Hand Puppets and Human Puppets

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan with Pictures
Hand Puppets and Human Puppets
Kids Have Fun With/As Puppets
Target Age: Kids with Yoga Experience, 3—10 years old, family yoga,
Approximate Time: 30—60 minutes
By: Aruna Kathy Humphrys,
Trainer Young Yoga Masters Registered Children’s Yoga School, Author: The Frog Yoga Alphabet Teacher
Training Double Pack, and Yoga Man vs. The Stressor Teacher Training
P. 1: Introduction
P. 2: Yoga Pose Ideas for Teaching with Hand Puppets
P. 3: How to have a Human Puppet in your class
Introduction: One of the objectives of this lesson plan is
to get kids experienced in doing yoga involved in teaching
the yoga class. We all know what it is like if we are told we
are going to have teach something after we learn it. We
listen to the instructions a little harder, we pay closer
attention.
Start the class by letting kids know that today our Puppet
will be teaching the class and those children that want, will
be able to teach with the puppet.
Then demonstrate by pretending your hand puppet is the
teacher and explain a pose. Then walk around the room
while your puppet gives tips on the pose and encourages
the children to hold the pose a little longer time.
Kids in Tree Pose hold the Pose a Little Longer
when the Puppet is Balancing on their Head
Then take turns having the children lead a pose with the puppet. Let them get experience speaking in public, get practice explaining yoga poses, and having fun. Try to only add help if it is absolutely necessary.
Some kids love teaching, and will be able to jump up and teach without preparation. Other children will
find this a challenge, so invite them to choose a pose now, to teach the next class. This gives some prep
time. The puppets take the focus off the child and make teaching a fun game.
Use the Human Puppet at the beginning and/or end of class for the children who are too shy to take a turn.
They will often volunteer for this role once they see how it works. (see p. 3)
Aruna Kathy Humphrys, www.YoungYogaMasters.com
Yoga Pose Ideas for Teaching with Hand Puppets
Poses: After you give an example of teaching a yoga pose with the hand puppet, children can take a turn.
Consider that your young teacher can:

chose their favorite pose

chose a pose from a book or yoga cards

or the teacher can assign poses
Here are some yoga pose ideas and how the puppet can be involved in teaching. As always, children have
the option to pass on any of these interactions.
10 Yoga Poses for Hand Puppets to Lead

Bicycle Legs: Lie on you back and bicycle legs. Puppet oversees
the activity and tells the children to peddle faster or slower.

Butterfly Legs: Sitting with feet together, bring head to feet. Puppet can tap backs for children to come up.

Triangle Pose: Puppet can poke through arms or legs.

Downward Dog: Puppet can crawl under everyone.

Cobra Pose: Puppet slides down the back of the cobra.

Tree Pose: Puppet can balance on the head/shoulder of each
child who is holding the pose.

Frog Hops: Children can jump over the puppet.

Chair Pose: Puppet can sit in each chair.

Corpse Pose/Relaxation: puppet taps the children on the shoulder when it is time to wake up.

Easy Pose/Meditation: Puppet taps each person when it is time
to close eyes, Puppet counts 10 deep breaths, then Puppet taps
each person to open eyes.
Puppet leads Bicycle Legs
Puppet crawls under Downward Dog
Puppet leads Meditation/Breathing
Aruna Kathy Humphrys, www.YoungYogaMasters.com
How to have a Human Puppet in Your Class
Use the Human Puppet at the beginning and end of class for the children who are too shy to take a turn.
They will often volunteer for this role once they see how it works.
Invite one of the children to sit in your lap and move their arms while you use a funny voice and make grand
hand gestures as you give the instructions. They are your Human Puppet.
Try this activity to help all kids get involved in your class. When everyone has fun participating, everyone wants to
come back to yoga!
The Human Puppet will explain that they are the
teacher. The adult teacher can add interest by using
an accent like Southern, French, or be a robot.
If the children don’t listen or answer,
the Human Puppet may cry out of sadness.
Or perhaps will be so touched that everyone came
there will be tears of joy.
The Human Puppet will ask everyone to put on their
listening ears then explain the next yoga pose.
The Human Puppet will use lots of hand gestures
when it is time to start or wrap things up.
Aruna Kathy Humphrys, www.YoungYogaMasters.com