectively comprehend & process language in their minds. See the article and |
| Please Be sure to Visit our other Community Partners: Bux/Mont County PA: Briar Bush Nature Center (Abington) Pebble Hill Peace Site (Doylestown) Serenity Fit/JulieKell'sDance Zone (Red Hill) Shine Yoga Studio (Perkasie) PA Mentor Warrington Recreation Program Gloucester/Camden/Burlington County NJ Still Point Yoga Center (Blackwood) Camden County Library-(Blackwood) Spa Fitness Center-(Pennsauken) *More locations & Fall 2009 dates TBA soon! (Special rates apply to schools,learning centers & community organizations.) Call for a current schedule! |
| "Peaceful Giraffe" original Artwork by Barbara Gini, © 2009 |
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| 9/27/09: UPDATE: We have been working with the Perkiomen Valley School District to secure a grant for a adaptive yoga program for an autism support classroom. We are happy to announce that the grant was approved & we will cooperatively be awarded the grant funds on October first! We want to thank the teachers, parents, the Perkiomen School Foundation & Best Buys for making this program possible! We will keep everyone posted as to our progress. ~Barbara 10/28/09: Update: The class of 8 (all boys) did well today with some minor distractions. 2 of the students told me (in their own way) that they had a hard time sitting on the floor, so I showed them and their support staff how to modify their sitting posture to make their own bodies more comfortable. One student stated that "Yoga is for Girls." He did how ever like the printed material I gave them showing all the professional athletes that use yoga in their training and did well with "Flip Dog" the challenge posture. He said he changed his mind about yoga being for girls. There is one non-verbal student that did well also and I am attempting to further modify the activities so he can communicate with me. 2 of the students needed to take a few breaks during the 30-minute class. Overall they said they liked it and wanted to know what we were doing next week. When I asked them if they liked a challenge, one student replied "Bring it ON!!!" : ) 12/02/09: Update As of today, (5th class) The students have made good progress individually as well as a class! The overall atmosphere of the class I would describe as cooperative and eager to learn. They have learned to recognize stress in the body & how to use the breath to relax. They have learned imagery & other self-calming techniques and are starting to learn when to apply them. These students are very willing to attempt the more challenging poses and overall attentiveness, verbal & kinesthetic participation is excellent! Next week, the students will be starting an interactive, non-competitive yoga game designed specifically for this class. The objective of the game is to create greater awareness & self regulation through the use of physical challenges, (poses) academic challenges (general questions) and character challenges (problem solving scenarios). The students will also help each other through the challenges to earn points towards their next challenge level. They and I are looking forward to it! Stay tuned... |
| **All content and images on this site are copyright © Happy HeARTs Yoga & HeARTs for Autism®, 2005-09, unless otherwise noted. |
Adaptive Yoga
Creative Fitness