Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going to the Beach and Ocean

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going to the Beach and Ocean

by | Apr 26, 2018 | Yoga

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A beach and ocean theme is a fun way to get children moving, imagining and learning at the same time. Kids yoga works especially well when poses are connected to stories, animals, games and music rather than taught as a series of formal postures.

This lesson can be adapted for parents, teachers, yoga instructors or group leaders. You can shorten it for younger children or expand it into a 45-minute class.

Start With Simple Group Expectations

Before beginning, keep the expectations short and positive. You might remind children to keep hands to themselves, take turns, use kind words and have fun.

A circle setup can work well because everyone can see one another and participate together.

Warm-Up

Start with simple movements to wake up the body:

  • shoulder rolls
  • gentle head turns
  • arm circles
  • standing side bends
  • easy twists
  • cat-cow or other spinal movements
  • marching or swaying to music

Keep the pace light and playful.

Pack for a Day at the Beach

Pretend you are getting ready for a beach adventure.

Have the children act out putting on bathing suits, sunglasses, hats, flip-flops and sunscreen. Pretend to pack towels, water, snacks, buckets, shovels and beach toys.

This gives you an easy transition from imagination into movement.

Ocean-Themed Yoga Poses

Use familiar shapes and give them playful ocean names.

  • Easy Pose — Looking at the Ocean: Sit comfortably and imagine watching the waves.
  • Mountain Pose — Beach Umbrella: Stand tall and reach your arms overhead.
  • Warrior III — Swimming: Balance on one leg and reach your arms forward like you are gliding through water.
  • Triangle Pose — Windsurfing: Open the body and imagine catching the wind.
  • Chair Pose — Beach Chair: Bend the knees and pretend you are sitting in the sand.
  • Forward Fold — Jellyfish: Let your arms hang and sway gently.
  • Downward-Facing Dog — Sandcastle: Make a strong triangle shape.
  • Cobra Pose — Harbor Seal: Lift the chest and make a playful seal sound.
  • Locust or Shark Pose — Shark: Lie on your belly and reach the arms back.
  • Child’s Pose — Sea Urchin: Curl into a small shape.
  • Boat Pose — Fishing Boat: Balance and rock gently if comfortable.
  • Tabletop Variation — Crab: Lift into a reverse tabletop and move like a crab.
  • Happy Baby — Sea Otter: Rock gently from side to side.
  • Wide-Leg Seated Stretch — Starfish: Reach in different directions like starfish arms.
  • Lying on the Back — Kelp Forest: Wave arms and legs slowly like kelp moving with the current.

For younger children, accuracy is less important than imagination and safe movement.

Shell Listening Activity

Pass around seashells and invite the children to hold them quietly and listen.

You can ask:

What sounds do you notice?

This becomes a simple mindfulness activity without needing a long meditation.

Ocean Games

Jump the Waves

Have children jump over imaginary waves while staying in their own space. You can also use a long piece of blue fabric while adults or older children gently move it like water.

Beach Ball Circle

Pass a beach ball around the circle using hands. You can later try passing it gently with the feet while lying down.

Surfing Flow

Move between Warrior II, Extended Side Angle and Peaceful Warrior while pretending to surf.

If a shark appears, everyone can come down into a belly pose such as Locust.

Partner Boats

Sit facing a partner, hold hands if appropriate and gently rock backward and forward like boats on the water.

Scuba Adventure

Pretend to put on wetsuits and scuba gear, then move around the room searching for imaginary treasures.

Children can swim, crab walk or crawl through the “ocean.” At the end, return to the circle and let everyone share what they discovered.

Create an Ocean Story

Invite the children to help build the story.

You could begin with:

“We arrived at the beach and suddenly we saw…”

Let each child add an animal, object or adventure, and turn their ideas into movements or yoga poses.

This keeps the lesson interactive and gives children some ownership over the class.

Ocean Relaxation

Finish with a short guided relaxation.

Invite everyone to lie comfortably and imagine resting on a warm beach. Ask them to listen to the imaginary waves coming in and going out.

You might say:

“Imagine the waves moving slowly toward the shore and then back out to sea. Feel your breath moving in and out in the same gentle way.”

Give the children a short period of quiet before slowly bringing them back to sitting.

Music Ideas

Music can add energy and imagination to a themed class. Songs about oceans, beaches, boats and sea animals can all work well.

Rather than relying on a fixed playlist, choose age-appropriate music that fits your group and setting. If you are teaching publicly, make sure the venue has appropriate music licensing.

