My daughter is terrified of spiders! My husband has taught her to be afraid of spiders from his upbringing in Australia. With all the poisonous spiders in his homeland, the children are taught to stay away from spiders and to always check dark places before putting their hands inside.
In contrast, growing up in Canada, I was taught to pick up spiders gently and take them outside. So I’m particularly taken aback by my child who freaks out about spiders! I see spiders as part of our ecosystem that need to be taken care of.
So when we moved to New England, where our back yard is full of bugs and insects, my daughter had to get used to the little critters. Our garden is full of dragonflies, ladybugs, snails, bees, butterflies, ants, caterpillars, mosquitos, beetles, and even our resident snakes.
Learning about bugs and insects is such a fun way for children to learn about nature, as well as how to respect other living creatures. My daughter likes to create mini-homes for insects with her neighborhood friends. It’s a good time to talk about what insects need and how to be gentle with them.
5 Insect and Bug Yoga Poses for Kids
Besides exploring the garden, having interesting discussions, and reading books about insects, you could also add movement to your learning. Try these five yoga poses below inspired by bugs and insects that live in our garden. They are listed in a logical sequence to invite flow from one pose to the next. Feel free to use your creativity and add your own insect and bug yoga poses, as well.
1. Pretend to be a dragonfly.
How to practice Warrior 3 Pose: Stand on one leg. Extend the other leg behind you, flexing your foot. Bend your torso forward and take your arms back alongside your body. Pretend to be a dragonfly flying around the garden. Switch sides and repeat the steps.
2. Pretend to be a ladybug.
How to practice Child’s Pose: Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest on the floor in front of your knees, rest your arms down alongside your body, and take a few deep breaths. Pretend to be a ladybug resting on a leaf.
3. Pretend to be a snail.
How to practice Hare Pose: Come to sitting on your heels in a Hero Pose. Slowly place your head out in front of you on the ground. Take your hands back alongside your body. Then lift your buttocks, being careful to not put too much pressure on your head. Pretend to be a snail making its home in the dirt.
4. Pretend to be a bee.
How to practice Hero Pose: Come to rest upright on your heels with your palms resting on your knees. Pretend to be a bee collecting pollen from a flower.
5. Pretend to be a butterfly.
How to practice Cobbler’s Pose: Sit on your buttocks with a tall spine, bend your legs, place the soles of your feet together, and gently flap your legs like a butterfly fluttering around the vegetable garden.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Check Our Our Bug & Crawly Creatures Yoga Cards for Kids
Bugs and crawly creatures fascinate children. Perhaps it’s their size, their shape, or their movement that draws kids to them.
Invite kids to move and stretch while they pretend to be an earthworm, a mantis, and a dragonfly.
The deck of 53 colorful cards includes:
- an index card listing the bugs keywords in a sequence
- instructions for 20 bug-themed yoga poses
- 20 illustrated cards showing the postures
- 20 matching bug and crawly creatures cards
- yoga teaching tips
Purchase your Bugs & Crawly Creatures Yoga Cards for Kids here.
Check Out Our Garden Yoga Cards for Kids
Learn about the garden through simple yoga poses!
Pretend to be a bird, bunny, and butterfly! Download these 52 garden yoga cards to learn through movement in your home, classroom, or studio. The set includes an Index Card, Yoga Tips, Pose Instructions, 20 Yoga Pose Cards, and 20 matching Garden Cards. The multicultural yoga kids are from seven countries. Ages 3+.
“These cards are such a fun way to have kids practice yoga and relate it to the garden. They are perfect for doing in the garden or inside when a child needs a little relaxation. There are so many possibilities on how to use them, and the pictures are beautiful.” – Carrie, Crafty Moms Share
“These are gorgeous! My kids are really finding the ‘characters’ of the cards to be really relatable, which makes it extra fun for them. I chose to print them four to a page and made them into little cards, perfect for our calm-down corner!” – Katie
Purchase the GARDEN YOGA CARDS FOR KIDS here.
Free Garden Yoga Poses for Kids Poster
Garden Yoga Book for Kids
Act out a day in the garden with Rachel!
Join Rachel as she and her adorable puppy look for signs of spring in the garden. Crawl like a caterpillar, buzz like a bee, and flutter like a butterfly. Discover spring, explore movement, and learn the colors of the rainbow! Ages 3+.
“Shardlow has mastered the art of integrating yoga, art, education, and story into engaging books that promote movement, relaxation, literacy and connection. Rachel’s Day in the Garden is no exception and, in fact, might be the best one yet! The Kids Yoga Stories series belongs in the hands of every child, parent, and educator!” – Lisa Flynn, Founder of ChildLight Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms, Author of Yoga for Children and Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Card Deck
“Giselle Shardlow has done it again! Rachel’s Day in the Garden, with its sweet story line and beautiful illustrations, makes it so easy for parents and teachers to bring simple, fun yoga poses into their homes and classrooms. The lovely depictions of the garden and natural world lend themselves to singing lots of traditional songs along with the book, too: ‘You Are My Sunshine’ and ‘Rain, Rain, Go Away!’” – Kira Willey, Musical Yogini, Creator of Dance for the Sun CD and Mindful Moments for Kids CD
Purchase RACHEL’S DAY IN THE GARDEN here.
Other Garden and Spring Links You Might Like
Click on the images below to find more garden and spring ideas:
Eric Carle + Garden Yoga
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