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Shapes are everywhere. They provide us with a way to organize and make sense of our world. Once you are familiar with basic shapes, you see them all around you. You begin to combine shapes to make other shapes.
This is one of the kids yoga games included in the new bookletShapes: A Kids Yoga Class. Lost My Shape is great fun and gets everyone moving, playing and making shapes. It develops critical thinking, analysis and observation skills and allows children an opportunity to apply knowledge in a fun, cooperative, interactive manner.
Lost My Shape
Have students sit in a circle.
Step 1: Have 3-6 students (or more if you have a large group) in the middle of the circle each assigned a different shape using the shapes cards found the the booklet Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class. Show them the card and verify they know now to make it. Don’t make it with their body until the singing begins.
Step 2: One other student is “IT” and he/she randomly picks one card from the shape cards used in Step 1. Don’t show it to anyone. This student skips/walks around the circle during Step 3.
Step 3: Everyone sings to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”
Lost my shape, what do I do,
Lost my shape, what do I do,
Lost my shape, what do I do,
Skip to my lou, my darling.
During the singing, students in the center of the circle make their shapes while “IT” skips around. When the song is over “IT” picks the student from the middle to match their shape card.
This student then becomes “IT,” new students are selected to go in the middle of the circle and you play again.
For more Shape Yoga check out the booklet Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class -15 pages packed with ideas on how to teach shapes using yoga, mindfulness, mudras and more. Find it HERE.
Looking for more kids yoga games? Enjoy the many found on the Yoga Games Page.
This is a guest post by Bernardette Kalyan-Salgado and is part of our My Favourite Props series.
Scarves are a typical prop for dance classes however I have found them to be very useful in yoga as well.
Body Awareness
Use the scarves during warm up. Waking up the body placing the scarf over the toes, knees, etc. Younger children and those with special needs in particular love the idea of “waking up” the body parts.
Asana
Use the scarves as a prop to hold with several asanas/poses, it is a challenge for older students. Poses such as Warrior (arms up holding the scarf open looking up, focusing on the scarf), Dancer and for balancing poses such as Crow it can be used as a focal point.
Games
Common games such as freeze dance become fun and different with a scarf in hand. It also gives a difference sense of spatial awareness for the child. Playing games such as “Yogi Says” is also fun, ex. “Yogi Says, place your scarf on your head.”
Scarf Breathing
Laying down placing the scarf on the belly creating awareness for deep belly breaths. Placing them over the face and blowing them upward attempting for lift off.
I find scarves to be such a handy prop. It is easy to be creative with them they can become water, clouds etc. in a story or movement experience. Most importantly they are light in weight if you have to carry them around. Having a set in two different types of material is also very interesting to see the children explore the texture and how it moves differently.
Bernardette is a RYT 200 instructor based in Florida. She combines her background in dance with yoga to create fun Movement Yoga for Children classes.
If you enjoyed this post be sure to check out all the ideas on the ourMy Favourite Prop page. Learn how to use feathers, hula hoops, stones and stuffed animals to name a few.
Using yoga as a tool to learn shapes is fun, kinaesthetic learning at its best.
Children are able to become the shapes in various forms and sizes, using their hands, their bodies and their friends. This is an ideal way for children to experience and explore the world and move from non-verbal, physical understanding to abstract, mental comprehension. Performing shape yoga helps children grasp, internalize, and retain concepts in a creative and informative manner. In addition, using yoga to teach shapes improves communication, cooperation, problem-solving, creative thinking, analysis, observation and other skills key to success in school and life.
Learn Shapes Easily with Kids Yoga
The booklet, Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class, is ideal for pre-school, kindergarten and elementary school classes. I have taught this class with children aged 2-12 in schools, day cares, kids and family yoga classes, and at yoga summer camps. There are lots of ideas for various ages so use what works best for your group.
Have fun and play shape yoga today!
Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class
Shape yoga makes learning playful, novel and enjoyable: exactly what young children love. The 15 page booklet is packed with ideas on how to create shapes using yoga including mudrās (hand gestures), individual, partner and group poses, breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques, and a guided visualization. There are also numerous additional resources (games, music, crafts, books, flashcards) to support your shape yoga experience. Have fun and play shape yoga today!
