Celebrate Earth Day with Kids Yoga & Nature Play
“Teaching children to love nature is teaching them to see true beauty.”
In a world filled with screens and fast-paced distractions, helping children develop a love for nature is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. When they learn to see beauty in the colors of a sunset, the strength of a tree, or the gentle rhythm of the ocean, they begin to understand that true beauty isn’t something we buy—it’s something we feel, experience, and appreciate.
As yoga teachers or parents, we can use movement, breath, and imagination to deepen this connection. Earth Day is a perfect time to guide children in celebrating our planet, recognizing its wonders, and understanding that we are a part of nature—not separate from it. Through playful yoga poses, mindful breathing, and joyful movement, we invite them to move like the wind, stand strong like mountains, and flow like rivers.
For the past 18 years, Yogi Beans has empowered yoga teachers, childcare professionals, and parents to share the magic of yoga with children. Let’s take our little beans on an adventure where they don’t just learn about nature—they become it.
Explaining Earth Day to Kids
When you start your class, it’s always nice to introduce the theme of the day. And for Earth Day, it’s extra special to help kids understand why the Earth is so important and why we should love and take care of it. Before you start moving, take a little time to chat about why Earth Day is so meaningful!
Here is a simple way to introduce Earth Day to children:
"Earth Day is a special day when people all over the world come together to celebrate our planet and think about how we can take care of it. Just like we take care of our homes and pets, we also need to take care of the Earth because it’s our home too! It gives us everything we need—air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat."
To make it even more fun, share some cool facts about our planet:
Did you know the Earth spins really fast? It's moving at 1,600 kilometers per hour (1,000 miles per hour), but we don’t feel it!
Trees are amazing! They can talk to each other through their roots—like sending secret messages underground!
Oceans cover 70% of the Earth, and they’re full of amazing creatures like dolphins, sea turtles, and glowing jellyfish.
The Earth’s core is super hot, as hot as the surface of the sun—around 10,800°F (6,000°C)!
Plants help us breathe by taking in carbon dioxide and giving us fresh oxygen. They’re like the Earth’s lungs!
After sharing these fun facts, ask the kids, "What’s your favorite thing about nature?" This gives them a chance to think about the world around them and connect with it.
Breathe with the Earth
Earth breath is the perfect pranayama to teach your little yogis on Earth Day
This is a very simple breathing technique that helps to calm the mind, increase focus and connect with the Earth and our environment.
Here is how you can teach Earth-breath to children:
Grounding: Ask the kids to either sit comfortably or stand tall in a gentle tree pose, with their feet firmly grounded. Encourage them to imagine that their feet are like tree roots, deeply connected to the Earth. You could say, "Picture your feet as the roots of a big, strong tree, reaching deep into the soil."
If you’re outdoors, invite them to look at a nearby tree or flower. Ask them to imagine exchanging breath with the plant, as if they’re sharing the fresh air, connecting with nature in a special way.
Guide the kids through the breath:
Inhale: “Take a deep breath in through your nose, just like you’re breathing in the fresh air from a beautiful forest.”
Exhale: “Now, breathe out slowly through your mouth, like the Earth is sending calm energy back through your body.”
Encourage the kids to take long, slow breaths, imagining that with every inhale, they are drawing in the peaceful energy of the Earth, and with each exhale, they are sending out love and gratitude to the planet.
Earth Visualization:
To make it more fun, guide them through a brief visualization: “Imagine you are standing in a beautiful forest or lying on the soft grass. With every breath, feel the cool, fresh air coming in and filling your body, just like the Earth is giving you energy. As you breathe out, picture sending love to the Earth, as if your breath is a little thank-you gift to our planet.”
This breathing technique is a wonderful way to connect with the Earth, helping kids feel grounded and calm. Tell them, they can use it any time they want to take a moment to breathe deeply and reconnect with nature.
Earth Day Kids’ Yoga Games
Games are the perfect practice for building unforgettable memories of Earth Day. Here are two yoga-inspired games that help children feel connected to nature, fostering gratitude, teamwork, and a sense of responsibility for the Earth.
1. Keep the Earth Afloat
Start in a circle or spread out around the room. If the group is small, lie on your backs with heads close together. Use a lightweight ball or inflatable globe to represent the Earth. The goal is to work together to keep the Earth up in the air, using only hands, feet, or gentle breath to guide it. This game builds cooperation, focus, and a playful appreciation for how we all share responsibility for protecting our planet.
2. Four Elements Freeze Game
Dance and move freely around the space, but when you hear a specific element called out, freeze in the corresponding pose:
Earth : Stand tall like a mountain (Tadasana).
Water : Sway like a river.
Fire : Jump like a flickering flame.
Air: Twirl like the wind! This game encourages creativity, quick reflexes, and an embodied understanding of the natural elements.
Nature-Inspired Yoga Poses
Yoga inspired by nature makes movement fun and meaningful for kids. Whether practicing indoors or outside, these poses bring the beauty of the natural world into each stretch and breath.
🌳 Tree Pose – Stand Tall Like a Tree
Stand tall, lift one foot, and place it on your ankle or calf. Stretch your arms wide like strong tree branches. Imagine swaying gently in the wind, but staying rooted to the earth. This pose helps with balance and focus—just like a tree standing firm through all seasons!
🌞 Sun Stretch – Shine Like the Sun
Reach your arms high above your head and smile up at the bright sun! Feel its warmth energizing your body. This simple stretch wakes up the body, improves posture, and fills kids with positive energy—just like the sun lighting up the sky!
🌊 Wave Pose – Flow Like the Ocean
Stand with your feet wide and sway your arms side to side like gentle ocean waves. Feel the rhythm of the water moving with you. This pose encourages flexibility, relaxation, and a sense of calm—just like listening to the waves at the beach.
🐸 Frog Pose – Hop Like a Happy Frog
Squat down low with your feet wide apart and hands on the floor. Take a deep breath and hop up like a joyful frog! This playful pose strengthens the legs and hips while bringing lots of giggles. Frogs remind us to have fun and enjoy movement!
🦅 Eagle Pose – Soar Like an Eagle
Wrap one leg over the other and cross your arms in front of you. Try to balance while spreading your wings! Eagles fly high with focus and grace, and this pose helps kids develop concentration, coordination, and strength.
For more posture ideas and guidance, please have a look at our book : “108 Awesome Yoga Poses For Kids”! It will show you some fun and inspiring yoga postures and games to practice with kids!
Let’s go on a yoga adventure!
Let your imagination soar as you become a bouncing Frog 🐸, a magical Mermaid 🧜 or a soaring Rocket Ship! 🚀
Closing Circle: A Promise to the Earth!
To wrap up, invite the children to sit together and place their hands gently on their hearts. Give them a moment to reflect: What’s one thing you can do to help the Earth?
Here are a few simple ideas:
Plant a flower or tree to help nature grow.
Pick up trash at the park to keep our world clean.
Use less plastic to protect the planet’s health.
Encourage them to take a deep breath in, and as they exhale, say together, “Thank you, Earth!”
Happy Earth Day! Let’s keep taking care of our beautiful planet, today and every day.
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