Welcome to our farm-themed yoga adventure! I can't believe it took me this long to write a farm themed yoga lesson, as it's probably the theme that I've used the most over the years.
Grab your free printable of some of the best farm themed yoga poses for kids below!
Animal themed lessons are the best way to start teaching kids yoga. My kindergarten students get to do animal yoga poses the entire year.
And usually we start with a farm animals, then jungle animals, ocean animals, and all sorts of other animal themes.
Farm animal yoga is excellent for little kids especially, so if you have toddlers or preschool kids, this will be a perfect lesson for them. Lots of basic kids yoga poses are farm animals, so that just naturally works out perfectly.
Practicing yoga with kids of all ages is a great indoor activity, and almost anyone can do basic yoga poses, especially with kids!
Get ready for some awesome farm themed yoga poses for kids!
Entrance/Welcome:
As each child arrives, greet them with a warm and cheerful, “Howdy, Farmer!” This sets the tone for a fun-filled farm animals yoga session and helps create a welcoming atmosphere.
Farm Animal Themed Yoga Warm-Ups:
Let's start by moving like farm animals!
Encourage the children to explore the room, pretending to be different farm animals. Call them out one at time so they know when to switch.
Add in a descriptive verb to keep them really moving:
- Gallop like a horse
- Waddle like a duck
- Amble like a cow
- Flap like a chicken
- Hop like a bunny
- Roll like a pig, etc!
- Walk like a goat, etc!
Farm Yoga Mindfulness Breathing:
Bunny Breathing
Some farms have rabbits and bunnies. Let’s do Bunny breathing.
- Sit on your knees with your palms face up on your legs.
- Take three quick sniffs in through your nose like a bunny.
- Now exhale nice a slow. Repeat a few times.
Flower Breathing
Many farms have large gardens with vegetables and flowers. Let’s imagine a big beautiful flower.
- Hold your hands together with your fingers cupped together at the top like a closed flower petal.
- Breathe in deeply through your nose like you are smelling a flower. Spread out your point, middle, and ring fingers to create a flower shape.
- Now breathe out slowly and close the “petals” again.
- Repeat several times.
Opening Question & Fun Facts about Farms:
Spark curiosity by asking the children what they know about farms. Encourage them to share their knowledge of farm animals and plants.
Share some fascinating farm facts to expand their understanding and engage their interest:
- Did you know that there are over 2 million farms in the United States alone?
- A single cow on average can produce about 8 gallons of milk per day.
- The biggest tractor in the world is called the Big Bud 747 and weighs over 100,000 pounds.
- Bees are incredibly important to farms because they pollinate crops. In fact, one-third of the food we eat depends on bees and other pollinators.
- Did you know that there are over 4,000 varieties of potatoes worldwide?
Introduction to the Adventure:
Get ready for the story by setting some ground rules and introducing the farm story they will embark on.
Encourage them to follow along and listen closely to discover what animals they can pretend to be and what exciting encounters await them on their journey.
Farm Themed Yoga Poses
Let the farm yoga adventure begin! Take the children on a pretend journey through the farm with these yoga moves. Keep your pose instructions short, and focus on the movement– remember that practicing yoga is a journey for all ages.
Start in the barn with the animals, encouraging them to imitate the movements and sounds of cows, pigs, and chickens.
Then, explore the fields, orchard and vegetable patches, stretching and reaching like growing plants.
Don't forget a pretend ride on the bumpy tractor!
Here are some farm yoga poses to include in your story:
Cow Pose: Start on your hands and knees, inhale, and drop your belly towards the mat to mimic a cow’s relaxed stance. Look up slightly, stretch your neck, and “moo”!
Cat Pose: Directly from Cow Pose, exhale, round your spine towards the ceiling, and tuck your chin to your chest, mimicking a stretching cat on the farm. This pose helps stretch your back and neck.
Chicken Pose: Squat down on your toes with your feet apart, flapping your arms like wings. Try to balance and maybe even try a few “cluck” sounds.
