Written by Brooke Hillebrand, Yoga in the Schools Instructor
As my youngest yogis laid on their bellies with their chests and chins on the earth, I cued them on. Breathing in as you gently lift your head and then your chest off the ground. This is cobra pose. As I gazed around the room from my own cobra pose, I met a pair of puzzled eyes. I asked, “Friend, do you have something to share?”. Now confident, this young kindergartener declares, “This isn't cobra pose. This is GREEN ANACONDA pose!”.
I couldn't contain my laughter, and the class was soon to follow. And of course, each time we found ourselves on our bellies with our head and chest lifted, several suggested cobra pose names echoed through the classroom.
I left class with an important reminder; don’t forget to play. More often than not we come to our mat with specific outcomes in mind; whether that be to sweat, build strength or expecting our young students to be calm, etc. Yet when we come to our mat without attachment to the outcome there just may be a surprising gift awaiting.
To my confident kindergarten friend who was brave enough to share your own clever pose name - you reminded me how good it is to play! Play breeds laughter, creativity and hope. And what a better time than October to be reminded that it’s time to play again. Who might you become for Halloween? How can you bring playfulness to your own mat and or into your classroom?
October is play time, so let’s have some fun and get playful! Challenge your students with the spooky yoga poses below. AND for extra credit, can you come up with your own spooky inspired yoga pose?
Be sure to join us for our upcoming Kids Halloween YogArt on October 27, 2022.
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