Keep Kids Yoga Creative

Children do not need perfect poses. The goal is to help them move, imagine, cooperate and enjoy being in their bodies.

A themed class like this can combine yoga, storytelling, music, games and relaxation in a way that feels playful rather than formal.

For another themed lesson, try Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going Into Space.

If you enjoy leading creative movement with children, you may also be interested in the Circus Arts Leader Certification, which includes games, juggling, hula hooping, poi and group activities.

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going to the Zoo and the Farm

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going to the Zoo and the Farm

by | Apr 19, 2018 | Yoga

Farm theme, zoo theme, yoga poses for kids, yoga games for kids, yoga lesson plans kids​A zoo and farm theme is a playful way to introduce children to yoga through animals, sounds, imagination and movement. This type of class works especially well for toddlers and younger children because familiar animals make the poses easy to understand and fun to remember.

This lesson can be adapted for parents, teachers, yoga instructors or group leaders. Aim for about 45 minutes, but shorten or expand it depending on the age and attention span of the group.

Theme and Value: Helpfulness

Begin by talking briefly about what it means to be helpful.

You might ask children:

  • How do you help at home?
  • How can you help a friend?
  • What does it feel like when someone helps you?

Keep the conversation simple and let the children share their own examples.

Welcome Circle

Sit together in a circle and use a familiar hello song or movement song to help everyone settle in.

You can then introduce the theme by asking:

What animals might we see on a farm? What animals might we see at the zoo?

Let the children help build the adventure.

Farm Yoga Poses

Scarecrow

Stand tall like Mountain Pose with the arms out wide.

Pretend you are watching over the garden and fields.

Tree

Balance on one leg in Tree Pose and imagine standing beside the barn.

A parent or partner can offer a hand for support.

Horse

Take a wide stance and bend the knees into a comfortable plié squat.

Pretend to trot or gently bounce like a horse.

Barn

Move into Triangle Pose and imagine making the shape of a barn roof with the body.

Farmer Driving a Tractor

Sit into Chair Pose and hold an imaginary steering wheel.

Turn the wheel from side to side as you drive through the field.

Duck

Come into a comfortable squat and waddle gently while saying “quack, quack.”

Dog

Move into Downward-Facing Dog.

Wag your tail or walk your feet gently.

Donkey

Instead of kicking into a handstand, keep this safer for younger children by staying on hands and knees and lifting one leg at a time behind you.

Add a playful “hee-haw.”

Goose

Try a comfortable seated or kneeling pose and flap the arms like wings.

You can also use a gentle pigeon-style shape if appropriate for the group.

Mouse

Curl into Child’s Pose and make yourself very small.

Take a few quiet breaths and add a tiny “squeak.”

Cat and Cow

Move between Cat and Cow on hands and knees.

Add “meow” and “moo” sounds to keep it playful.

Pig

Lie on your back and hug the knees toward the chest.

Rock gently from side to side like a pig rolling in the mud.

Zoo Yoga Poses

Brown Bear

Take a wide stance and move slowly like a bear.

You can reach down toward the floor as if catching fish.

Flamingo

Stand on one leg and flap your arms like wings.

Use a wall, parent or partner for balance if needed.

Lion

Sit or kneel comfortably, breathe in, then open the mouth and make a playful lion roar as you breathe out.

Keep it fun rather than forcing a particular breathing technique.

Elephant

Stand with the feet wide and clasp the hands together to make a trunk.

Swing gently from side to side.

Crocodile

Lie on the belly or hold a simple plank variation.

Pretend to move slowly through the water.

Tiger

Come onto hands and knees and move through a Cat-style shape.

You can add a growl or reach one arm and the opposite leg away if the child is ready for more balance.

Animal Movement Game

Call out an animal and let the children decide how it moves.

For example:

  • Horse — trot
  • Duck — waddle
  • Elephant — stomp
  • Flamingo — balance
  • Bear — crawl
  • Tiger — prowl
  • Frog — hop
  • Snake — slither

You can also let the children take turns choosing the next animal.

Add Music and Storytelling

Songs such as Old MacDonald Had a Farm or other animal-themed children’s music can work well for transitions and movement games.

You can also read an animal-themed book and pause to turn different animals into yoga poses.

If you use recorded music in a public class, make sure your setting has appropriate music licensing.

Zoo and Farm Relaxation

Finish by inviting the children to lie or sit comfortably.

Guide a short visualization:

“Imagine all the animals are getting ready to rest. The horses are quiet, the birds are settling into their nests, and the zoo is becoming peaceful. Take a slow breath and let your body become still too.”

