This list of basic yoga poses for kids serves as an inspiration guide, but please encourage the children’s creativity. Yoga poses for kids often mimic our natural surroundings and may be interpreted in different ways. Some things to consider when you are practicing yoga with your children:
- Feel free to adapt or change the yoga poses to suit your needs.
- Focus on having fun with movement, not on practicing perfectly aligned poses.
- Engage the children. Follow their passions and interests.
- Create authentic, meaningful experiences.
- Cater to their energy levels and different learning styles.
- Be creative and enjoy yourselves, but please be safe.
- Wear comfortable clothing and practice barefoot.
- Play yoga games to engage them in learning about the poses.
Our Kids Yoga Stories’ characters, Sophia, Luke, Elizabeth, Baraka, Pablo, and Anamika, demonstrate the kids yoga poses in the list below, followed by the yoga pose name, possible keywords, and descriptions.
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A List of 58 Yoga Poses for Kids:
Boat Pose:
Boat, Ship, Canoe, Kayak
(Balance on your buttocks with your legs up. Then rock in the water like a boat.)
Bow Pose:
Fish, Whale, Basket, Sleigh, Angelfish, Nest, Bow
(Lie on your tummy, bend your knees, lift your chest, reach your arms back towards your toes, and hold onto your feet.)
Bridge Pose:
Bridge, Boardwalk, Ramp, Overpass, Whale
(Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Rest your arms down alongside your body, tuck your chin into your chest, and lift up your buttocks and back to create a bridge.)
Cat Pose:
Cat, Tiger, Lion, Sheep, Jaguar, Leopard, Cougar
(Come to an all-fours position, round your back, and tuck your chin into your chest. Pretend to be a kitty cat.)
Chair Pose:
Kangaroo, Chair, Farmer on tractor, Skier, Horseback rider, Thunderbolt, Baseball Player, Helicopter (twist upper body)
(Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees, and hop like a kangaroo.)
Child’s Pose:
Mouse, Mole, Urchin, Rabbit, Rock, Snail, Hedgehog, Seed, Ladybird, Turtle, Hippo, Curling Leaf, Cloud
(Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, rest your arms down alongside your body, and take a few deep breaths.)
Cobbler’s Pose (or Butterfly Pose):
Butterfly, Book, Basket, Oyster
(Sit on your buttocks with a tall spine, bend your legs, place the soles of your feet together, and gently flap your legs like the wings of a butterfly.)
Cobra Pose:
Snake, Cobra, Sphinx, Seal, Swan (bend legs)
(Lie on your tummy, place palms flat next to your shoulders, press into hands, lift head and shoulders off ground, and hiss like a snake.)
Cow Pose:
Cow, Wolf
(On all fours, look up, arch your back, and open your chest.)
Crescent Moon Pose:
Giraffe, Moon, Banana
(From Mountain Pose, reach your arms up high over your head, bringing your palms together. Tilt your upper body to one side. Come back to center. Tilt your body to the other side.)
Dancer’s Pose:
Crane, Flamingo, Brolga, Stork, Ibis, Ballerina, Super Hero, Ostrich, Emu
(Stand tall in Mountain Pose, stand on one leg, reach the opposite leg out behind you, place the outside of your foot into your hand, bend your torso forward with your arm out in front for balance, and arch your leg up behind you.)
Dancing Ganesha:
Dancer, Ganesha
(From Tree Pose, release your right foot and take it out in front of you, with a bent right knee. Bring your hands out in front of you and hold your hands like the trunk of Ganesha, the elephant god.)
Dolphin Pose:
Dolphin
(On your hands-and-knees, bend your elbows, rest your forearms on the ground, with your palms flat, lift up your knees to straighten your legs, and look forward.)
Downhill Skier:
Downhill Skier
(Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart and then bend your knees. Rest your elbows slightly above your knees, clasp your hands together, keep a straight spine, and look forward, pretending you are skiing down the mountain.)
