Move Like an Animal

Kids preforming yoga poses at day care

This activity promotes development and learning by encouraging children to maintain focus and sustain attention, develop emotional regulation through heavy bodywork, and use large muscles to move and balance their own body.

Materials Needed:

  • Timer or music,
  • Yoga mat or towel (optional)

Participants: This activity is intended for adult/child interaction or independent play.

Directions:

  • Step 1: Find an open space and layout a yoga mat or towel for your child. Movements for this activity can be done in one place to keep children grounded, or you can let children move around the space. Choose what works best for your child and space.
  • Step 2: Have your child do each movement for 45 seconds. When the timer or music goes off, they will rest for 15 seconds between each.
    • Frog Jumps – hop up and down like a frog.
    • Bear Walk – with your hands and feet on the floor, hips high, walk left to right.
    • Gorilla Shuffle – in a low squat, use hands to balance and shuffle front to back.
    • Starfish Jumps – jump up and down spreading your arms and legs wide (like jumping jacks).
    • Cheetah Run – run in place as fast as you can, like a cheetah.
    • Crab Walk – sitting down, put palms of hands on the ground behind you, lift hips up and crawl on hands and feet.
    • Elephant Stomps – march in place, stomping your feet as hard as you can.
Bright Horizons
About the Author
Bright Horizons
Bright Horizons
In 1986, our founders saw that child care was an enormous obstacle for working parents. On-site centers became one way we responded to help employees – and organizations -- work better. Today we offer child care, elder care, and help for education and careers -- tools used by more than 1,000 of the world’s top employers and that power many of the world's best brands
Kids preforming yoga poses at day care

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