Yoga with kids: Ocean theme

by | Apr 26, 2018 | Yoga, Yoga Nanaimo

Kid Yoga plan class with Ocean theme

When my kids were younger I thought it would be fun to teach toddler and parents Yoga. I did a Rainbow kids training in Vancouver and spent a lot of time putting my class lessons together and I want to share them with you. I believe that kids Yoga needs to be fun, educational and interactive. This class was a parent participation class that was 45 minutes long. I have 6 different lesson plans that I want to share with you, they all have a different theme.  The first one I shared was “In the garden“. The second plan lesson I shared was “African Safari“.  The third one was “Going into Space theme.” The fourth Yoga class plan I shared was “Going at the Zoo and at The farm“. The Fifth Yoga class plan is “Going to the beach/ocean.” The last kid yoga plan class is “Weather and Season” theme.

When I teach little kids I first talk about my expectations: keep our hands to ourselves, use our words, say “Excuse me” and wait for our turn before talking and of course have fun. In the Rainbow Kids Yoga teacher training, we were placing our Yoga mats in a big circle all overlapping each other’s mat. I really like this way of setting up the class and usually had parent and kid using the same mat. I also tried to add different values to the theme. I would love to hear what you think about theses lesson plans and get feedback once you try teaching them.

Starting the class sitting in a cercle with the Song: Rub your hand by Karma Kids Yoga

SUN SALUTATION to thank the sun for a beautiful day.

Value: Respect

What is respect? Respect is when we admire, appreciate, hold someone in high esteem. When we are polite & treat people with courtesy. Appreciate nature and want to take care of it. You can also show respect by not hurting, not destroying, listening to others. 

Warm-up to “Octopus’s Garden,” by the Beatles, while doing movement like: Shoulder Rolls, Neck stretches (move head like yes and no), Arms circles, move the spine in flexion & extension, twist and side bend. Stand and swing the arms back and forth, also standing twist. 

Poses with theme to go at the ocean

  • We got ready by dressing up and packing all the beach gear we needed. We all pretended to dress up for a day at the beach…Bathing Suit, Sunglasses, a Hat, Flip Flops, and of course putting on some Sunscreen.  The children called out some of the essentials, including: Buckets and shovels, beach balls and toys, beach towels, blankets, umbrella, water and of course snacks! 
  • Sitting – Easy Pose (Sit cross-legged, looking out at the ocean)
  • Beach Umbrella – Mountain Pose Variation
  • Swimming – Warrior 3 Pose (swim with your arms)
  • Windsurfing – Triangle Pose (Make whooshing sound like wind through your sails)
  • Beach Chair – Chair Pose (Sit back as if you are sitting in your beach chair)
  • Jellyfish – Standing Forward Bend (Sway your arms like a jellyfish)
  • Sandcastle – Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Pretend you are a castle)
  • Harbor Seal – Cobra Pose (Flap your arms like a seal. Arf, Arf!)
  • Shark – Shark Pose (Lay flat on your tummy, with arms clasped behind your back)
  • Sea Turtle
  • Fish – Bow Pose Variation
  • Sea Gull – Pigeon Pose (Make the sound of sea gulls squawking)
  • Urchin – Child’s Pose
  • Clam – Seated Forward Bend (Arms forward as if you are closing up like a clam)
  • Fishing Boat – Boat Pose (Rock on your buttocks like a boat rocking in the water)
  • Anemone – Flower Pose (Balancing on your buttocks, sway gently like an anemone in the ocean waves)
  • Crab – Table Top Pose (Waddle like a crab)
  • Sea Otter – Happy Baby Pose
  • Dig a Hole (Standing Forward Bend to Extended Mountain with imaginary shovel)
  • Starfish Stretches (Arms, legs, and head are starfish arms. Sit down, open legs in a V. Stretch your arms overhead to one side, then the other side, stretch forward, and then stretch backwards until you are lying on your back.)
  • Kelp Forest (Lying back, arms and legs in the air, way them with the current.)

Shell Meditation (Pass around shells and listen to the sound of the ocean)

Games

  • Jump the waves (Imagine you are jumping over waves staying on your yoga mat or have two kids hold the ends of a long piece of blue material for kids to jump over)
  • Beach ball game (Pass the ball around the circle with your arms, then lying down with your feet.)
  • Write beach stories from starter sentences like “I like the beach because…”
  • Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ U.S.A.” will play, as we surf from warrior 2, to extended side angle, to peaceful warrior. We may jump off our boards if we see a shark (aka locust pose) or a dolphin.
  • Row partner boats and bloom a group flower, while enjoying “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers.
  • Whale breath with L shape straw and marble
  • Under the Sea activity, the kids put on their wet suites and went scuba diving. They got their strength and swam or crab walked through the ocean finding treasures and gold. As they moved consciously through the room they found their treasures and then once they were finished we met back in are circle. Within the circle we shared what we found on are scuba adventure

Songs I like using while doing different poses and to do games

  • Down by the bay from Rafi, album Baby Beluga
  • Octopus’s Garden from The Beatles, album Abbey Road
  • A Yogi went to Sea from Haris Lender, album Namaste’n Play
  • Wipe out from The Surfaris, album Wipe out
  • Surfin USA from Dean, album 100 Years of Surfing
  • The sea from Morcheeba, album Big Calm
  • Shake my Sillies out from Rafi, album 20th century Masters, the Best of Rafi

Relaxation

Sunbathing on a Rock. Parent child pose, kid starfish on them. 
 Ask your child to imagine they’re a turtle sunbathing on a rock by the ocean.  Take a deep breath in and out and smell the fresh sea air.  Hear the peaceful sounds of 
the water against the rocks. Feel the warmth that the sun brings to your body and listened to the sounds of the ocean waves as we rested on our beach towels.