Downward-Facing Dog Pose:
Dog, Bear, Wolf, Tunnel, Roof, Mountain, Mayan Ruins, Pyramid, Coyote, Sandcastle, Tapir, Fox
(From a standing position, bend down and place your palms flat on the ground. Step your feet back to create an upside-down V shape with your buttocks high in the air. Straighten your legs, relax your head and neck, and look down between your legs.)
Eagle Pose:
Eagle, Koala
(Stand tall in Mountain Pose, wrap one leg around the other, bring your bent arms out in front of you, wrap your arms together the opposite way, and slightly bend your knees. Perch on a tree like an eagle.)
Easy Pose:
Resting, Cloud, Washing Machine (twist upper body)
(Sit comfortably cross-legged, and rest your hands on your knees.)
Extended Child’s Pose:
Echidna, Turtle, Polar Bear, Armadillo, Porcupine
(Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, place the palm of your hands flat out in front of you, and take a few deep breaths.)
Extended Cat Pose:
Goanna, Tiger, Fox
(Come to all fours, extend one leg out behind you, and look forward.)
Extended Mountain Pose:
Giraffe, Saluting the Sun, Fountain
(Stand tall in Mountain Pose, look up, and reach your arms up to the sky.)
Extended Side Angle Pose:
Sailboat
(From Triangle Pose, bend your front leg, rest your front elbow on your thigh, and reach your other arm straight up high to the sky. Look up. Repeat on the other side.)
Flower Pose:
Flower, Anemone
(Come to sit on your buttocks with a tall spine, lift up your legs, balance on your sitting bones, touch the soles of your feet together, and weave your arms under your legs.)
Gyan Mudra:
Badger, Fox, Raccoon
(Sit on your heels, with both hands in A-Okay sign over eyes to look like the badger’s eyes.)
Half Shoulder Stand:
Candle, Giraffe, Bat
(Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms resting alongside your body, and chin tucked in. On an exhale, push your palms down and lift your legs straight up, making an L shape with your body. Stay in this position or squeeze your belly and raise your hips. Then, bend your elbows and place your palms on your lower back for a half shoulder stand. Pretend your feet are the flickering flames and your legs are the candlesticks.)
Happy Baby Pose:
Bear Cub, Bug, Beetle, Otter, Pig, Ladybug, Spider
(Lie on your back with your chin tucked in, hug your knees into your chest, then grab the outer part of your feet with both of your hands, and rock like a happy baby.)
Hero Pose:
Owl, Rabbit, Hedgehog, Bee, Bunny Breath, Lion’s Breath, Deer
(Come back to rest upright on your heels, and twist your upper body like an owl. Turn your upper body one way and then the other.)
Horse Stance:
Horse, Bench, Frilled-Necked Lizard, Cowboy, Weight Lifter, Hockey Goalie, Lobster, Frog
(Stand with your legs apart, feet facing slightly outwards, bend your knees, and stand firm like a horse.)
Kneeling:
Fox, Seahorse, Penguin, Bird, Squirrel
(Stand on your knees, open your chest, look up, and reach up to the moon like a fox.)
Knees to Chest:
Riding a Bike, Running
(Lie on your back, with your arms flat alongside your body. Bend your knees and hug them close to your chest. Then circle your legs as if you are riding a bicycle upside-down.)
Legs up the Wall
Library books, Canyon Wall, Bat, Candle
(Lie flat on your back then slowly raise your legs up straight towards the sky, making an L shape with your body. Flex your feet, keep your legs together, spread your arms out to either side, and keep your neck in a neutral position. You could rest your legs on a wall instead.)
Locust Pose:
Shark, Scuba Diver, Mermaid, Swimmer, Stingray, Airplane, Whale, Locust, Boat
(Lie on your tummy, lift your chest and shoulders up, look up, clasp your hands back behind you, and glide through the water like a shark.)
Lotus Mudra:
Hedgehog, Porcupine
(Sit on your heels, stretch fingers out in front of you, and place heels of palms together in mudra to represent spines of hedgehog.)
