Halloween Fun – Yoga in Disguise!

Many PranaMamas and other devoted yogis support the recent movement to expose children to yoga at a young age.  Children benefit from physical activity, creative movement, imagination-inspired games,  thoughtful group discussion, relaxation techniques, and stress-busting breathing exercises.  However, many adults are at a loss when it comes to teaching these pint-sized Shiva Rea wanna-bes.  Instructors who think teaching kids is the same as teaching adults are shocked to find out just how different it is.  And parents who simply want their child to mimic down-dog or rest in savasana by their side will soon realize it’s not that simple.

Teaching yoga to kids is like dressing up the ancient practice in a costume of silliness.  Themes and creative story-telling really make a difference, as various yoga poses can be called something different at every class.   When you need a little help convincing a four-year old to rest in balasana (child’s pose), try turning it into a story about a mouse who is happily resting after a big piece of cheese landed in his path.

Halloween is the perfect time to make use of the kids’ abundant energy and excitement.  When the class arrives and every one of them wants to tell you about their costume, try a round of “ghost breaths,” where one takes a deep inhale, and on the exhale, shouts “Boo!” very loudly and quickly.  Repeat this a few times before switching gears.  Next, after another deep inhale, ask the children to exhale slowly, while quietly, frighteningly calling out “Boo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!”  Have the kids observe and discuss their feelings on which ghost breath made them feel fun and energized, and which one calmed them down to a yoga-ready state.   Try this at home on halloween night, right before trick-or-treating, to keep kids safe and calm throughout their exciting night.

Here are a few fun yoga poses and activities that can be done in class, at home or with a group of friends:

1.   Spider: This scary version of Spider Pose is courtesy of ChildLight Yoga. The child squats low to the ground, then wraps his or her hands around the ankles, from the inside out.  Next, Try placing the hands flat on the ground.  A few fun variations are to walk like a spider (trickier than it sounds!) or to spin a web, by keeping hands and feet where they are on the floor, but lifting sit bones high to the sky, then returning to a squat, and repeating.  For even more fun from this creepy critter, check out Yogainmyschool.com for another great partner activity!

2.   The Witch Series:  Witch’s Hat (Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose), Caldron (Start in Half-Lotus, then lift and cradle one knee,  holding foot with opposite hand, and rotate the hip to “stir the witch’s brew), Broomstick (Tadasana, or Mountain’s Pose)

3.   Rolling Pumpkin: This is a fun pose and movement to do while reciting a fun halloween poem.  Starting on sit bones, fold and hug knees into chest and lift feet off the floor; next roll backwards and forwards to starting position, trying not to let the pumpkin smash open.  You can accompany this with the poem “Pumpkin pumpkin on the ground, how’d you get so big and round? You started as a seed so small, now you are a big round ball.”

4. The Hooky-Spooky:  Give each child 4 3-ft. lengths of crepe paper – 2 in orange and 2 in black,.  The child should tie a different color streamer to each ankle and wrist.  Lead the child or children in the song “The Hooky Spooky” (replacing the lyrics and sung to the tune of “the Hokey Pokey”), changing the directions of left and right to orange and black: “You put your orange hand in……you do the Hookey Spookey and you turn yourself around…” Kids love this activity and have a blast working on balance while singing a silly song about Halloween.

5.     The Halloween Hot Pumpkin Game:  Using a small pumpkin, either a real one from a farmstand or a pretend decoration from a craft or party store, play the Hot Potato game to spooky or fun halloween music*.  Whichever child is holding the pumpkin when the music stops is out of the game (but can then be in charge of starting and stopping the music for the next round!).  The last person left in the game wins.  This game requires focus and good listening, so use it when you need to quiet a rowdy bunch.

6.     Imaginary Halloween Party: As part of savasana in class, or a relaxation technique before bedtime, lead the children in a visualization of a halloween party, where everyone is dressed up in costumes.  Describe each different character in detail, but do not include anything very scary.  It’s best to describe costumes like puppy dogs, princesses and favorite characters, like Dora or Thomas the Train.  Once the children are happily and dreamily thinking about the various costumes, explain that playing dress-up is fun, especially on Halloween, but it’s important to remember what’s inside of each person.  We can dress up in any costume we want, but it’s our insides that make us who we are.

*My favorite Halloween songs to play during these and other activities are Thriller (Michael Jackson), Ghostbusters (Ray Parker, Jr.), and the Monster Mash (by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers.

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