It’s about a young accident-prone dragon, named Zog, who wants to be the best student in dragon school. Enjoy the story of Zog and the ambitious Princess, Pearl, with twenty-two kids yoga poses.
Madam Dragon ran a school (School/House: Standing with your legs wide, hands together above your head, making a pointy roof). She taught young dragons all the things that dragons need to know (Dragon: Coming down onto one knee, lift and extend your arms and link your thumbs together, making a fan with your fingers like a dragons haircut. Take a big breath in through your big dragon nostrils and open your mouth, sticking out your tongue as you breath out dragon fire). Zog, the biggest dragon, tried his hardest every day to win a golden star (Star: Standing tall with your legs wide and arms outstretched. You are a big sparkly star).
All the dragons in Year One were learning how to fly. “High! Way up in the sky!” said Madam Dragon. Zog went off to practice, flying fast and free (Flying/Warrior 3: Standing up tall, step forward and tilt, lifting your back foot off the ground, sending it long and strong behind you like a tail. Stay steady and balanced as you take your arms out wide to the sides like wings and fly). But while practicing, he crashed into a tree (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). Just then, a little girl came by (Princess/Mermaid: Sitting tall with our legs out long we swish our legs round to one side, then looking over our shoulder. Then we do it on the other side). “Oh, please don’t cry. Perhaps you’d like a nice sticky plaster for your head?” she said. “What a good idea!” said Zog. Then up and off he flew (Bird: Standing up, bend forward from your middle, keeping your back long and straight. Your arms become wide wings floating up and down at your sides as you fly like a bird).
A year went by, and in Year Two the dragons learned to roar (Lion: Kneeling up, hands wide, stick out your tongue and roar). “More! Louder!” said Madam Dragon. Zog went off to practice. He roared with fearsome force. He kept it for hours on end but then his throat grew hoarse. Just then the girl came by again (Princess/Mermaid: Sitting tall with our legs out long we swish our legs round to one side, then looking over our shoulder. Then we do it on the other side). “Perhaps you’d like a nice soothing peppermint to suck?” she said. “What a good idea!” said Zog. Then up and off he flew (Bird: Standing up, bend forward from your middle, keeping your back long and straight. Your arms become wide wings floating up and down at your sides as you fly like a bird).
A year went by, and in Year Three the dragons learned to blow (Dragon Fire Breaths: We criss cross our fingers underneath our chin. We take a deep breath in and lift our elbows to frame our face. As we breath out we lift our head and open our mouths to the sky to let the air out like we are dragons breathing fire, letting our elbows come back down). “Breathe out fire, not snow!” said Madam Dragon. Zog went off to practice. He blew all his might. And his wing tip caught alight. Just then the girl came by again (Princess/Mermaid: Sitting tall with our legs out long we swish our legs round to one side, then looking over our shoulder. Then we do it on the other side). “Perhaps you’d like a nice stretchy bandage for your wing?” she said. “What a good idea!” said Zog. Then up and off he flew (Bird: Standing up, bend forward from your middle, keeping your back long and straight. Your arms become wide wings floating up and down at your sides as you fly like a bird).
All the Year Four dragons were learning how to capture a princess! “Now you can practice on your own!” said Madam Dragon. Zog went off to practice. He tried and tried and tried. But he simply couldn’t manage. “I’m no good at this” he cried (Bow down in Dragon Pose). Just then he saw the girl. “Perhaps, you would like to capture me. I am Princess Pearl” she said (Princess/Mermaid: Sitting tall with our legs out long we swish our legs round to one side, then looking over our shoulder. Then we do it on the other side). “What a good idea!” said Zog. Then up and off they flew (Flying/Warrior 3: Standing up tall, step forward and tilt, lifting your back foot off the ground, sending it long and strong behind you like a tail. Stay steady and balanced as you take your arms out wide to the sides like wings and fly). Zog was proud and happy (Warrior 1: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out to the diagonal. Bend into the front knee, so make sure the space between the legs is wide enough to do this. Lift the chest, draw the tummy muscles in and sweep the arms up overhead, palms to touch. Feel strong and mighty). Pearl felt good as well. She took the dragons’ temperatures and nursed them when they fell.
A year went by and in Year Five the dragons learned to fight. “Here comes a real live knight!” said Madam Dragon. “I have come to rescue Princess Pearl” said the knight (Warrior 2/Knight: Standing with your feet wide, bend your front knee and spread your arms out wide). Zog breathed fire and beat his wings. “You can’t! She is mine!” he roared. “Oh, no, she is not!” yelled the knight and waved his trusty sword (Reverse Warrior/Sword: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out to the side. Bend into the front knee and take the arms wide. Take the hand down onto the back leg and lift the other arm up into the sky, leaning the body back. Look up to the top hand). Then princess stepped forward, crying “Stop, you silly chumps! The world is already far too full of cuts and burns and bumps. Don’t rescue me! I won’t go back to being a princess. I want to be a doctor, listening to people’s chests and giving them my care.” (Warrior 1 – stop variation of princess: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out to the diagonal. Bend into the front knee, so make sure the space between the legs is wide enough to do this. Take the arms forward and lift the palms as if telling something to stop)
“Me, too!” exclaimed the knight and took his helmet off his head (Curtsy: Stand tall, step one foot out to the side and sweep the other foot behind and across coming up onto the ball of the back foot and bending into the front knee. The body will bow and twist slightly as you swish the arms out in the direction of the back foot). “Perhaps, Princess, you will train me up?” “Of course, but I don’t see how the two of us could fit upon your horse.” Then Zog said “Flying Doctors! I’d love to join the crew. If you will let me be your ambulance, then I can carry you.” (Humble Warrior: Step one foot forward and turn the back toes out diagonally. Bend into the front knee and stretch the arms back, clasping hands at the lower back. Lift the chest as we reach the hands back. Now fold forwards over the front leg, so the shoulder comes inside the knee, bowing our head in a very humble way). “Bravo! An excellent career!” said Madam Dragon. And all the Year Five dragons gave a loud cheer. Then up and off he flew, the flying doctors waving.
Relaxation:
What a funny story! Zog is the keenest dragon in school. He is a very hardworking student. Princess Pearl is also a hardworking girl. She does not want to waste her time in palace. She is an ambitious girl. She wants to be a doctor. How important it is for people to love what they do. Then they will be happier and more successful. I hope you will do things that you can add meaning to life and that you can love – just like Zog, Princess Pearl and the Knight! Now it is time to wake up.
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!