- Yogi Says
This is a simple play on Simon Says, with yoga poses!
How to play: Tell kids they have to do what you do, but ONLY if “Yogi Says.” Then you proceed to say either “Yogi says _______ (action word).” Or just say ” _______ (action word).”
If you don’t say “Yogi Says,” first, then the students who did the action are “out.” BUT they don’t have to sit down. It’s better if you just go “Oohhhh, I got you!” or “Oops! Yogi didn’t say!!!” and then let them stay standing. At least for the first few rounds and until they get really good at it.
Tips: Keep the pace of the game moving. Let them be leaders once they know some of the poses and actions. Make sure they keep their bodies in their own space or on their own yoga mat
What they learn: This game supports children in their self-control and listening skills. It also supports memory when recalling certain poses and to practice motor control.
- Freeze Dance Yoga Style
Almost every child loves freeze dance. It's the game where children get to let loose, shake, twist, turn ,and dance to their favorite tunes and then without any notice, they have to stop their body or freeze when the music stops. There is something about anxiously waiting for the music to stop that brings excitement and laughter to children.
How to play: You can do freeze dance yoga-style. Simply play a favorite song and have the children dance around. When the music stops, shout out the name of a yoga pose and everyone will then have to freeze in that pose.
Be mindful that if you do a pose that is one-sided, you must have them repeat the pose on the other side. It's fun to see which moves faster, their minds or their bodies, as they think and try to jump into the pose.
What they learn: The great part about freeze dance yoga-style is that it supports self-regulation and the ability to regulate and control their bodies. And obviously, it's also fun!
- Yoga Race
Don't worry, this game doesn't involve letting the kids run around the room. This is one race that doesn't involve running—instead, the children will walk.
How to play: The parent will start by standing at one end of the room and kids will stand on the opposite end. When the parent turns their back, the kids have to walk toward the parent. When the parent turns around, the parent will shout out a pose and the kids will have to stop where they are and quickly get into that pose. The person that reaches the parent first, gets to lead the game.
What they learn: This game supports children in their self-control. It teaches them to be able to resist the urge to run and to be able to stop at a moment’s notice. It relies on the visual cue of the parent in turning around and it teaches the kids to follow the instructions they're told.
- Yoga Challenge
This can be done in many different ways. It's good to have children that are familiar with a variety of yoga poses, or if not, first give a brief demonstration of a couple yoga poses to get them familiarized with different postures.
How to play: You don’t just say the name of a pose and have the kids get into it. You can give them challenges that allow them to come up with a variety of poses.
For example, you can say: "I challenge you to demonstrate a pose that requires you to stay balanced," or "I challenge you to think of a pose where both hands are on the ground." As you add more challenges, you can watch their creativity expand. After each challenge, you can try to sequence the poses together.
What they learn: This game gets kids to use their memory to recall certain poses and to practice motor control. It creates better mind and body connections, as they become more thoughtful about their poses.
- Silly Train
This one strikes the perfect balance of letting the kids be their fun, silly selves while still teaching them how to follow instructions.
How to play: Have your child(ren) line up behind you in one straight line. The parent, or whoever is leading the train, will pick a pose that everyone will eventually do. When the leader is ready to start, they will lead the train around the room.
Passengers or people following will dance or move as silly as they can, while staying in line or staying on the train. However, once the leader turns around, everyone must instantly go into the previously mentioned pose. You can take turns by changing train leaders once they do one lap around the room. Tip: Have some music playing in the background for added fun.
What they learn: This game supports children with their spatial orientation and helps their sense of direction and organization.
References: https://www.doyouyoga.com/6-fun-yoga-games-for-kids-24103/