5 Fun and Easy French Yoga Poses for Kids

France has so much to offer in terms of history, beauty, food, and art. I have fond memories of backpacking through France when I was younger—wandering through the streets of Paris, lazing on the beaches in the South of France, and (my favorite) a visit to Monet’s garden. Growing up in Canada, we learned French in school, so it was fun to practice speaking French while traveling.

France also has a growing yoga scene, including yoga studios within its cities as well as retreats in the countryside. But what if you’d like to teach your children yoga in French? What resources are available?

French yoga resources may be difficult to find, but we have a few that will hopefully get you started, including five French yoga poses for kids that honor some of the beauty and architecture of French life.

Additionally, we’re thrilled to share that two of our most popular yoga books were translated into French, Sophia’s Jungle Adventure and Anna and her Rainbow-Colored Yoga Mats, due to many requests from our French Canadian readers. You can join Sophia or Anna on their adventures while practicing yoga with your children in French. Fantastique!

5 French Yoga Poses for Kids

1. Stand tall like Mont Blanc. Practice la posture de la montagne (Mountain Pose): Stand tall with your legs hip width apart and feet facing forward. Place your arms straight alongside your body. Imagine you are the snow-capped mountains of the French Alps looking out at the entire country of France.
2. Sparkle like La Tour Eiffel at night. Practice la posture de l’arbre (Tree Pose): Stand on one leg. Bend the knee of the leg you are not standing on, place the sole of your foot on the opposite inner thigh or calf (just not on your knee), and balance. Imagine you’re sparkling like the Eiffel Tower at night by gently wiggling your fingers.
3. Pretend to be the Louvre Pyramid at the Musée du Louvre. Practice la posture du chien tête en bas (Downward-Facing Dog Pose): From a standing position, bend your torso and touch your hands to the ground in front of your feet. Then step back to hands and feet with your buttocks high, like an upside-down V, and imagine the glass pyramid that stands in front of the Louvre.
4. Zoom like the TGV across the countryside.  Practice la posture du bâton (Staff Pose): Sit with a tall spine with your legs straight out in front of you, and use your hands to mimic the wheels of the train going around and around.
5. Rest on a beach in the Côte d’Azur. Practice la posture du cadavre (Resting Pose): Lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched out. Imagine the sound of the ocean waves lapping the shore, the feeling of the sun on your face, and the smell of crisp, clean sea air.

French Yoga Books for Kids

Below you’ll find two of our yoga books translated into French, so you can act out these stories through movement while practicing French:

Anna et Ses Tapis de Yoga aux Couleurs de l’Arc en Ciel

Une histoire de yoga pour les enfants sur l’amitié, le bonheur, et l’acceptation de l’autre.

Anna est heureuse en faisant du yoga pendant les pauses. Elle imagine qu’elle voyage à travers le monde et explore de nouveaux endroits. Est-ce que ses nouveaux camarades de classes vont l’accepter et se joindre à elle?

Ce livre pour les 3-7 ans est plus qu’une histoire—c’est aussi une expérience unique pour les enfants.

Les Aventures de Sophia dans la Jungle

Offrez à vos enfants tous les bienfaits du yoga en partant à l’aventure avec les histoires de Yoga pour les Enfants!

Rejoins Sophia dans ses aventures dans la jungle! Vole comme un toucan, glisse comme un serpent, et flotte comme un papillon pour mimer ce voyage dans la jungle du Costa Rica. Que pourrais-tu rencontrer d’autres?

Les histoires de Yoga pour les Enfants vous présentent des personnages engageant qui feront rire votre enfant, mais le feront aussi bouger et créer. Lire, c’est bon pour l’esprit ET AUSSI le corps! L’histoire relie plusieurs postures de yoga à une séquence spécifique pour créer une histoire cohérente et pleine de sens.

Ce livre pour les 3-7 ans est plus qu’une simple histoire—c’est une expérience unique pour les enfants.

French Yoga Posters for Kids

A huge thank-you to Sandra from the Partenariat communauté en santé (Francophone Health Network) in Yukon for offering to translate these yoga posters into French:

Yoga Apaisant pour les Enfants