Learn about Madagascar Animals through Yoga Poses
There’s something so intriguing about Madagascar, don’t you think?
Whether you’re watching Wild Kratts on television or the movie Madagascar, I’m sure you’ll agree that there are many unique and unusual animals on this incredible island. So if you’re looking for a fun and interesting yoga theme, why not try Madagascar Animals Yoga!
Off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean is an island called Madagascar, which means “the land of the lemur”—and it is home to sixty species of lemurs. The island, which is bigger than the state of California, is the fourteenth-largest island in the world. It is home to diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests and deserts.
Some of the interesting animals include the aye-aye, fossa, and tenrec. To learn about the animals of Madagascar, head to your local library to take out some nonfiction books and try acting out the animals below through yoga poses.
5 Madagascar Animals Yoga Poses for Kids
Follow the five-pose flow below to learn about this wonderful wildlife. Don’t worry if you haven’t tried yoga before—just jump in and give it a try. Clear the space, practice barefoot, and have fun. The focus is on introducing yoga to children, not on perfectly aligned poses. Be safe, but also encourage them to explore their creativity.
1. Pretend to be an aye-aye, a tree-dwelling, nocturnal animal.
How to practice Squat Pose: Come down to a squat with your knees apart and your arms between your knees. Touch your hands to the ground. Pretend to be an aye-aye squatting on a tree branch at night.
2. Pretend to be a fossa, which looks like a cross between a dog and a cat.
How to practice Extended Cat Pose: Come to all fours and extend one leg out behind you, pretending your leg is the long tail of the fossa. Look forward and take the opposite arm out in front of you to counterbalance. Return to all fours and repeat on the other side. Pretend to be a fossa prowling on the sandy forest floor.
3. Pretend to be a panther chameleon, one of the largest chameleons on earth.
How to practice Lizard Pose: From an all-fours position, lift your knees into a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Gently place your right foot on the outside of your right hand, with your right foot facing forward. Stay in this deep lunge for a moment. If you’re able, drop your elbows to the ground for a deeper stretch. Reverse the steps to come out of the pose. Switch sides and repeat the steps. Pretend to be a panther chameleon balancing on a tree branch.
4. Pretend to be a blue coua, a member of the cuckoo bird family.
How to practice Pigeon Pose: From an all-fours position, bring your right knee to rest behind your right hand, angling your right foot slightly inward. Gently take your buttocks down to the ground with your left leg extended straight out behind you. You might try placing a block under your right thigh. Keep your palms flat on the ground on either side of your right knee and look forward, keeping a straight spine. Return to all fours and repeat on the other side. Pretend to be a blue coua in a tree, building its nest with leaves and twigs.
5. Pretend to be a lesser Madagascar tenrec, a small nocturnal animal covered in spines like a hedgehog.
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 lesser tenrec making a den in a tree.
What’s your favorite Madagascar animal yoga pose? What other animals live in Madagascar?
PIN IT FOR LATER
Check Out Our 123 African Safari: A Kids Yoga Counting Book
Join Baraka as he goes on a safari with his family around beautiful and exciting Tanzania, Africa.
Practice your African animal poses as you drink like a zebra, cruise like an ostrich, and sleep like a lion. Learn about this spectacular country through movement while also practicing to count to fifteen.
This African yoga counting book includes a list of 15 kids yoga poses and a parent-teacher guide.
23 African Safari is for ages 2 to 5 and is more than a book to help with counting—it is also a unique and beautiful learning experience for children.
Purchase 123 African Safari here.
May We Also Suggest: African Safari Animals Yoga Cards for Kids
EXPLORE THE SAVANNA THROUGH FUN AND SIMPLE YOGA POSES!
Pretend to be a giraffe, flamingo, and a bushbaby! Download these 52 African Safari digital yoga cards to learn through movement in your home, classroom, or studio. Includes an Index Card, Yoga Tips, Pose Instructions, 20 Yoga Pose Cards, and 20 matching African Safari animal cards.
The yoga kids are multicultural from a variety of countries. Age 3+
Check out African Safari Animals Yoga Cards for Kids here.
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