Keep the relaxation brief and simple.

Keep Kids Yoga Playful

Children do not need perfect yoga poses. The goal is to move, imagine, make sounds, cooperate and have fun.

Animal themes are especially useful because children can understand the movement without needing complicated instructions.

For more themed classes, try Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: In the Garden, Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going Into Space or Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Beach & Ocean Theme.

If you enjoy leading creative movement with children, you may also be interested in the Circus Arts Leader Certification.

Protein Supplements for Women: What to Look For and How Much You Need

Protein Supplements for Women: What to Look For and How Much You Need

by | Apr 12, 2018 | Nutrition

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Protein supplements can be convenient, but they are not something every woman needs. They are simply an easy way to increase protein intake when food alone is not practical or when your needs are higher because of strength training, activity level or appetite.

The best protein supplement is not necessarily the one marketed specifically to women. What matters more is the amount and quality of protein, how well you tolerate it, and whether it fits your overall diet.

Why Protein Matters

Protein helps support muscle repair, recovery and maintenance. It is especially important if you are strength training, trying to maintain muscle as you age or simply want meals and snacks that feel more satisfying.

Many women can meet their needs through food alone, using sources such as eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, fish, poultry, meat, nuts and seeds.

A protein powder is just a convenient option when that is not enough or not practical.

Do Protein Supplements Help With Weight Loss?

Protein can help with fullness, which may make it easier to manage appetite.

That does not mean protein powder is a weight-loss supplement.

A shake can be useful if it helps you get enough protein or replaces a less satisfying snack, but it does not directly cause fat loss on its own.

Protein and Strength Training

If you are strength training, getting enough protein can support muscle repair and growth.

The most important factor is your total protein intake over the day, not whether you drink a shake immediately after your workout.

You do not need to rush to consume protein within a tiny “anabolic window.” A balanced meal or snack within a few hours is usually fine for most people.

You can read How Muscle Mass Affects Metabolism and Why Strength Training Matters for more on why maintaining muscle matters.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein needs vary depending on body size, age, activity level and goals.

The basic adult requirement is lower than what many active people may benefit from. People who strength train or are trying to maintain or build muscle often do well with a higher intake spread throughout the day.

A practical target for many active adults is roughly 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, although individual needs vary.

For example, someone who weighs 70 kg might aim for roughly 84 to 112 grams per day.

There is no need to automatically eat one gram per pound of body weight.

Whey Protein

Whey is a popular option because it contains all essential amino acids and is rich in leucine, an amino acid involved in stimulating muscle protein synthesis.

It also tends to mix easily and is widely available.

Whey concentrate usually contains a little more lactose, while whey isolate contains less. If dairy bothers you, isolate may be easier to tolerate.

Plant-Based Protein

Plant-based protein powders can also work well.

Common options include:

  • pea protein
  • soy protein
  • rice protein
  • hemp protein
  • blended plant proteins

Blends can be useful because different plant proteins have different amino acid profiles.

Soy protein is also a complete protein and can be a strong option for people who prefer a plant-based supplement.

What to Look for in a Protein Powder

A good protein powder does not need a long list of health claims.

Look for something that:

  • provides a meaningful amount of protein per serving
  • tastes good enough that you will actually use it
  • digests comfortably
  • fits your dietary preferences
  • has ingredients you are comfortable with
  • comes from a reputable manufacturer

You do not need to choose the lowest-carb or lowest-fat powder unless that specifically matters for your diet.

Do You Need Artificial Sweetener-Free Protein?

Not necessarily.

Some people prefer unsweetened products or specific sweeteners because of taste or digestion, but artificial sweeteners are not automatically harmful in the amounts typically used in protein powders.

Choose the product you tolerate and enjoy.

When Is Protein Powder Most Useful?

Protein powder can be especially convenient:

  • after a workout when you do not have time for a meal
  • blended into a smoothie
  • added to oatmeal or yogurt
  • while travelling
  • when appetite is low
  • when a meal otherwise contains little protein

It should support your diet, not replace a varied diet.

For more ideas around workout nutrition, read What to Eat Before and After a Workout for Energy and Recovery.

Do Women Need Special Protein Powders?

Usually not.

Products marketed as “for women” often differ more in branding than in meaningful nutrition.

Women generally need the same high-quality protein sources as anyone else. The important question is whether the product helps you meet your individual protein needs.

Food First, Supplement When Useful

Protein powders can be practical, but they are optional.

If your meals already provide enough protein and you feel good, you may not need one at all.

