Learn how to do easy yoga poses for kids and teach them the poses with some essential kids yoga themes.
What is Yoga for Kids?
Yoga for kids is different than yoga for adults! Kids as young as babies and toddlers can start to practice yoga by trying fun and themed yoga poses.
From its origins, yoga has been a way for people to mimic and relate to our surroundings; yogis in ancient times moved their bodies into yoga postures that copied the animals and natural environment around them. They created poses like Downward-facing Dog, Cobra, Crow, Stork, Mountain, and more!
You can use these original poses and also create your own animal and nature-themed yoga poses to practice with kids. Weave the poses together in a storytelling yoga fashion to make your sequences even more playful.
What are the Benefits of Yoga for Kids?
Yoga poses for kids can help kids get active and moving. They need movement and body breaks in their day, especially with distance learning being all too prevalent right now.
Here are some essential benefits:
- Yoga can help kids focus and be mindful.
- It Improves lung capacity and breathing.
- Doing movement and yoga poses aids in blood circulation.
- Mindfulness can teach kids to manage anxiety.
- Yoga promotes a positive self-image and helps with body positivity.
- Yoga poses are useful to help kids learn balance and coordination skills.
- It teaches kids calming techniques and self-regulation.
- It can enhance memory and concentration.
- All the yoga poses can develop strength and flexibility in their bodies to support healthy growth.
- Yoga is engaging, fun, and encourages creativity and imagination in play.
How Can You Start to Practice Yoga with your Kids or students?
So you know that yoga is good for kids, how do you start? It depends on your situation, but if you are with kids at home, here are some simple steps.
- Get them their own yoga mat so they have their own space to play and practice.
- Put up some cute yoga pose cards, or buy a deck from Amazon that they can explore.
- Do yoga with them! You are their best role model, so try some silly poses, games, and get out of your comfort zone to encourage them as well.
- Take deep breaths and practice mindful breathing with some partner kids mindfulness games.
If you are a teacher or educator, introduce yoga poses to kids by adding in little yoga sequences or yoga stories to your curriculum. Check out some story-based lesson plans here!
Post up some free yoga printables like this Morning and Evening Yoga Sequence, or an Animal Yoga ABC poster. (Join the Free Resources Library to get these printables!)
Enroll in my Ultimate Kids Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Training to learn the best practices, amazing lesson plans, and behavior management techniques for teaching kids yoga and mindfulness!
So, what are the best easy yoga poses for kids?
Here they are, listed by theme! Some are written out and there are more in each video! Enjoy!
Don't forget to join the Free Resources Library for some printable images of the Animal yoga poses here:
Animal Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Dog: Place your hands and feet on the floor, lift your hips high, and stretch your spine long. Wiggle your puppy tail!
Cat: Kneel on your hands and knees, pull your tummy up, and round your back to the ceiling. Tuck your chin and meow like a kitty.
Cow: From cat pose, lower your belly and arch your back. Look up to the ceiling and moo!
Snake: Lower down to your belly with your hands under your shoulders. Press into the floor with your legs straight behind you like a snake and lift your torso off the floor. Hiss like a snake!
Frog: Squat low with your feet hip-width distance. Rest your hands on the floor and straighten your spine. Hop and ribbit like a frog.
Australian Adventure Themed Poses
Kangaroo (Chair Pose): Stand with your feet under your hips and bend your knees, sitting back like you are in a chair. Hold your hands in front of you like a kangaroo and hop big hops.
Dingo (Downward-Facing Dog): Place your hands and feet on the floor, lift your hips high, and stretch your spine long. Bark and wiggle your doggy tail.
Ibis: Stand tall and come to balance on one foot. Lift your other leg up with your knee at hip height. Reach your arms straight back like wings and lean forward slightly.
Sydney Opera House (Triangle pose): Stand with feet wide, one foot facing forward, the other to the side, legs straight. Reach forward and down with your front hand and reach your top hand to the sky to make a triangle.
Alligator: Lay on your tummy with your legs together like a tail behind you. Reach your arms above your head, roll onto your side, and snap your arms open like alligator jaws. Do the same chomping on the other side.
Halloween Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Witch Pose (Warrior 2): Stand with your feet wide, one foot facing forward, and one foot to the side. Bend your front knee over your ankle and raise your arms out to shoulder height. Pretend to float side to side, and use your font arm to pretend to cast spells.
Jack O Lantern: Sit on your bottom and bend your knees into your stomach, hugging your arms around them. Hide your head on your knees, then pop up and make a scary Jack O Lantern face!
Ghost (Warrior 3): Balance on one leg with your other leg out straight behind you. Reach your arms out to the sides and float like a ghost.
Spider: Squat down low with your feet out wide. Tuck your arms under your knees and wrap them around your ankles. Wiggle your fingers out to the sides.