Lotus Pose:
Resting, Meditating
(Sit with a tall spine, cross your legs, and rest the palms of your hands on your knees. Relax and breathe.)
Lunge Pose:
Roadrunner, Iguana, Runner, Motorbike, Car
(From Downward-Facing Dog Pose, step your right foot forward to rest on the inside of your right hand. Keep a flat back, and open your chest. Switch sides.)
Mountain Pose:
Mountain, Cactus, Helicopter (swinging arms), Bird (flapping arms), Penguin
(Stand tall with legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and straighten your arms alongside your body.)
Pigeon Pose:
Sea Gull, Blue Jay, Stingray, Raven, Pigeon, Dove, Quetzal
(From Downward-Facing Dog Pose, bring right knee to rest behind right hand, placing right foot slightly inwards, and perch like a bird.)
Plank Pose:
Surfboard, Bridge, Ramp, Plank, Lizard, Alligator, Crocodile, Gecko, River
(Step back to balance on your palms and on your bent toes, keeping your arms straight and your back long and flat. Pretend to be an alligator floating in the water.)
Puppy Pose
Puppy, Diving into a pool
(From all-fours, take your hands out in front of you while lowering your chest towards the ground. Keep your arms straight, with your elbows raised off the ground, but rest your forehead between your extended arms. Let your spine curve naturally.)
Reclining Butterfly Pose:
Resting
(From lying on your back, bend your legs and bring the soles of your feet together. Take your arms out to rest at your sides. Let your whole body melt into the ground and take a few deep breaths.)
Resting Pose or Do Nothing Pose:
Sea Star, Star Gazing, River, Making Snow Angels, Sunbathing
(Lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched out. Breathe and rest.)
Reverse Table Top Pose:
Crab, Table, Bed, Bridge, Slide (legs extended)
(Come to sitting with your palms flat behind you and the soles of your feet flat in front of you. Lift your buttocks to create a table, then walk like a crab.)
Seated Forward Bend:
Octopus, Clam, Rowing, Sandwich, Picnic Basket, Suitcase, Calzone, Pizza
(Come to sitting on your buttocks, with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your torso forward while keeping your spine straight. Dangle your arms in front of you like the tentacles of an octopus.)
Seated Twist:
Moose, Deer, Goat, Bighorn Sheep
(Start in Staff Pose with your body in an L shape. Bend your right knee and place your right foot over the other side of your left knee. Check that your spine is straight and your right foot is flat on the ground. Twist your upper body to the right. Take your left elbow to your right knee and your right hand back behind you.)
Shark Pose:
Shark, Swimming
(Lay flat on your tummy, lift up your shoulders, and clasp your arms behind your back.)
Staff Pose:
Train, Rowing a Boat, Sledding, Bobsledder, Driving a Bus
(Sit with a tall spine with your legs straight out in front of you. Use your hands to mimic the wheels of the train going around and around.)
Standing Forward Bend:
Waterfall, Jellyfish, Gorilla, Rag Doll, Monkey, Elephant, Diving, Bat, Ostrich, Windmill (twist upper body)
(From Mountain Pose, bend your upper body, reach for your toes, and sway your arms like a jellyfish.)
Squat Pose:
Duck, Monkey, Frog, Ape
(Come down to a squat, and waddle like a duck.)
Table Top Pose:
Table, Bed, Bridge
(Come to an all-fours position with your fingers spread out and palms flat on the ground. Ensure that your back and neck are in a straight but neutral position. Your shoulders should be over your wrists and your hips should be over your knees. The tops of your feet are flat on the ground.)
Three-Legged Dog Pose:
Donkey, Dingo, Dog
(Step back to hands and feet, like an upside-down “V”, and gently lift one leg up at a time.)
Tortoise Pose:
Turtle, Clam, Bug
(Sit on your buttocks with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then take your feet out wide and be sure you are sitting with a tall, straight spine. Slide your arms under your knees and place your hands flat on the floor outside your legs. Bend forward, keeping your back and neck straight.)
