It is one of the best of Bear Book series. It contains twenty two kids’ yoga poses and takes almost 35 – 40 minutes with the relaxation. Bear’s adventure will entertain your class. In addition, you may want to start your kids yoga lesson with a warm up song, that is Bear Went Over the Mountain. Have Fun!
When springtime comes, a bear wakes up very hungry and thin (savasana, knee hugging: lying back we draw our knees up and give them a big hug). He waddles outside (bear walks: pressing into our hands and feet we lift our bottom to the sky. Now we come right up onto our tiptoes and take a walk like a bear). He eats fresh shoots from the ground. But the bear wants more (pat head / rub tummy: sitting with our legs crossed, we roll a hand round and round on our tummies. Then we pat our heads at the same time).
He sees Mouse running quickly (mouse: we kneel down and tuck ourselves up into a little tiny ball like a mouse). “Come along, let’s pick up some strawberries” he says, with a basket in his hand (bowl: we lie on our tummies and lift our feet up towards our bottoms. We take hold of our ankles and lift our chest up). They eat, eat, and eat. But the bear wants more.
Along hops Hare, saying “Good day, friends. How do you do?” (hare: coming to our knees we lean forward a little then cross our hands behind our back. As we fold all the way forward our arms lift up to the sky like very long hare ears). “I am hungry” roars Bear. “There are lots of clovers by the trees, follow me!” Hare says (tree: standing tall, place the heel of your foot on top of the other. Bring your hands together at your heart, and grow your branches up tall). They eat, eat, and eat. But the bear wants more.
Badger appears suddenly (sit on your heels, join thumbs and fingers like the badger’s eyes) with his new fishing pole. They head to the pond, they sit by the shore (treasure chest / lake: sitting on your bottom, bring the soles of your feet together. Fold your body down). Bear catches fish (fish: lying on your back, drop down onto your elbows. Point your toes down. Pop your chest up to the sky. Look all the way back behind you). But he still wants more.
Meanwhile, Mole (puppy dog: starting on all fours, we walk our hands forward, keeping our knees where they are. Then when we can’t walk them any further, we drop our chest down to the ground), Squirrel (kneeling: stand on your knees, reach up to the sky with your arms and open your chest), Bird (flying – warrior 3: standing up tall, step forward and tilt, lifting your back foot off the ground, sending it long and strong our behind you like a tail. Stay balanced as you take your arms out wide like wings), and Crow (crow: squatting down high on our tiptoes, we place our hands down flat. We get our knees resting on our arms above our elbows, then we tilt forwards lifting one foot, and the other too) bake cakes because it is springtime party for their friend Bear.
Suddenly Bear smells something yummy! He romps to his home, following his nose (bear walks: pressing into our hands and feet we lift our bottom to the sky. Now we come right up onto our tiptoes and take a walk like a bear). When he gets to his cave (house: standing with your legs wide, hands together above your head making a pointy roof), his friends yell “Surprise!”. But he can’t fit in. He is stuck in his front door (gate/door: come to two knees, then stick one leg out to the side. Reach up with one arm and tilt over towards your stretched leg). The Bear pops out and he lands in his yard (rock ‘n’ roll: sitting up we hug our knees into our body. We let ourselves rock back onto our backs and keep rocking so we rock all the way forward again to sitting up). Since Bear is so wide (star: standing tall with your legs wide arms wide. You are big now), they party outside. Bear eats lots of cakes, and his big tummy aches (pat head / rub tummy: sitting with our legs crossed, we roll a hand round and round on our tummies. Then we pat our heads at the same time). He snuggles in the grass and falls asleep (savasana).
Relaxation:
We take some deep breaths and we think about this funny story of the Bear. What a beatiful friendship they have! They think of each other, they organize party for the Bear. And most importantly, they like to make each other happy. Having a good friend is wonderful! It is important to be kind, considerate, helpful to our friends.
When you feel ready, you can slowly start to move your fingers and toes. Pulling your knees to your chest, give them a big hug. Rolling over to one side, lift up to a comfortable sitting position. Bring your hands together in front of your chest. Thank you for doing yoga with me today. Namaste!
For another Bear Story, please take a look at Bear Feels Sick.