40 Fun Yoga Poses for Kids: The Printable Guide for Parents and Teachers
Quick answer: The best yoga poses for kids are playful shapes named after animals and nature, like Cat, Cobra, Butterfly, Tree and Mountain. Children aged 3 and up can start with 5 to 10 minutes a day. Below are 40 easy yoga poses for kids with English and Sanskrit names and a fun cue for each.
When I held my first Yoga Guppy session with six children in Mumbai in 2013, I learned that kids don’t want to “hold the pose.” They want to roar like a lion and flap like a butterfly. So every pose here is a little story, and over a million little yogis have practised them with us since.
Why yoga is good for kids
Yoga builds strength, flexibility and balance through play. It also improves focus at school and teaches children to calm big emotions with their breath, all without a screen.
How much yoga should kids do?
- Ages 3–5: 4–5 poses for 5–10 minutes, with lots of sounds and stories
- Ages 6–8: 8–10 poses for 15–20 minutes, adding balance challenges
- Ages 9+: longer holds, simple sequences and the challenge poses
Practise barefoot on a mat and never force a stretch. Poses marked * need adult supervision.
- Builds strength and flexibility through natural, playful movement
- Improves focus and concentration, which helps at school
- Teaches kids to calm down using breath when they feel big emotions
- Develops balance and body awareness as children grow
- Offers healthy, screen-free play the whole family can enjoy
Animal yoga poses for kids
# | Pose | Sanskrit name | Fun cue |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Downward Dog | Adho Mukha Svanasana | Wag your tail! |
2 | Cat | Marjaryasana | Arch like a scared cat |
3 | Cow | Bitilasana | Drop your belly and moo |
4 | Cobra | Bhujangasana | Hiss like a snake |
5 | Butterfly | Baddha Konasana | Flap your knee wings |
6 | Frog | Malasana | Squat low, then ribbit! |
7 | Lion | Simhasana | Give your biggest roar |
8 | Camel | Ustrasana | Carry a hump across the desert |
9 | Fish | Matsyasana | Open your gills |
10 | Crocodile | Makarasana | Sleep in the sun |
11 | Locust | Shalabhasana | Fly like a grasshopper |
12 | Rabbit | Sasangasana | Hide in your burrow |
13 | Eagle | Garudasana | Wrap up and perch |
14 | Crow* (ages 7+) | Bakasana | Balance and caw |
15 | Pigeon | Eka Pada Rajakapotasana | Coo softly |
Nature yoga poses for kids
# | Pose | Sanskrit name | Fun cue |
|---|---|---|---|
16 | Mountain | Tadasana | Stand strong and still |
17 | Tree | Vrikshasana | Grow your branches |
18 | Half Moon | Ardha Chandrasana | Bend into a crescent |
19 | Star | Utthita Tadasana | Shine wide |
20 | Triangle | Trikonasana | Make a mountain peak |
21 | Easy Pose / Lotus | Sukhasana | Float like a lotus |
22 | Rainbow | Parighasana | Paint the sky |
Action and adventure yoga poses for kids
# | Pose | Sanskrit name | Fun cue |
|---|---|---|---|
23 | Boat | Navasana | Row, row, row! |
24 | Chair | Utkatasana | Sit on an invisible chair |
25 | Bridge | Setu Bandha Sarvangasana | Let cars drive under |
26 | Table | Bharmanasana | Hold a flat tabletop |
27 | Plank | Phalakasana | Flat as a pancake |
28 | Bow | Dhanurasana | Pull back your bow |
29 | Wheel* (ages 8+) | Chakrasana | Roll like a wheel |
30 | Airplane | Virabhadrasana III | Zoom through clouds |
31 | Warrior 1 | Virabhadrasana I | Be a brave warrior |
32 | Warrior 2 | Virabhadrasana II | Look over your sword |
33 | Thunderbolt | Vajrasana | Sit still as lightning |
34 | Candle* (ages 6+) | Sarvangasana | Light up tall |
Calming and bedtime yoga poses for kids
# | Pose | Sanskrit name | Fun cue |
|---|---|---|---|
35 | Child’s Pose | Balasana | Curl up like a seed |
36 | Happy Baby | Ananda Balasana | Rock and giggle |
37 | Sandwich | Paschimottanasana | Fold into a sandwich |
38 | Rag Doll | Uttanasana | Flop and dangle |
39 | Sleeping Butterfly | Supta Baddha Konasana | Rest on a leaf |
40 | Starfish Rest | Shavasana | Float in the ocean |
Try a 10-minute jungle adventure
Link nine poses into a story: Mountain → Tree → Frog → Cobra → Lion → Butterfly → Boat → Child’s Pose → Starfish Rest. Walk into the jungle, meet the animals, row across the river, then fall asleep under the stars.
Printable yoga poses for kids
Download the free printable yoga poses chart (add your PDF link here) for your wall or classroom.
For a hands-on version, the Yoga Guppy Flashcards bring 40 poses to life with Warli, Madhubani and Gond art, English and Sanskrit names, and a rhyme on every card. They’re made for children aged 2 to 10.
Yoga for kids at school
Teachers can use these poses as quick brain breaks. For group activities, try Let’s Play Yoga, 17 printable classroom yoga games for ages 3 to 13. We also run school sessions online and offline in Mumbai and Bangalore, so contact us to bring Yoga Guppy to your school.
Take kids yoga further at home
Our online yoga courses for kids turn screen time into active, mindful play for ages 3 to 8, with stories, music, games and a certificate at the end.
About the author
Rashmi Ramesh is a yoga teacher, theatre practitioner, dancer and the founder of Yoga Guppy. Since 2013 she has helped children worldwide discover yoga through stories and play, and the Yoga Guppy YouTube channel has over 500K subscribers. Read the Yoga Guppy story.
FAQ section
Q1. What yoga poses are good for kids?
The best yoga poses for kids are simple, playful shapes like Cat, Cow, Cobra, Butterfly, Tree, Mountain and Child’s Pose. Poses named after animals and nature are easiest for children to remember and enjoy.
Q2. At what age can kids start yoga?
Children can start yoga from around age 3 with short, playful sessions. Toddlers as young as 2 can join in with simple animal poses alongside a parent, as long as it stays fun and unforced.
Q3. How long should kids do yoga?
Kids aged 3 to 5 do best with 5 to 10 minutes of yoga, while children aged 6 to 8 can manage 15 to 20 minutes. Older children can practise for 20 to 30 minutes. Short, regular sessions work better than long, occasional ones.
Q4. What is the easiest yoga pose for kids?
Mountain Pose (Tadasana) is the easiest yoga pose for kids: they simply stand tall and still. Child’s Pose, Butterfly and Cat–Cow are also very easy starting points.
Q5. Is yoga safe for children?
Yes, yoga is safe for children when poses are age-appropriate and never forced. Avoid long holds of inversions like Candle Pose for young children, and always supervise challenge poses such as Wheel and Crow.
Q6. How does yoga help kids focus?
Yoga helps kids focus by teaching them to control their breath and hold their attention on their body. Balance poses like Tree and Eagle are especially good for building concentration, which can carry over into schoolwork.
Q7. Can kids learn yoga at home?
Yes, kids can easily learn yoga at home with a mat, a printable pose chart or flashcards, and a short story-based routine. Online yoga courses for kids also make home practice guided and structured.
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