Quick and easy game idea! Use a set of playing cards showing animals that has doubles of each card (I bought mine at the dollar store). Before playing, you may want to show the children each of the animals and designate a pose (make one up if there isn't a "real" pose for that animal) and practice them a few times. Shuffle and arrange cards face down. Each player gets to turn over two cards on their turn. If they find a pair, they perform that animal pose for the other children, and may keep the pair as points. If they turn over two different animals, they must create their own pose that combines the two animals. For example, in the picture to the right, the creature may have a trunk like an elephant, but kick and gallop like a zebra! The winner, as in Memory, has the most pairs at the end of the game. However, be sure to talk about the new animals that each student made up and praise their unique imaginations! If you have cards but aren't sure what poses to use for your animals, comment here and I'll help you out! My deck contains meerkats... I'm still working on that one!
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My mission in teaching yoga to young children is to foster creativity, confidence, and a positive attitude around physicality and motion. A foundation in mind-body awareness sparked during early development can last through childhood and adolescence to create strong, healthy individuals. In moving, breathing and playing together, we are connected in our humanity through the somatic experience. I invite parents, educators, and other kids' yoga instructors to use my sample lesson plans, comment on posts, and ask questions or submit their own ideas!