Horse Stance: Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and squat down slightly, keeping your back straight. Hold your arms out in front, and gallop your feet in place.
Dog Pose: From a hands and knees position, lift your hips up towards the ceiling, press your chest towards your thighs, creating an inverted V shape, much like a stretching dog.
Pig Mud Roll: Lie on your back, hug your knees into your chest, hold your toes, and then roll gently from side to side, as if you were a pig rolling happily in the mud.
Donkey Pose: Start in Down Dog pose, and stretch one leg up. Give a gentle kick upward like a donkey!
Tractor Tire Pose: Sit with your legs wide open, stretching your arms out as if they were big tractor tires. This pose helps stretch your inner thighs and back.
Bee Breath: Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and make a gentle buzzing “zzz” sound on the exhale, mimicking the sound of a bee. This breathing exercise is calming and can improve concentration.
Seed Sprout Stretch: Starting in a small ball, slowly begin to stand up, slowly lifting your arms towards the sky, stretching up high like a seed sprouting and growing into a plant.
Sunflower Twist: Stand tall, spread your legs and arms wide, and then gently twist from side to side, warming up your body and stretching like a sunflower following the sun across the sky.
Farm Themed Yoga Games for Kids
Play a game of “Farmer Says,” a variation of Yogi Says. The farmer gives instructions related to farm actions, and the children act them out.
This game promotes listening skills, body awareness, and coordination.
Farm Animals Bingo
Do some Farm Animals themed bingo! Grab the printable farm-themed Bingo cards in the Farm Adventure lesson plan for kids here.
Instantly download the lesson for more yoga poses for kids and yoga tips. Pretend to be different farm animals and items around the farm.
Duck Duck Grey Duck (Yes, I'm from Minnesota)
To play Duck Duck Grey Duck, kids sit in a circle. One child is “It.” They walk around, tapping heads saying “duck.”
At some point, they say “grey duck” and the tagged child chases them before they can sit in the empty spot. If caught, that child becomes It. This game boosts reflexes and burns energy in a fun way.
Relax/Savasana:
After an active pretend farm adventure, it's time to wind down and relax. Guide your kids to imagine themselves resting under a shady tree after a day of farm work.
Alternatively, play calming sounds like crickets at night and encourage them to appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of the farm.
Farm Animals Art Projects!
For those who want to extend the farm experience, try out some creative farm-themed mindfulness art projects. Make paper plate animals or create vegetable stamp paintings.
For younger kiddos try this matching project: Farm Animals moms and babies matching printables!
Farm-Themed Art Activity: Paper Plate Animals
Get creative and celebrate the beauty of farm life with our Paper Plate Animals craft! Follow these easy steps to make your very own farmyard friend:
Materials Needed:
- Paper plates
- Paints (brown, black, white, pink, etc.)
- Brushes
- Construction paper (various colors)
- Glue
- Scissors
- Markers or crayons
- Googly eyes (optional)
Instructions:
- Choose a farm animal you want to create, such as a pig, cow, or chicken.
- Paint your paper plate to match the primary color of your chosen animal.
- While the paint dries, cut out additional features from construction paper, like ears for a cow or a beak for a chicken.
- Once the painted plate is dry, glue on the extra paper features you've created.
- Add details with markers or crayons, like spots for a cow or a snout for a pig.
- For a funny , glue on googly eyes to give your paper plate animal character.
- Allow your project to dry completely before displaying your farmyard friend on the fridge or your bedroom wall.
Exploring the farm through yoga and imaginative play is a fantastic way to engage children's minds and bodies.
By integrating movement, breathing exercises, and interactive storytelling, they not only have fun but also develop physical coordination, mindfulness, and a deeper appreciation for the wonders of farm life.
Grab your Free printable of the kids yoga farm animal poses here:
So, let's continue to nurture their love for learning and exploration as we embark on more yoga adventures together!
