5 Yoga Animal Poses Using a Chair

Welcome to the second post in our chair yoga ideas for kids series – this month’s theme is yoga animal poses!

With my daughter in kindergarten, I am reminded again about being a primary school teacher and the importance of integrating movement into the students’ learning experiences. I’m hoping this year-long series will help to bring yoga into your life in a fun, creative, and easy way.

Each month, we’ll include five chair yoga poses inspired by a particular theme, along with a recommended yoga book for kids. This month’s theme is “animals.” These five yoga animal poses could be done:

during a transition time in the classroom
during a subject change in your homeschool classroom
at home when you’re stuck indoors
when you would like to practice yoga in a small space

Imagine that you are going on a pretend journey around the world to meet animals from various countries. Today, we’re going to pretend to be:

eagles from United States
sheepdogs from England
turtledoves from England
lions from Tanzania
echidnas from Australia

Clear the space, practice barefoot, grab a chair, and unleash your imagination!

5 Yoga Animal Movement Breaks Using a Chair

1. EAGLE POSE – Pretend to be an eagle. Come to sitting up tall on your chair with your feet firmly planted on the ground. 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 an eagle perched on a pine tree.
2. DOWNWARD-FACING DOG POSE – Pretend to be a sheepdog. Come to standing just in front of your chair, facing the chair. Place your hands flat on the front of the chair and slowly step back so that your arms are stretched out straight in front of you. Straighten your spine, ensure your legs are hip-width apart, and look down between your legs. Imagine being a sheepdog stretching beside the warm fire.
3. PIGEON POSE – Pretend to be a turtledove. Sit tall with your feet flat on the ground. Bend your right leg and place your right ankle on your left knee. Place your left hand on your right foot and your right hand on your right knee. Switch sides and repeat the steps. Pretend to be a turtledove building a nest of twigs.
4. CAT POSE – Pretend to be a lion. From a sitting position with your feet flat on the ground, round your back, and tuck your chin into your chest, stretching your back. Imagine being a lioness watching her sleepy cubs.
5. CHILD’S POSE – Pretend to be an echidna. Sit back on your chair, slowly bend your upper body to rest on your thighs, rest your arms down towards the floor, and take a few deep breaths. Pretend to be an echidna burrowing in a hollow log.

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Yoga Animal Poses Using a Chair

Animal Yoga Book for Kids: Good Night, Animal World

Help your children sleep better with this yoga bedtime story!

Say good night to the animals of the world through calming yoga poses for kids. Join six multicultural yoga kids as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. Included is a list of Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Ages 2+.

Buy the matching Good Night, Animal World Yoga Cards for creative and independent play.

Marta says, “Bedtime is a hard time! That’s why I love that this book helps my son release extra energy right before going to bed. On every page of the book, you find a child and an animal showing calming yoga poses. I basically show my son the book, and he starts moving just because it’s fun for him to act out the animals. It helps him unwind (and me, too!). I love the guide at the end giving useful tips on creating a good bedtime routine, such as the ritual of four Bs: brush, bath, book, and bed. A very practical book to do fun yoga poses.”

Good Night, Animal World yoga book for toddlers

Download 40 Kid-Friendly Chair Yoga Pose PNG Images

You can purchase 40 PNG images to create your own sequences, make up your own yoga cards, or design your own yoga games:

40 Kid-Friendly Chair Yoga Pose PNG Images Download

Collection of Chair Yoga Ideas for Kids

If you found this chair yoga post useful, check out our list of other chair yoga ideas for kids:

Chair Yoga Ideas for Kids

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