Integrating the curriculum in the children’s yoga classes is a great way to catch their attention and allow them a bit of “show off” time. Make sure you look very impressed every time they get a number right. It is also a great occasion to help those children that might be having some difficulties to have some fun while catching up.
Starting from the age of 2 kids will start to learn the numbers. By the age of 4 many kids are able to count up to number 10 and sometimes more.
Print out these cards with numbers and yoga poses. Ask the children to sit in front of you.
GAMES:
Display all the cards in the floor in a random order and ask the children to put them in order (depending on their age, decide if displaying all the numbers up to 20 or maybe just up to 10)
Teach the kids one yoga pose at a time asking first: What number can you read? What animal can you see? (See below the yoga poses associated to each number)
Place the cards in a circle and have each child sit next to a card. Call out a number, the child that has that number, will do the yoga pose.
Ask them to arrange the numbers backward (big challenge!)
Play the song YOGA NUMBERS by Bari Koral and follow the instructions on the song. Every time a number is mentioned, show them your number card and then do the yoga pose as mentioned below. I love this song because the pace is slow enough to be able to do the pose, but not so slow that the children will loose interest.
With older kids you can use these cards to make additions and subtractions. Take out two random numbers and ask the kids to either add them up or subtract them. Ask them to get into the pose that represents the answer to the equation!
Find below the poses associated to each number:
Mouse = Childs Pose
Dog = Downward Dog Pose
Kitty Cats = Cat Pose (alternate with cow pose)
Frogs = Frog Pose (Squat)
Snakes = Snake / Cobra Pose
Rolling logs = Arms on the floor next to your hips, lift your hips from the floor, feet towards your head. Roll back and forth.
Owls = Squat and bring your hands under your arm pits
Dinosaurs = Low lunge say ROAR!
Mountain = Mountain Pose
Rockets = House Pose (Legs open wide, arms over head with palms touching)
Warriors = Warrior II
Baby Elephants = Wide legged forward fold with hands interlaced doing like a trumpet
Wave to mama = From wide legged forward fold, lift one arm up (twist)
From the other side = wave from the other side
Stomp = stomp hands on the ground with wide legged forward fold
Pound the floor = stomp the floor with the feet while hands on the floor
Monkeys = Squat and jump up!
Birds in the tree = Bird Pose
Mountain = Mountain Pose
Rockets = House Pose (Legs open wide, arms over head with palms touching)
Please let me know if you try any of these games down in your comments!
Peace and love,
Marta
