“Zoo 2” yoga storytime

Opening – How I explain the rules of yoga storytime: stay on your mat, and keep your hands to yourself.
(Skip to my Lou – from Jim Gill)
Stomping feet, one and two
Stomping feet, one and two
But if my feet were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling.

Clapping hands, one and two
Clapping hands, one and two
But if my hands were covered in glue
I’d stick to the glue, my darling
(hands in Anjali mudra, or prayer position)

Are you Ready for Yoga?
Are you ready for yoga?
If you’re ready, then stomp your feet
Stomp your feet and make some noise.
Let’s stomp our feet and make some noise
And do it really fast
Then stop. Stretch your feet up, up, up
And down.
Repeat with arms then both.
Source: Next Generation Yoga at the National Kids Yoga Conference

Sun Salutations

I used these sun salutations from Yoga Games for Children as posted by Breathe. Flow. Grow. Yoga.

Open the Book
Arms, legs, both
Close the book. Open the book. Turn the page.
Start seated with arms stretched out in front of you, palms touching. To “open the book,” stretch the arms wide. To close it, bring them back together. To “turn the page,” open just the right arm and close it, then the left arm and close it. Repeat “turning pages” until the kids giggle. Repeat the whole sequence using legs instead of arms. Then try arms and legs together.

Book – Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert
Tiger – cat/cow
Mouse – child’s pose/balasana
Fox – table with one leg stretched out behind like a fox tail. Switch legs to do both sides.
Ox – Goddess/utkata konasana
Monkey – Jump around like a monkey.
Deer – warrior I/virabhadrasana I
Lion – lion’s breath
Goat – Downward facing dog/adho mukha svanasana kicking legs into the air like a goat
Snake – cobra/bhujangasana

Song: Kidding Around Yoga’s “Jogging through the Jungle“

Savasana

Peace begins with me
Hold both hands overhead. On the word “peace,” touch the thumbs and pinky fingers together. On the word “begins,” touch the thumbs and ring fingers. On the word “with,” touch the thumbs and middle fingers. On the word “me,” touch the thumbs and pointers. Repeat this four times, the first time loudly and hands overhead. The second time, bring the hands down a little and speak a little softer. The third time, bring hands lower and whisper. The last time, bring hands to knees and speak words silently to self.
Source: Kids Yoga Guide Teacher Training

Namaste!