Frankenstein: Lay flat on your back, and lift your arms up above you. Sit up slowly like Frankenstein and reach for your toes with legs straight.
(Find more poses and Halloween activities for kids yoga here.)
Beach Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Palm Tree (Tree pose): Stand up tall and balance on one foot. Place your other foot on your ankle, calf, or thigh.
Crab (Reverse Tabletop): Sit on your bottom with your knees bent. Place your hands behind you and lift your hips up, pressing your belly towards the ceiling. Look up or back and shuffle side to side like a crab.
Swimming: Lay on your belly with your arms above your head. Lift up from your shoulders and hips to paddle and kick like a swimmer, keeping your arms and legs as straight as you can.
Sandcastle: Stand with your feet wide, toes pointing forward. Reach your arms straight above you with your palms pressing together to make a castle shape.
Surfing (Warrior 2): Stand with your feet wide, one foot facing forward, and one foot to the side. Bend your front knee over your ankle and raise your arms out to shoulder height. Pretend to float and surf on the water, using your arms for balance.
Bug Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Caterpillar (Locust): Lay on your tummy with your arms straight back towards your hips. Lift from your shoulders and torso and wiggle side to side like a caterpillar.
Butterfly: Sit on your bottom with your back straight and tall. Press your feet together and let your knees fall to the side. Flap your butterfly wings!
Snail: Sit your knees and reach your hands back toward your feet. Lean forward to rest your head on the floor and lift your hips up.
Grasshopper: Lay on your tummy with your hands under your shoulders. Lift one leg up straight from the hip. Bend your leg and use your other foot to help lift your leg up a little higher.
Firefly (Dancer Pose): Stand up tall and reach one arm up to the sky. Use your other arm to reach for your other foot. Balance on your standing leg, and press your back foot into your hand, arching your back and lifting your leg higher.
Ocean Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Boat: Sit on your bottom with your knees bent. Hold onto the back of your knees, and lean straight back to balance on your sit bones. Straighten your legs and lift your arms to balance in boat pose.
Fish: Sit on your bottom with your legs straight out in front of you. Lean back on your elbows and forearms and lift your heart up to the sky. Look up and pucker your lips like a fish.
Dolphin: Start in a forearm plank with your hands clasped. Walk your feet in and lift your hips up, shifting your shoulders slightly forward. Look behind you and keep your spine straight, bending your knees if needed. Option to do some dolphin hops.
Whale (Flip Dog) : Start in Downward-facing Dog pose. Lift one leg high to the ceiling, bend your knee, and flip over, land your foot on the floor gently, and reach your same arm forward ahead of you. Lift your hips high and look back, arching like a whale leaping out of the water and flipping over. Make a whoosh sound like a whale landing in water.
Starfish: Stand with your feet wide and arms out, creating a star shape. Gently tip to one side, lifting your other leg straight and balancing. Then go back to the other side and balance the other way.
Spring Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Egg: Sit on your knees with your feet tucked under you. Rest your head down on the floor and round yourself into an egg shape. Rock and back and forth like you are hatching.
Chick: Squat on your feet, balancing on your toes if you can. Wiggle side to side and flap your arms out like chick wings.
Flower: Sit on your bottom with your feet together and your knees wide. Reach your arms under your knees and sit back to balance on your sit bones. Lift your feet up and balance.
Bunny: Sit your knees and reach your hands back toward your feet. Lean forward to rest your head on the floor. Lift your arms straight back and up, like bunny ears alongside you.
Tree: Stand tall and bring yourself to balance on one foot. Rest your other foot on your ankle, calf, or above your knee. Press your foot into your opposite leg and reach your arms up and out to the sides like branches.
Adventure to the Farm Yoga Poses
Cow: From cat pose, lower your belly and arch your back. Look up to the ceiling and moo!
Horse (3 Leg Down Dog): Start in Downward-facing Dog pose. Lift one leg straight up high to the ceiling, kicking backward like a horse. Do the same on the other leg and make hops if you like!
Duck: Squat down low with your feet hip-width distance. Tuck your hands under your armpits and waddle back and forth like duck, quacking as you go.
Pig (Happy Baby pose): Lay on your back and bring your knees into your chest. Grab your feet and press them up to the sky so your knees are close to your shoulders. Wiggle like a pig in the mud!
Tractor: Stand on your knees with your legs hip width apart. Hold your arms out in front of you like you are holding a big tractor wheel. Lean back and forth slightly or side to side to drive the tractor.
Journey to Kenya Yoga Poses
Elephant: Stand with your feet wide and legs straight. Reach your arms above your head and clasp your hands together. Swing down with your arms, pretending they are your elephant trunk. Slurp up some water with your knees bent, then spray the water straight up and all around!
Water Buffalo: Knee on your hands and knees like a big water buffalo. Arch and round your back, then bend your arms to eat some grass. Chomp and chew and move slowly.