Tree Pose:
Tree, Flamingo, Cactus, Stork
(Stand on one leg, bend your knee, place the sole of your foot on your inner thigh, and balance. Sway like a tree.)
Triangle Pose:
Sailboat, Stick Insect, Windsurfing
(From a standing position, step one foot back, placing the foot facing slightly outwards, take your arms up parallel to the ground, bend at your waist, tilt your upper body, reach your front hand to gently rest on your shin, and reach your other arm straight up.)
Triangle Forward Bend
Wildebeest, Zebra, Reindeer, Pyramid
(From Mountain Pose, take your right foot back, keeping your ankle bent at a 30 degree angle. Place your hands on your hips, ensuring that your back is flat and that you are looking straight ahead. Then slowly bend forward as if your hips are a hinge, keeping a flat back and a long neck. Lastly, bring your hands to your shins, ankles, or the ground, depending on what feels comfortable, all the while checking that your spine is straight.)
Upward-Facing Dog Pose:
Sea Lion, Walrus
(Lay on your belly. Place the palms of your hands next to your shoulders and look up. Then straighten your arms and expand your chest.)
Warrior 1 Pose:
Bighorn Sheep, Warrior
(Come to standing in Mountain Pose. Step one foot back, slightly angling it outwards, bend your front knee, and bring your arms straight up towards the sky, and look up.)
Warrior 2 Pose:
Surfer, Archery, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Hero
(From standing position, step one foot back, placing the foot so that it is facing slightly outwards. Take your arms up in parallel to the ground, bend your front knee, and look forward.)
Warrior 3 Pose:
Submarine, Scuba Diver, Hand glider, Bird, Airplane, Swimmer, Skater, Parrot
(Stand on one leg. Extend the other leg behind you. Bend your torso forward and take your arms out in front of you to pretend that you are gliding through the water like a submarine.)
Wide-Legged Forward Bend:
Elephant, Gorilla, Bat, Woodchopper
(From Mountain Pose, step your feet out wide, bend your upper body, clasp your hands together, and pretend that your arms are the trunk of an elephant.)
Do you have any other yoga poses for kids to add to the list? Email me at giselle at kidsyogastories dot com.
You can also purchase these 58 PNG images to create your own sequences, make up your own yoga cards, or design your own yoga games. The sky’s the limit with what you can do with these:
Find these poses in our YOGA CARDS FOR KIDS, including:
- LOVE Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- Zoo Animals Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- Feelings Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- Antarctic Animals Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- Arctic Animals Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- Farm Animals Yoga Cards for Kids (Digital Download)
- More Yoga Poses for Kids Cards (2nd deck)
- Yoga Poses for Kids Cards (1st deck)
- Sophia’s Jungle Adventure Yoga Cards
- Good Night, Animal World Yoga Cards
Or, in our YOGA BOOKS FOR KIDS, including:
- Sophia’s Jungle Adventure
- Good Night, Animal World
- Anna and her Rainbow-Colored Yoga Mats
- Luke’s Beach Day
- Rachel’s Day in the Garden
- Maria Explores the Ocean
- Jenny’s Winter Walk
- Trish’s Fall Photography
Check out these KIDS YOGA IDEAS:
- Monthly Kids Yoga Themes
- Fun Kids Yoga Class Ideas
- Holiday Kids Yoga Lesson Plans
- Kids Yoga Ideas Using Children’s Books
- Seasonal Kids Yoga Lesson Plans
- Yoga Games with Large Groups of Kids
Get your 3 Posters here:
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Yoga Poses for Kids Cards
Check out our collection of yoga cards for kids:
Yoga Poses for Kids Card Games
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Fun Kids Yoga Class Ideas
Monthly Kids Yoga Themes
Holiday Kids Yoga Lesson Plans
Kids Yoga Ideas Using Children’s Books
Seasonal Kids Yoga Lesson Plans
How to Play Yoga Games with Large Groups of Kids
Why Yoga Books for Kids are a Great Idea
Our Collection of Yoga Books for Kids
Collection of Animal Yoga Ideas for Kids
Yoga Poses Pinterest Board
Yoga Poses in Spanish
Other Related Links
Yoga for Kids: A Walk through the Garden, Childhood101
5 Kid-Friendly Yoga Poses to Help your Child Sleep, MindBodyGreen
Managing Big Emotions through Movement, Childhood 101
Jungle Animal Yoga for Kids, The Inspired Treehouse
Sign up for our Kids Yoga Stories Newsletter
Come back regularly or sign up for our weekly Kids Yoga Stories Newsletter (place your email address in the box at the top of the page) to find out when this page of kids yoga poses is updated. Hope you find this list of yoga poses for kids useful for bringing yoga into your home, classroom, or studio.
