Children love this Snow Much Fun kids yoga lesson plan. All you need is some names of winter yoga poses and some plush white balls. I found these balls on Amazon. I then attached a small sticker to the snowballs with the name of a yoga pose on each one.
I like to use a present box or holiday gift bag to put the snowballs in. It creates a lot more anticipation when the kids take turns drawing the pose (snowball) out of a box or bag. Select just 4-6 yoga poses for the children to learn and practice for each yoga class. It is best to focus on practicing a few yoga poses during a class instead of many.
After one pose is drawn, all of the children practice that pose before drawing out a new pose.
After all of the snowballs have been selected, then it is time to play some yoga games or practice balancing. Have the children try to balance the snowball on their head, hand, shoulder, etc.
Children can also use their snowball for a breathing exercise called the Snowball Race. Students line up their snowball at the back of their yoga mat. On your mark, get set and go! They try to use their strong breath to move the snowball to the end of their mat.
Guess what?! I just downloaded our brand new Kids Yoga Challenge App. I am super excited about this app for several reasons. No more lost or bent yoga cards. 40 yoga poses are available right at your finger tips. Kids and adults can decide how long they want to spend on each pose. This gives them the perfect opportunity to practice and perfect their yoga poses at their own pace.
It was a beautiful day for some family fun and outdoor yoga at Family Fun Day. We spent the morning playing family yoga games, trying new poses, and getting kids excited about yoga.
Kids love to try partner yoga poses. The Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards were perfect for trying to master many different poses.
Want more Family Yoga Fun?
Welcome to a fun family yoga class! We will move into some yoga poses that will help you feel calm, comfortable and strong. Then we will move into some partner yoga poses, a Plank Challenge, and then a relaxing stillness and savasana which is so good for your body.
1. First, begin in Child’s Pose. Bring your forehead to the ground. This is a very centering and grounding pose. Let’s take a few deep centering breathes in and out of your nose. We have had some crazy weeks, our schedules have changed, we miss our schools, our teachers, our friends, but it is going to be ok. We will have a strong body and mind and we will get through this.
2. Move into Tabletop position and let’s move through Cat Pose and Cow Pose. You may be on a screen a bit more than normal and it is important to keep our spines fluid and flexible.
3. Go ahead and step forward into Ragdoll Pose. Sway side to side. Let your arms and head hang. This is a great release for your lower back and a very centering pose.
4. Now move into Gorilla Pose. This is a fun pose! Bend your knees as much as you want to. Place your hands under your feet. Maybe you can just reach a few fingers under there. That is ok! Let your head hang. Can you make some gorilla noises?
5. Now reach overhead to mountain pose. Feel strong and tall. Pull your shoulders back. Look up above your hands. You are strong. LET YOUR HEART SHINE. Go ahead and close your eyes. It feels good and strong.
6. Now take a big inhale and on the exhale dive forward over your feet. This is almost like you are diving into a large swimming pool. We can’t wait to do that this summer!
7. Next step back into Down Dog Pose. Would you like to be taller? This pose lengthens and strengthens your leg muscles. Walk out your dog. Think about taking your dog for a walk after he has been cooped up all winter!
I love introducing yoga to children and have been thrilled that Go Go Yoga for Kids has gotten to be a part of many fun family events as well as author events this past year.
I feel uncomfortable just sitting behind a table, and I would much rather interact with the children and introduce them to yoga through a variety of ways.
Often when Go Go Yoga for Kids does an event, I will teach a kids yoga class, or offer mini yoga sessions so the children can get an opportunity to try yoga in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
This past weekend we had an event at a zoo so I was ready with zoo animal yoga poses and our popular Off the Zoo Kids Yoga Lesson Plan.
A new favorite kids yoga game to play is the Yoga Dice Game. For this game you need a giant dice. I found a fun inexpensive blow up one on Amazon.
Use packing tape or clear tape to attach the poses to the dice.
I also printed out labels for the poses. This step isn’t necessary as the pose cards already have the names of the poses on them.
Each player takes a turn to roll the dice. Whatever pose comes up, the player does that pose.
Continue rolling the dice until all of the poses are mastered.
See another fun way to play the Kids Yoga Dice Game here.
For the Zoo Kids Yoga Event, I had animal stickers to give the children when they tried the pose. It is not necessary, however, as the kids just had fun rolling the giant dice.
I also love that you can continue changing the poses on the dice so the game continues to be fresh and fun. It also works great for all ages. Have fun playing the Yoga Dice Game!
Kids can do yoga too! One of my passions is teaching yoga to kids and helping others learn how to use yoga with kids in fun and engaging ways. Kids yoga doesn’t need to be overly complicated or time-consuming. You just need a sense of humor and willingness to have fun!
You don’t need to have many supplies or materials to teach yoga to kids, but being knowledgeable of some different items and having a few tricks up your sleeves, helps with keeping the interest level high with kids. Shorter sessions and having a few props that accompany the poses are very beneficial. Child size equipment is also useful for children practicing yoga, and child size mats, balance balls, and accessories will enhance their practice.
I always enjoy highlighting a few favorite props and resources that I use while teaching yoga to kids including a breathing ball and great read aloud books that inspire yoga poses and movement with kids.
I am also a new fan of grippy socks or sticky socks for kids. These inexpensive little accessories help with balance, stability and allow young yogis to practice anywhere–even without a mat.
When I teach my kids yoga classes, I always have the students remove their shoes and socks. Normal socks are slippery and make it difficult to hold poses. It can sometimes be a slow process of helping preschool aged children put on their socks again after class, but if they had these yoga socks it would definitely go faster because they could leave them on for the whole class.
Celebrate the Spring Equinox with this Free Spring Mandala. Download your kid and adult Spring Mandala, take it outside and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of this wonderful season.
Next practice these Spring Kids Yoga Poses. I love this yoga sequence as it helps show the transformation that is happening all around us.
Caterpillar to Butterfly Yoga Sequence
Begin in Cobra Pose. Pretend to be a hungry caterpillar, lifting your head to munch on a leaf as you raise in Cobra Pose.
Move into Plank Pose. This is the caterpillar on a branch, getting ready to form a cocoon.
Lower into child’s pose and become a safe little cocoon. Be still. Breathe deeply and get ready for an exciting change to happen!
Finally become butterflies! Practice Butterfly Pose and flutter your wings. Talk with the children about what color of wings their butterflies have and where they would fly to. How fast or slow can they flap their wings?
Egg to Tadpole to Frog Yoga Sequence
Begin in child’s pose as that represents the tiny egg.
Slowly inch onto your stomach and “swim” while moving your arms and leg up and down to be the tadpole.
Then take Frog Pose (Malasana), with your feet on the floor and your legs in a deep squat. See if you can try out your new frog legs with frog hops on your mat.
Seed to Flower Yoga Sequence
Begin in Child’s Pose and pretend to be a tiny seed in the ground.
Lift one arm as you imagine a tiny stem beginning to poke through the Earth.
Sit up straight and tall inn Lotus (flower) Pose with your legs crossed. Raise your arms up into a flower shape toward the sun. Can you sway in the breeze?
Have fun with these spring yoga kid ideas. See if your children can come up with any other changes that happen in the spring such as weather, animals or plants. The possibilities are endless and putting these springtime changes into yoga postures makes them all the more memorable.
take turns drawing the pose (snowball) out of a box or bag. Select just 4-6 yoga poses for the children to learn and practice for each yoga class. It is best to focus on practicing a few yoga poses during a class instead of many.