Flamingo: Stand on one leg and lift your other leg up to hip height. Point your toe down and breathe to balance. Reach your arms straight behind you like Flamingo wings and lean a little forward.
Giraffe (Pyramid, modified): Stand tall and step one foot back a little, keeping both legs straight. Reach your arms straight above your head and press your palms together like a giraffe head.
Zebra (3 Leg Down Dog): Start in Downward facing dog. Keeping your spine straight and long, lift one leg straight up behind you like you’re kicking! Do the other side and take some hops if you are brave.
Emotions/Feelings Themed Yoga Poses for Kids
Angry Wolf (Camel pose): Stand on your knees and place your hands on your lower back with your fingers facing down. Arch up and back, looking up to the ceiling or slightly behind you, keeping your hips over your knees. Howl like a sad or angry wolf!
Peaceful Bird (Warrior 3): Stand with your arms down at your sides, palms facing forward. Gently tip forward at your hips and lift one leg straight behind you. Float and pretend to fly across the sky.
Tired Bear (Child’s pose): Sit on your knees with your bottom resting on your feet. Fold over your legs and rest your head and arms on the floor in front of you. Separate your knees a little if that feels more comfortable. Snore like a sleepy bear.
Playful Seal (Up Dog): Start on your tummy with your hands underneath your shoulders. Press your hands and feet into the floor to lift your torso and hips up off the floor, straightening your arms and keeping your shoulders away from your ears. Wiggle and pretend to catch a ball on your nose!
Sad Dinosaur (Wide Leg Forward Fold): Stand with your feet wide and toes facing forward. Fold over at your hips and let your head hang heavy. Relax your upper body or reach your hands to your ankles and walk slowly.
Jungle Themed Yoga Poses
Monkey (Half Monkey): Start in a low lunge with your hands next to one foot and your back knee on the ground. Shift your hips back over your back knee to straighten your front leg and stretch. Round over your front knee or balance and make money sounds and actions.
Butterfly: Sit on your bottom with your back straight and tall. Press your feet together and let your knees fall to the side. Flap your butterfly wings!
Boa Constrictor (Cobra): Lower down to your belly with your hands under your shoulders. Press in the floor with your legs straight behind you like a snake and lift your torso off the floor. Hiss like a snake!
Jaguar: Stand with your feet wide, toes pointing out slightly. Shift your weight to one side, bending your knee and crouching low to the ground. Shift side to side like a sneaky jaguar.
Sloth (Eagle pose): Stand with your feet together, then bend your knees and wrap one leg up and over the other. Wrap your arms up in front of you at the elbows or grab your opposite shoulders.
Fall Themed Yoga Poses
Apple Picking: Stand with your feet wide apart. Reach up and stretch to reach the imaginary apples! Squat down to put each one in the basket. Alternate hands to get the highest apples.
Pumpkin Patch: Sit on your bottom with your knees hugging into your chest. Wrap your arms around your legs and tuck your head down to make around pumpkin shape. Rock back and forth like a pumpkin in a patch, ready to go to a new home. Pop your head up to make scary Jack ‘O Lantern faces!
Windy Trees: Stand on one foot and press your other foot into your ankle, calf, or thigh to help you balance. Reach your arms up and out, gently swaying your branches in the wind. Repeat on the other side.
Falling Leaves: Stand with your feet wide and arms stretching up and out to make a Maple leaf shape. Float gently to one side, lifting your foot to balance. Float gently the other way, eventually floating all the way to rest your leaf on the floor.
Squirrel: Crouch down and balance on your toes, keeping your knees together. Use your arms in front of you like paws to balance. Wobble around like a squirrel searching for nuts!
Easy Yoga Poses for Toddlers
Butterfly: Sit on your bottom with your back straight and tall. Press your feet together and let your knees fall to the side. Flap your butterfly wings!
Dog: Place your hands and feet on the floor, lift your hips high, and stretch your spine long. Wiggle your puppy tail!
Cat: Kneel on your hands and knees, pull your tummy up, and round your back to the ceiling. Tuck your chin and meow like a kitty.
Cow: From cat pose, lower your belly and arch your back. Look up to the ceiling and moo!
Frog: Squat down low, keeping your feet flat on the floor and your knees wide. Rest your hands on the floor, then take some big frog hops up and down!
I hope you enjoyed these themed yoga poses for kids! There are SO many creative ways to move and pose in kids yoga. Having a good theme helps your kids stay interested in the yoga poses, and helps their creativity and learning really flourish.
Lots of these yoga poses are animal-themed, if you like them and want more animal yoga poses for kids check out the animal yoga ABCs with another free printable here:
For more kids yoga teaching themes, check out this article here.
Get your free printable with tons of theme ideas for your kids yoga classes here:
For more tips on how to teach kids yoga sequences, go here.
Grab my bundle of fully scripted lesson plans here.
