When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and on route they meet a Scarecrow that needs a brain, a Tin Man missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West to earn his help. Enjoy the story with twenty kids’ yoga poses!
Dorothy lived on a farm in Kansas with her auntie, uncle and her dog Toto (Dog: Coming to all fours, tuck the toes, lift your knees. Send your hips up and back). One day, Dorothy’s aunt and uncle were out working on the farm. Dorothy was in the farmhouse playing with Toto (House: Open your legs wide but a comfortable distance apart. Lift your arms up over your head bringing your hands together). Suddenly, a whirlwind came and carried the farmhouse away (Storm: Standing tall, extend your arms at shoulder level palms facing down. Sweep both hands to the left keeping the rest of the body facing front. Twist one way and then repeat on the other side, keeping your feet on the ground). Dorothy was very frightened. “Where are we going to land?” she said to her little dog.
They came down in a land full of flowers (Flower: Sitting tall, bring the soles of your feet together. Slide your hands underneath your legs and take hold of your ankles. Balance on sitting bones). They were in the most beautiful place she had ever seen. “I have a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore,” she said. She was right! They were somewhere over the rainbow (Rainbow: Coming onto your knees, extend one leg to the side. Placing your opposite hand down to the other side, lift your other arm up and over your ear making a beautiful rainbow). A good witch named Glinda drifted down on a floating bubble. She told Dorothy that her house had landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, leaving only her glittering Ruby Slippers. Suddenly the Wicked Witch of the West appeared. “Who killed my sister?” she angrily asked Dorothy. Dorothy, trembling with fear, tried to explain “It was an accident!” The witch raised her broom in anger (Reverse Warrior: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out to the side. Bend your front knee and extend the arms wide. Drop your back arm toward your back leg. Lift your front arm straight up, reaching your fingertips toward the sky. Gaze up at your fingertips overhead). Then she remembered her sister’s magical shoes. In a flash, Glinda placed the Ruby Slippers on Dorothy’s feet! The furious Wicked Witch promised Dorothy that the slippers would not be hers for long. “I will get you, and your little dog!”
After meeting the Witch, Dorothy wanted to go home. Glinda suggested that she travelled to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz for help. “All you do is follow the Yellow Brick Road,” Glinda said. So, Dorothy and Toto followed the yellow brick road. Soon, they saw a scarecrow (Scarecrow: Stand with the feet together, big toes touching each other. Open the arms at shoulder level while standing with the spine stretched up. Bend your elbows into cactus, hands up, palms open and facing forward). “Where are you going?” asked the scarecrow. “We are going to the Emerald City, to see the Wizard of Oz,” said Dorothy. “I will come with you,” said the scarecrow. “My head is full of straw. I want to ask the Wizard for some brains, so that I can think.” Following the yellow brick road, they passed a man made of tin. “Can I come with you? I want to ask the Wizard for a heart so that I can love,” said the tin man. So they all walked along the yellow brick road. After a while, the three companions entered a dark forest (Tree: Standing tall, bend your right knee. Place your right foot on the inside of your left leg either above or below your knee joint. Bring your hands in front of your heart or you can lift your arms up to the sky). All at once, an angry lion jumped out in front of them (Lion: Kneeling up, hands wide, inhale and then exhale with an haaaa letting the tongue drop down and the eyes open wide. Let everything release with this roar). The lion said that he was scared of everything, including himself. Dorothy and others invited the lion to join them on their journey. Maybe the Wizard could help him, too!
Not far away, the Wicked Witch mixed a poison that was attractive to the eye and soothing to the nose (Cauldron Stirring: Crossing your legs, place your hands on the knees. Begin to make circles with your upper body by rotating your spine slowly from one side to the other). As the travelers ran towards the Emerald City, Dorothy, Toto and the lion were suddenly overcome by sleep. Far away Glinda heard the cries of Scarecrow and Tin Man. She waved her wand and send snow flurries to wake them up (Warrior 2: Standing up, bring your feet wide apart placing them away from each other. Bend your front knee and bring your arms out to sides. Gaze over front fingertips).
The Wicked Witch followed them, and Dorothy and her friends hurried to the palace. There they saw the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy and her friends were frightened. “I will help you. But first, you must help me,” said the Wizard. He wanted them to bring him the broomstick of the Wicked Witch (Broomstick: Lying on your tummy, take your arms stretched out in front of you on the floor. Raising your arms, chest, and legs from the floor as high as possible, balance on the pelvis). They had no idea how they were going to accomplish such a dangerous task! They headed to the haunted forest in the direction of the witch’s castle. Suddenly, the witch’s flying monkeys came (Bird: Open your legs wide. Come halfway up into a flat back. Lift your arms out at your side like wings floating up and down as you fly like a bird). They carried Dorothy back to the witch’s castle, so the witch made Dorothy work in her castle. Just then, Scarecrow and the others broke down the door to rescue Dorothy (Door: Standing on your knees, extend your right leg to the right. Lift the left arm over head toward the right. Slide the right hand down the right leg. Keeping your chest open, bend toward the right side). But the witch and her guards soon cornered them. The witch set her broom on fire (Fire Log: Sitting on the floor, bend your one leg first at the knee and place your ankle to rest on the floor in front of you. Ensure that your shin is parallel in front of you. Then bend your other leg at the knee and place it over the other leg like stacking logs. The shins are now one above the other.) and touched it to the Scarecrow’s sleeve. When Dorothy threw a bucket of water to put out the flames, it splashed all over the Witch, too.
The Wicked Witch shrieked in horror “I am melting! I am melting!” And she disappeared. The grateful guards gave Dorothy the witch’s broomstick as a gift (Broomstick: Lying on your tummy, take your arms stretched out in front of you on the floor. Raising your arms, chest, and legs from the floor as high as possible, balance on the pelvis). So, Dorothy and her friends went back to see the Wizard of Oz. “Now we have helped you. Please will you help us?” said Dorothy. The Wizard of Oz gave the scarecrow some brains, the tin man a heart, and the lion some courage (Wizard: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out to the side. Bend your front knee and extend the arms wide. Drop your back arm toward your back leg. Lift your front arm straight up, reaching your fingertips toward the sky. Gaze up at your fingertips overhead). Finally, it was Dorothy’s turn. The Wizard would take her back to Kansas in a hot air balloon. They were all ready to lift off, when at the last minute Toto jumped out of the balloon to chase a cat (Cat: Hands and knees in tabletop position, round your spine. Let your head drop down, tucking chin to chest.). Dorothy ran after him (Running: Making a fist with your hands, bring them close to your chest. Start jogging/running on the spot.), and the Wizard accidentally took off without her! Dorothy watched the balloon disappear and began to cry. “Oh, I will never get home!” Suddenly, Glinda appeared. “You must ask you shoes to take you home,” said the good witch. After a tearful goodbye to her friends (Hugging: Sitting on the floor and crossing your legs, wrap your arms around yourself and give a caring hug), Dorothy clicked her heels and repeated “There is no place like home.” Suddenly, she was back in her farmhouse with her aunt and uncle. Dorothy and Toto lived happily ever after.
Relaxation:
What an adventure of Dorothy and her new friends to see the Wizard who can help her return home and help her friends, as well. How important it is to have good and supportive, caring, and loving friends! They never ever give up in the face of challenges. They together go after their goals. You too can be there for your friends in their difficult times. You can support them. So, you feel better too. Having good friends in life is a precious treasure.
When you feel ready, you can move your fingers and toes. You can pull your knees to your chest and give them a big hug. And you can get into a comfortable sitting position, bring your hands together in front of your chest. Thank you for doing yoga with me today! Namaste!