For pre-school kids, it’s great to mix singing and simple yoga moves. The routine of song helps them concentrate and means they remember the yoga postures. Also, a good sing-song provides a fun interlude in a class or yoga session.
Here are 4 songs with yoga moves that I find are particularly brilliant:
1. Bicycles
It’s a lovely day, so let’s get on our bikes and get some fresh air! Bicycles work wonderfully with the Roly Poly Nursery Rhyme. Lying on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift up both knees and cycle your legs round in time to the rhyme as you sing.
The routine of song helps them concentrate and means they remember the yoga postures.
Roly Poly up up up
Roly Poly down down down
Roly Poly ever so slowly
Roly poly Roly poly quick quick quick!
2. Bunny Hops
Spring time fun and brilliant for kids. The Hop Little Bunnies Song is perfect for little ones aged 3 years and under. Start in child’s pose and do bunny hops when you wake up the bunnies! From child’s pose you simply extend your arms straight and place your hands down flat. Tuck your toes, tilt forward bringing the weight into your arms and lightly hop both feet up together as you hop like a bunny!
See the little Bunnies sleeping til it’s nearly noon.
Shall we gently wake them with our merry tune?
Oh so still, are they ill?
No….
Wake up Bunnies!!
Hop little bunnies hop hop hop
Hop little bunnies hop hop hop
Hop little bunnies hop hop hop
Hop little bunnies hop hop hop (back to sleep in child’s pose)
Here’s me singing it: Hop Little Bunnies
3. Monkeys
Kids love being monkeys and love jumping up and down! This song works brilliantly for kids’ yoga. It gives them a chance to warm up with some monkey jumps, open their hips by making a telephone call – holding the sole of their foot to their ear and finally a satisfying wagging of the finger being the officious doctor telling off the cheeky little monkeys!
THREE little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mother called the doctor and the doctor said:
‘No more jumping on the bed!’
TWO little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mother called the doctor and the doctor said:
‘No more jumping on the bed!’
ONE little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mother called the doctor and the doctor said:
‘No more jumping on the bed!’
4. Row your Boat
Get into your boat by sitting up tall with your knees bent. Lift up one foot, two feet, one hand and the other hand making a boat pose…but now you need to ROW that boat!! Sitting tall, legs out long, take one foot and row your boat. Rotating from the hip as you row your foot/leg/oar from your opposite ankle up to your pelvis as you sing…
Row row row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily merrily merrily merrily
Life is but a dream!
Or the alternative ‘crocodile’ version, which most Kids really LOVE….
Row row row your boat
Gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile
Don’t forget to scream!
But oh no… We seem to have rowed around in a circle so let’s try it with the other oar!