Do you sell flash cards of the above Yoga Poses illustrations,
or are they available to download somewhere on your website?
Thanks!
Excellent question, Kathryn! Yes, yoga cards are in the works – but proving to be harder to organize the printing than I had anticipated. Stay tuned!
Hi, I have a suggestion about the flash cards. As a former graphic artist and now a certified kids yoga teacher. Have them as a downloadable e-book format where people can purchase them and save the file to their hard drive. They can then print them out any size and get them laminated if needed. It would save you a bundle of money doing it this way and also the hassle of finding a printer (know only too we’ll the trials of finding printers to do print various jobs).
Hope this helps and thanks for all your hard work in putting the books together 🙂
Alexis
Thanks for your awesome idea, Alexis. It’s all in the mix! Truly helpful. 🙂
TeachersPayTeachers is a site you can sell downloadable graphics for educating kids on all topics.
I too would love the flash cards to use with kids! let me know when you have them for sale!!! they are the best I have seen!!
Thanks!
Thank you, Sharon! Very kind of you. This page is still a work-in-progress, so we will keep you posted. 🙂
Hi, I’m doing a project for my master’s degree and absolutely love your images. If I include a citation and a link to your site, can I use your images and quote your descriptions (where applicable)?
Thanks!
Great, thanks Kim! Would love to hear more about your Masters Degree project. I’ve been doing some research on the benefits of yoga, so always up for hearing more. Thank you for including a link to the site as credit for the poses. Really appreciate you asking! My email is giselle at kidsyogastories dot com if you need anything else.
Giselle 🙂
Thank you for sharing this easy to follow guide complete with pictures! It makes it easy to try these out with my children.
Thanks for stopping by, Theresa! Can’t wait to share the first of our monthly yoga pose series. Your picture of your FOUR children looks amazing. You are one super-momma!
Hi there,
I am a pediatric physiotherapist for children with special needs and a yoga teacher for kids. We use yoga poses in therapy all the time and the children love it! In the past I have been using an image of an animal for the children and then demonstrating the pose. I am wondering if it would be possible to use your images of the poses (with credit) along with the animal so that children may see the pose, the animal and then also the demo. I think it would really help the children and the parents to put it all together! Your images are wonderfully simple and will work perfectly for the children I work with. Directing them to your site would also give the descriptions of pose to practice at home and some further options for ongoing practice!
Is it possible to purchase higher resolution images?
Thanks,
Angie
Thanks for your comment, Angie! I’ll send you an email with more detail! Giselle 🙂
Hi,
I am planning on using your books with some of my storytimes at the public library and outreach.
I would like to leave a picture of the pose with the preschools I visit once a month so they can practice inbetween visits. Do you have pics that can be enlarged?
Thank you
Hi Jean
Thanks for your message. I’m honored that you are using our yoga stories in your story times. We have coloring pages to match the books, if that’s helpful. For example, the Sophia coloring page that matches Sophia’s Jungle Adventure is here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/sophias-jungle-adventure/. Link is: https://www.kidsyogastories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Kids-Yoga-Stories-Sun-Salute-Coloring-Page-with-credits.pdf.
We are also creating a Yoga Card Deck to match the yoga stories. Our first yoga card deck matches Good Night, Animal World and is here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/good-night-world-bedtime-yoga-cards-english/.