If you want help building realistic nutrition and movement habits, you can learn more about Health & Lifestyle Coaching.

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going Into Space

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Going Into Space

by | Apr 7, 2018 | Yoga

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Yoga for children works best when it feels playful, imaginative and interactive. A themed class can help children explore movement, balance, coordination, breathing and creativity without making the experience feel too structured.

This Going Into Space lesson plan is designed for a parent-participation class of about 45 minutes, but you can shorten or expand it depending on the age and attention span of the group.

Start With Simple Expectations

Before beginning, keep the group expectations short and positive. For example: keep hands to yourself, use kind words, take turns, listen when someone else is speaking and, most importantly, have fun.

With younger children, it usually works better to keep reminders simple rather than giving too many rules at once.

Theme: Going Into Space

The idea behind this class is teamwork. Astronauts need to cooperate, help each other and share space, so the theme naturally creates opportunities to talk about working together.

You might ask:

What is more fun to do together than alone?

Let the children answer and build the theme from their ideas.

Hello Name Game

Sit in a circle and create a simple rhythm by tapping your thighs.

Sing:

Hello, [name], hello, [name], hello, [name] — it’s nice to see you here.

Repeat for each child.

This is a simple way to help everyone feel seen and included before the movement begins.

Sun Salutation

Move through a simple child-friendly Sun Salutation.

You can connect it to the space theme by talking about the sun and asking children what the sun gives us, such as light and warmth.

Keep the movements playful rather than worrying about perfect alignment.

Read a Space Book

Choose a short book about planets, astronauts or space that fits the age group.

This creates a natural transition from sitting and listening into imaginative movement.

Get Ready for Space

Pretend everyone is putting on a spacesuit.

You can use movements such as:

  • Forward fold — put on space pants
  • Cat-Cow — put on gloves and boots
  • Reach overhead — put on your helmet
  • Reach behind — attach your oxygen backpack
  • March slowly — walk toward the rocket

Encourage the children to invent their own movements too.

Moon Walk

Lie on your back and slowly reach the opposite arm and leg away from each other.

Then stand up and repeat the idea while moving very slowly around the room, pretending gravity is much lighter on the moon.

Ask the children how they imagine walking in space might feel.

Space-Themed Yoga Poses

Try a few poses connected to the theme:

  • Crescent Moon
  • Crescent Lunge
  • Five-Pointed Star
  • Half Moon
  • Shooting Star
  • Warrior poses for astronauts
  • Tree Pose as a tall space antenna

You do not need every child to make the same shape. Let them experiment with their own version.

Add Music and Movement

Music can help keep the class fun and energetic.

Choose age-appropriate songs about stars, rockets, planets or movement. You can also use a simple freeze-dance game: move around like astronauts while the music plays and freeze when it stops.

If you use recorded music in a public class, make sure your setting has the appropriate music licensing.

Earth and Moon Game

Have the child pretend to be Earth by slowly spinning in place while the parent or partner moves around them as the Moon.

Switch roles.

This is a fun way to practice coordination while introducing the basic idea that the Moon travels around Earth.

Keep enough space between pairs so nobody bumps into another group.

Create Your Own Galaxy

Pair children with a parent or another child and ask them to choose a planet.

Then have them invent a yoga pose or movement that represents that planet.

For example:

  • Mars — Warrior II
  • Saturn — Tree Pose with arms forming rings
  • Jupiter — a very big, wide pose
  • Mercury — a quick movement
  • Neptune — flowing wave-like movement

Then let each pair show the group what they created.

Relaxation: Floating Through Space

At the end of class, invite everyone to lie down comfortably.

Guide a short visualization:

Imagine you are floating gently through space. Your body feels light and supported. You can see tiny stars around you and colourful planets far away. There is nowhere you need to go and nothing you need to do. Just breathe slowly and enjoy floating.

Leave a little quiet time before inviting them to wiggle their fingers and toes and slowly sit up.

You can finish with a simple thank-you to the group or with Namaste if that is part of how you teach yoga.

Keep Kids Yoga Playful

Children do not need perfect yoga poses. They need opportunities to move, imagine, cooperate and enjoy being in their bodies.

A themed lesson like this can combine movement, storytelling, creativity and relaxation while keeping the class accessible and fun.

If you enjoy teaching movement to children, you may also be interested in the Circus Arts Leader Certification, which includes games, juggling, hula hooping, poi and adaptable activities for groups.

You can also explore Yoga & Mobility Classes in Nanaimo for more about my current yoga and movement teaching.