As the fall leaves begin to change color and the the temps become a little brisker, the back-to-school season swings into the Halloween season. The Halloween season is so great because it inspires creativity, we are able to get outside and spend time with our neighbors, it teaches the the law of giving and receiving, and of course the TREATS! Today’s blog is all about Halloween inspired yoga poses and activities for the whole family!
Halloween Inspired Yoga Poses
When I teach my kids yoga classes I always let the kids be creative with the poses. I don’t focus on perfection, and I always make sure it’s safe and fun!
Black Cat
Cat pose – Add a meow!
Scarecrow
How to do it: Start by standing in Mountain Pose. Extend your arms out to either side. You can then tilt your head to one side or another and wait for the crows to land!
Spider
Sit on your bottom with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor behind your hips. Straighten out your elbows and lift your hips towards the ceiling. Try walk like a spider!
Witch
Stand tall with your feet together. Reach towards the ceiling as high as you can with both hands. Slightly bend both knees and hold the position. Think of yourself as a witch flying on a broom.
Jack-o-Lantern
Happy Baby Pose
Spooky Tree
Tree Pose – Sway side to side if you can, like a tree blowing in the wind.
Frankenstein
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Reach your hands out to the side as far apart as you can. Now bring your hands in front of you. Take steps forward without bending your knees. Don’t forget to breathe!
Ghost
Start in tall kneeling. Reach out to the side with both arms. Lean side to side like you are a ghost flying on Halloween night.
Googly Eye
Stand tall with your feet spread apart. Bend forward at the hips. Look between your legs and make googly eye faces! Line the kids up or have them do it in a circle so they can see each other!
Harvest Moon
Moon Pose
Bat
Airplane Pose – Flap your arms like a bat flying through the Halloween night sky!
Halloween Inspired Yoga Activities
Freeze Dance
This is one of my all time favorite yoga activities to play with kids. Play some fun Halloween music like “The Monster Mash” or “Ghostbusters”.
Start by teaching the kids the 5 Halloween yoga poses listed above. Then, instruct them to dance to the music. When you stop the music, the kids will have to freeze in one of the Halloween poses.
What am I?
This game is all about being creative! The kids get to come up with their very own yoga pose based on either their Halloween costume or another yoga pose they’d like to create for Halloween. Each child will come into the middle of the circle and create a pose. The rest of the kids have to try to guess the pose/costume. Each child will have a turn and there is no wrong kids yoga pose!
Halloween Inspired Yoga Breathing
There are two different breaths I like to teach in a Halloween class. First is pumpkin breath. Inhale to fill your chest and round out the belly. Exhale and imagine that you are pulling out seeds from deep inside. These seeds are for things you don’t want to grow, like anger and sadness. The second breath is ghost breath. It’s a normal inhale through the nose, and then make a “Booooooo” sound on the exhale. You can be quiet ghosts, silly ghosts, opera ghosts, any kind you’d like.
Thanks for checking out some of these fun Halloween inspired yoga poses and activities. I hope you have a wonderful and safe Halloween! Trick or Treat!!!
Namaste Witches — Cassy