As the days grow shorter and the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect opportunity to infuse your kids’ yoga sessions with festive themes. Holidays are fun, but can also lead to stress and burnout for the whole family.
Take time to play and be creative to bring the family together. Then, do some yoga and mindfulness for each holiday you celebrate! Here are some other ways to practice mindfulness during the busy holiday season.
Themed yoga is one of the best ways to start teaching yoga to kids. Check out this list of favorite themes here.
From Diwali to Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah to Christmas, and Kwanzaa and New Year’s, these holiday-themed yoga poses and activities will keep children engaged, happy, and connected to the essence of each celebration.
Dive into the magic of autumn and winter with these fun and imaginative practices!
Diwali Delight:
Yoga Poses:
- “Greeting the Goddess” Pose: Sit cross-legged, bring hands together in a gentle bow, honoring enlightenment.
- “Lantern Light” Pose: Stand with one leg raised bent at the knee, balancing like a flickering lamp.
- “Firecracker Hop” Pose: Jump from side to side in Star pose like crackling fireworks, celebrating joy.
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Lamp Lighting Race”: Kids race to “light” imaginary lamps by touching them while in a tree pose. Don’t knock the lights over! Lights turn on by lifting their arms up!
- “Rangoli Creations”: Use body shapes to design beautiful floor patterns like traditional rangoli.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Lotus Blossom Breaths”: Open and close your hands in the lotus mudra, like a flower opening. Breathe in deeply as you open your fingers, exhale releasing peace and light while closing the petals again.
Halloween Fun:
Yoga Poses:
- “Spooky Skeleton” Pose: Stand tall, spread your arms wide, and wiggle those fingers like spooky skeletons. Add some elbow bends and wobbly knees like a jangly skeleton.
- “Witch’s Broomstick” Pose: Sit back on your heels with your knees bent deeply and stretch your arms forward, pretending to ride a magical broomstick.
- “Goblin Squat” Pose: Squat low with feet flat, place your hands on the floor, and sway side to side like sneaky goblins.
Check out these posts for many more Halloween themed yoga poses, and Halloween Mindfulness activities.
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Pumpkin Patch Hide and Seek”: Hide small “pumpkins” (orange bean bags) around the room for kids to find.
- “Monster Freeze Dance”: Dance like monsters to spooky music, freeze when the music stops.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Ghostly Breaths”: Inhale deeply and exhale with a soft “boo” sound, imagining a friendly ghost.
Thanksgiving Gratitude:
Yoga Poses:
- “Grateful Turkey” Pose: Stand tall on one leg with your other leg straight back, spread your arms like wings, and flap gently.
- “Pilgrim’s Journey” Pose: Sit with your knees bent and lean back gently, lifting one foot at a time to balance on your seat. Use your arms to pretend to row a boat across the ocean.
- “Harvest Basket” Pose: On your knees, lift your seat up off your feet and extend your arms forward like you gathering a harvest.
Check out this post with more Thanksgiving Yoga ideas and another Gratitude Yoga lesson here.
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Harvest Hustle”: Balance small objects (pretend veggies) on a spoon in a relay race.
- “Thankful Circle”: Sit in a circle, each child shares something they’re thankful for while passing around a gratitude stone.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Pumpkin Pie Breaths”: Take in a deep breath while seating in “Pizza Pie” pose, imagining the aroma of a pumpkin pie, and exhale slowly.
Hanukkah Joy:
Yoga Poses:
- “Menorah Candles” Pose: Lie on your back with your legs straight up like a candle. Option to go into shoulder stand for kids ages 8 and up, if they have the strength.
- “Dreidel Spin” Pose: Stand tall, spin in place like a dreidel. Or keep your feet planted and swing your arms side to side in a twist.
- “Latke Plank” Pose: Hold yourself steady in plank position, then try to clap your hands, pretending to flip latkes.
Here’s a Hanukkah themed yoga lesson with even more poses, mindfulness activities and games!
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Dreidel Says”: Spin a dreidel and perform a yoga pose based on the result.
- “Latke Toss”: Toss bean bags (latkes) onto yoga poses on the ground from a distance and do the poses together in a sequence.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Candle Light Breaths”: Sit comfortably on your knees like a tall candle and visualize a glowing menorah. With each inhale, imagine lighting a candle on your fingers. Blow it out gently so the candle flame just flickers but doesn’t go out.
Christmas Cheer:
Yoga Poses:
- “Reindeer Pose”: Kneel on one knee with your other leg behind you. Reach your hands up like antlers and move forward and back like a reindeer ready to fly.
- “Christmas Tree” Pose: Standing tall, bring your palms together over your head, fingers together like the point of a pine tree. Imagine you are decorated with lights and beautiful ornaments.
- “Sleigh” Pose: Lie on your back with your feet flat and knees bent. Lift your hips up like a sleigh going up into the sky.
Here’s a whole Christmas themed yoga lesson plan, plus a printable pose poster. Here’s another Winter themed yoga class as well.
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Santa Says”: Similar to Simon Says but using Santa themed poses.
- “Ornament Balance”: Place plastic or cloth ornaments on different parts of the body while balancing in yoga poses.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Snowflake Breaths”: Inhale deeply and reach your arms up, then exhale while imagining snowflakes falling like your fingers all the way down.
Kwanzaa Celebration:
Yoga Poses:
- “Unity Tree Circle”: Stand in tree pose in a circle, hold hands, appreciate unity.
- “Kente Cloth Flow” Pose: Reach your arms up overhead, interlace fingers and move your torso from side to side like a flowing kente cloth.
- “Kikombe Unity Cup”: Lay on your stomach and bend your knees so your feet face up toward the ceiling. Hold onto your ankles and press your fett up to create a cup shape with your body.
Kids Yoga Games:
- “Unity Dance”: Create a group dance celebrating togetherness. Or, create mandala unity shapes with poses connected in a circle.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Fruit Basket Breaths”: Sit in Butterfly pose, imagining a basket of fruits, inhale how fresh they smell, exhale slowly.
New Year’s Anticipation:
Yoga Poses:
- “Wishing Star” Pose: Start in star pose with arms and legs spread wide, then rock from side to side balancing on each side as you go. Make a New Year’s wish as you do.
- “Firework Explosion” Pose: From star pose, jump up and spread your arms and legs like fireworks exploding.
- “Confetti Twist”: Sit cross-legged and twist your torso from side to side, imagining colorful confetti falling around you.
Don’t forget to check out this fun and free New Year’s themed yoga lesson plan for kids too!
Kids Yoga Games:
- “New Year’s Resolutions”: Have each child share a yoga pose that represents their New Year’s resolution and incorporate them into a flow sequence.
- “Countdown Challenge”: Practice holding challenging poses for 10 seconds each as you count down the seconds to midnight. Jump in fireworks pose at zero!
- “Celebration Freeze Dance”: Play music and have kids dance freely, but when the music stops they must freeze in a celebratory pose.
Themed Breathing Activity:
- “Sparkler Breaths”: Inhale deeply with palms together and reach them up, exhale and snap your fingers on the way down like fireworks popping.
Keep the vibe light and fun while encouraging imagination with these holiday-themed yoga poses and activities. Incorporate storytelling, themed music, and crafts to create a full holiday experience.
By blending these elements, children not only enjoy yoga but also connect with the traditions and values of each holiday. So gather your little yogis, embrace the magic of the season, and embark on your holiday yoga adventure!
