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5 Sloth Yoga Poses for Kids to Savor Slowing Down

What makes sloths so intriguing? Do you think it’s their cuddly nature? Or their cute faces? Or just the fact that we’re jealous they’re experts at lazing around? Whatever it is, sloths are such interesting animals! 

We know that sloths:

  • live in the rainforest, 
  • spend most of their time hanging upside-down in trees, 
  • eat leaves,
  • and move extremely slowly.

So if you’re looking for a fun yoga theme, why not try Sloth Yoga to learn about these wonderfully intriguing animals from the jungle? Below, you’ll find five sloth books for kids that highlight how sloths hold the title of the slowest animal in the world. There are also five sloth-inspired yoga poses so you too can pretend to move around like sloths.

After you’ve explored some sloth books and tried out some sloth yoga poses, have a chat about the benefits of living like a slow sloth. How does your life compare to a sloth’s? Are you busy, busy all the time? Or do you take time to slow down and rest? What can we learn from sloths?

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Five Sloth Books for Kids

Five of our favorite slow sloth books are:

Sloth at the Zoom
by Helaine Becker and Orbie
This is an upbeat, engaging story of a sloth who gets delivered to the Zoom, instead of the zoo. She’s surprised to find the animals are all dashing around quickly. It takes finding a slow friend like her for all the animals to stop and take notice.

The Sloth Who Slowed Us Down
by Margaret Wild and Vivienne To
Amy has a super-speedy family. One day, she brings home a sloth that helps them learn to live slower lives and enjoy the small miracles. Beautifully illustrated, it’s filled with a simple message that children will love.
Note: I purchased this book in Australia under the alternate title The Sloth Who Came to Stay.

Slow Days, Fast Friends
by Erik Brooks
This is delightful story of an unlikely friendship between a fast cheetah and a slow sloth. After the cheetah hurts his leg, the sloth shows him what it is like to slow down and enjoy life in the slow lane. Readers will be able to easily grasp the idea of a busy life and slowing down through the eyes of these two loveable animals.

“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth
by Eric Carle
Through vibrant, engaging imagery famous to Eric Carle, the story introduces readers to various jungle animals who are all curious as to why the sloth is so slow and lazy. In his defense, the sloth replies that he’s not quiet, lazy, or boring, but simply chooses to live a slow life. And there’s beauty in that!

The Very Sleepy Sloth
by Andrew Murray and Jack Tickle
The jungle animals all criticize the sloth for being lazy. However, they soon discover that each animal is good at a particular skill, and sloths are just good at sleeping. This is a fun-loving book for young children to learn to appreciate that we all have our special talents.


Five Sloth Yoga Poses for Kids

Follow this sloth five-pose flow to learn about how sloths move slowly around the trees. Don’t worry if you haven’t tried yoga before–just jump in and give it a try. Clear the space, practice barefoot on a non-slip surface, and have fun. Be safe, but also feel free to make up your own sloth-themed yoga moves.

1. Pretend to be a sloth moving slowly up the trunk of a tree.

How to practice Eagle Pose: Wrap your left leg around your right. Bring your bent arms out in front of you, wrap your right arm around your left arm, and bend your knees slightly. Switch sides and repeat the steps. Pretend to be a sloth moving slowly up the trunk of a tree.

Eagle Pose

2. Pretend to a sloth slowly swimming through the river.

How to practice Locust Pose: Lie on your tummy, lift your chest and shoulders, and look up. Slowly move your arms and legs, pretending to be a sloth swimming slowly across the river.

Locust Pose for Kids | Kids Yoga Stories
Locust Pose

3. Pretend to be a sloth sleeping on a branch.

How to practice Extended Child’s Pose: Come back to sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, place the palms of your hands flat out in front of you, and take a few deep breaths. Imagine being a sloth sleeping comfortably on a branch.

Extended cat pose. Yoga poses for kids
Extended Child’s Pose

4. Pretend to be a sloth hanging upside-down from a branch.

How to practice Happy Baby Pose: Lie on your back with your chin tucked in, hug your knees into your chest, then grab the outer parts of each foot—right foot in right hand and left foot in left hand. Pretend to be a sloth hanging upside-down from a branch.

Happy Baby Pose

5. Pretend to be a sloth tucking its head in to sleep.

How to practice Knees to Chest: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and hug them close to your chest. Pretend to be a sloth tucking its head into its center to sleep.

Knees to Chest Pose for Kids | Kids Yoga Stories
Knees to Chest

Share with us in the comments below about your favorite sloth yoga pose!


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Sloth Yoga Books and Sloth Yoga Poses for Kids

Check Out Our Sloth Yoga Cards for Kids

15 Soothing Yoga Poses to Savor Slowing Down

Slow down like a sloth with these simple yoga poses for kids. Pretend to be a friendly sloth, an easygoing sloth, a mindful sloth, and many more while exploring the corresponding soothing yoga poses. 

The easy-to-follow instructions mean you can confidently and safely guide your children through the yoga sequence.

This deck of 40 colorful cards includes:

  • an index card listing the sloth poses in a sequence
  • instructions for all 15 sloth yoga poses
  • 15 illustrated cards showing the poses
  • 15 matching sloth cards
  • yoga teaching tips and suggestions

The multicultural yoga kids are from seven countries. Ages 4+. 

Download Sloth Yoga Cards for Kids here


Check Out Our Jungle Animals Yoga Cards

Pretend to be a turtle, toucan, and tapir through basic yoga poses for kids! Instantly download these 52 jungle animals yoga cards to learn about the Central American rainforest through movement in your home, classroom, or studio.

Includes an Index Card, Yoga Tips, Pose Instructions, 20 Yoga Pose Cards, and 20 matching Jungle Animals Cards. The multicultural yoga kids are from seven countries. Ages 3+

Purchase Jungle Animal Yoga Cards for Kids here.


You May Also Enjoy Sophia’s Jungle Adventure

Join Sophia’s jungle adventure Fly like a toucan, slither like a snake, and flutter like a butterfly as you act out this journey through a Costa Rican jungle with Kids Yoga Stories. The storybook includes a list of kids yoga poses and a parent-teacher guide. Jazz up your jungle story with these extension ideas.

Download a free Wordsearch and Coloring Page.

Age group: 4 to 7.

Purchase Sophia’s Jungle Adventure here.

Available in physical or digital versions as well as multiple languages.

Sophia's Jungle Adventure PDF
Sophia’s Jungle Adventure

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