Price: $7.93
Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class includes mudrās and poses for:
circle
diamond
triangle
star
crescent
rectangle
zig-zag
heart
Additional resources:
Yoga Games including – What Shape am I?, Lost My Shape, Shape Tumbling, Shape Patterns, Star/Black Hole
Music suggestions
Numerous links to crafts, printables, worksheets, mandalas
Yogainmyschool.com is thrilled to announce the release of The Pet Store, an interactive Kids Yoga Flipbook.
This flipbook is a wonderful way to share the joys and benefits of yoga with kids. Enjoy imitating animals found at a Pet Store – kittens, puppies, parrots and more – using yoga poses. With engaging full color photos and detailed pose instructions little yogis will be captivated and eager to participate in this child friendly yoga practice. Visiting the Pet Store will never be the same.
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the Instructor’s Guide for The Pet Store filled with additional information on the what, why and how of using thematic yoga adventure stories when teaching yoga to kids. You’ll also get monthly tips and updates on all the fabulous Yogainmyschool.com resources.
Yogainmyschool.com is thrilled to offer three downloadable kids yoga classes. Family Time, Man on the Moon and Tour of India are fun, engaging and a great way to teach yoga to children. Expert in yoga for children and teens, Donna Freeman leads these 30 minute classes and is joined by young yogis who demonstrate real kids practicing yoga, making the videos easy use at home or in the classroom.
Based on stories found in Once Upon a Pose, these classes reinforce themes taught in school, involve children physically, mentally and emotionally in the learning process, reduce stress through movement, breathing and relaxation, and improve mental and physical health and well-being.
Available for download in both PC and MAC formats, these videos are now available for the introductory price of only US$9.99 each.
Jump into a life sized yoga game packed with poses, meditations and practices that will enrich and empower while teaching turn taking and packed with fun. This game is ideal in large spaces, especially outside on a driveway or patio, as well as for kids yoga day camp, but will require some preparation time to layout the grid/game board (20 mins) . The fun factor is definitely worth the extra time. This is a fabulous way to incorporate numerous yoga concepts and practices into one activity and the players will love becoming the game pieces which move around the giant board.
Gaint Yoga Board Game
Using sidewalk chalk create an over-sized game board with squares that are at least 18″. Alternatively use carpet samples from carpet retailers who discard samples regularly. Create a game board using a circle, oval or figure eight: this makes it less competitive as there isn’t a start or finish. You will need double the number of squares as participants, minimum. If you have a class of 10 kids then your game will need at least 20 squares.
Make one or two over-sized dice out of cereal boxes, the bigger the better. Paint them white, or cover with white paper, and add dots. You can use one die if you have a smaller group or want to make a smaller game board. Using two dice requires a looping game board with 24+ squares.
You can vary the game squares according to age and ability of the players. Little ones will be happy playing and moving. Using photos clues (picture of a tree for tree pose) helps pre-readers and those with special needs. Older players will want more of a challenge.
trivia challenge – various cards with yoga related trivia (Who is BKS Iyengar? What does ‘yoga’ mean? etc) question on one side, answer on the reverse.
trade places with another player
How to Play
To begin have every child stand on a different square. Choose an order for turns (youngest to oldest, whatever works). Whoever is first rolls the dice and moves the required number of squares. Once on the new square they perform the action. Child #2 takes their turn, followed by child #3, etc. I try to create squares which allow for the child to continue the action while everyone else has a turn so they don’t have too much down time or get bored while waiting. If two players land on the same square let them share and perform a bonus partner pose or bump one forward.
Play the game until children lose interest or time is up. Be sure to include time for savasana so that players are able to integrate and reflect upon their experience before sending them on their way. Everyone is a winner!
If you enjoyed this post be sure to subscribe (RSS or e-mail) to get new content and ideas on teaching yoga to kids and teens direct to you. You will also want to explore our Yoga Games page which has loads of fabulous ideas.