Feel free to email me directly with other questions! I’m happy to help.
Giselle (giselle at kidsyogastories dot com)
I enjoy your poses and would like to use them in my classroom and with other teachers. Can I copy your poses and give them out?
They are wonderful for all ages.
Thanks, Carol!
I’m so glad that you enjoy our list of Kids Yoga Poses. We are just now producing yoga cards with the yoga poses above. Stay tuned! Until then, here’s a link to our bedtime yoga cards that match our Good Night, Animal World book: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/good-night-world-bedtime-yoga-cards-english/.
Hope that helps!
Giselle
Hi, I am a new P.E. teacher and would like to introduce and use yoga in my lessons. I love the list of 58 yoga poses for kids and would be very interested in purchasing them as flash cards to set up in centers. Please let me know when they become available. They are so cute and I think the children will enjoy learning the poses!
Thanks!!!
Hi Laurie
I’m thrilled to hear that you are enjoying this list of yoga poses with your PE class. The first deck of Yoga Poses for Kids Cards are available here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/yoga-poses-for-kids-cards/
Let me know how else I can support your work!
Giselle
BRAND NEW: Download the 58 Yoga Poses for Kids in PNG format to make up your own yoga cards and games, here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/yoga-poses-for-kids-images/
Hi,
I loved your article and I am a Yoga instructor myself so I know how hard it is when it comes to making kids do yoga, it is a real pain to get a bunch of them together to hold on to their positions. I loved your 58 yoga poses for kids and I think it can save me a lot of trouble. I would love to buy the book and get it printed on my studio walls. Can you help me out with it?
Lots of love,
Rachael Flatt
Hi,
I loved your article and I am a Yoga instructor myself so I know how hard it is when it comes to making kids do yoga, it is a real pain to get a bunch of them together to hold on to their positions. I loved your 58 yoga poses for kids and I think it can save me a lot of trouble. I would love to buy the book and get it printed on my studio walls. Can you help me out with it?
Love,
Rachael Flatt
Hi Rachael
Lovely to hear from you!
Thank you for your kind words. Yes, teaching yoga to children is certainly an adventure.
You can purchase the yoga pose images here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/yoga-poses-for-kids-images/
Or pre-printed yoga cards for kids are here: https://shop.kidsyogastories.com/products/yoga-poses-for-kids-cards/
Does that help?
Giselle
Doing yoga has several health benefits. Learn some easy asanas that you and your child can do together and have fun.
https://www.parentcircle.com/article/simple-yoga-poses-that-you-can-do-with-your-kids/
Hi,
I am doing my teacher training in Yoga. As part of the course I am supposed to instruct the kids. So can I please use ur illustrations for my class plan.
Yoga has changed my kid deeply and you will always be part of my kid’s transformation.
Can I say simply a “Thank you.”
Regards.
Thanks for sharing the interesting post about yoga poses. Yoga is really useful for kids and keeps them calm, active and healthy. According to me, sending your kid to yoga class is one of the best options. We reside in Albert Park, Australia and send our kids to Little Warriors Yoga (http://www.littlewarriorsyoga.com.au/). If you also want to boost the confidence of your kid then select the right Yoga class.
amazing website for child and kids amazing fun like the images
This is so cute and really appropriate for kids! They won’t even recognize that they’re doing yoga because of the colorful illustrations. Aside from the pictures, the instructions are also easy to understand.
Brilliant yoga poses for kids. I will let my two kids practice some of these every weekend. We can make this a weekly bonding activity.
Jhoei –
Thanks so much. Yoga does make for wonderful bonding time with your kids. Enjoy!
Thanks for explaining that teaching yoga to children should be focused on having fun with the movements and poses, not getting them exactly perfect. My son has become really interested in energy, and he wants to find a children’s yoga class to take soon. I’m glad I read your article because now I know what practices and focuses to look for as we evaluate different children’s yoga instructors.
Looks great.
Yoga has changed the children’s flexibility and balance.
This post is good.