Python tries to prove his goodwill by throwing a party for all the jungle animals. And it takes elephant to save the day! Enjoy the story with twenty kids’ yoga poses!
Deep in the forest a python was very hungry (Rub tummy/Pat head: 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 could not find anything to eat that day (Snake: Coming onto our tummy, we place our hands underneath our shoulders. We wiggle up into a snake). Because all the animals were hiding from him. After a hungry week, a bad idea came to his mind. He climbed to the top of 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.) and said “Dear friends, you don’t have to be afraid of me. I promise I will not do any bad things to you. I invite you all to my party!”
The animals hearing these words moved towards the tree slowly. The goat and the fox, who loved the parties, thought they could believe the python (Goat: Sitting tall, legs out long, we bend one knee up. We hug that knee, then placing our hand behind us, bring our other elbow round to the outside of the knee, looking back over our shoulder / Fox: We press our feet and hands into the floor as we lift our bottoms to the sky). So they convinced the other animals. All the animals accepted the invitation of the python. “Let’s organize a party to see the best talented animals in the forest.” he said. “I want to be the presenter” said the parrot (Parrot: 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). So all the animals started to think about what they could do. Then the party started.
The first show came from antelope and chameleon (Antelope/Cow: On all fours, round your back up and then down / Chameleon/Lizard: Coming high onto your knees, step one foot forward so you are on one knee. Place both your hands down inside of your front foot and step or wiggle your back leg out straight behind you. Come down onto your elbows if you fancy having a closer look at the floor). The chameleon would catch a fly on the horn of the antelope. The audience watched and applauded.
The second show was from the hyena (Cat: On all fours, round your back up and then down). The hyena would walk twenty meters on two melons.
And it was time for the strength and balance show. Four monkeys would stand upside down on the spotted leopard (Monkey: Turn around, legs a little bit wider, bend forward. Put your hands on your legs hanging upside down / Tiger: Coming on all fours, claw out with one arm forwards and the opposite back paw/leg at the same time).
It was the time for the king of the jungle. The lion roared so loudly that he did not need to do any other trick (Lion Breath: Kneeling up, hands wide, stick out your tongue and roar).
The next show was from the zebra. He took the coconuts between his hooves and tossed them into the air (Zebra/Horse: One knee down, one knee up. Lift and join your hands up high above your head).
The parrot was excited while presenting the last show to the audience. The pelican would gather many of her friends in her beak (Bird: Standing up, bend forward from your middle, keeping your back long and straight. Your arms become your wings floating up and down at your sides as you fly). The audience came and climbed into the huge beak of the pelican (Climbing: Standing tall, using opposite arm to leg we climb up).
Python smiled and said “I think I can do better. I can easily get more animals in my mouth”. All the animals were so excited that nobody thought it might be dangerous. So, the python opened his huge mouth and all the animals walked into (Snake: Coming onto our tummy, we place our hands underneath our shoulders. We wiggle up into a snake). After a short while “It is very dark here and we want to go out now” said the animals. “Please forgive me for I am hungry for a very long time. It is better you stay there” said the python. As soon as they realized that they were tricked, all the animals started screaming (Thymus Tapping: Tap your thymus, using your fingertips and calling out “aaaaoooo”). But the python did not care at all, and he decided to take a nap.
In the meantime, the elephant passing by there, saw the sleeping python (Elephant: Standing with your legs out wide, stick one arm out in front of your nose to be your trunk. Lift your trunk all the way up to the sky; then swing it down between your legs as you make a huge elephant trumpet sound). The animals who understood that the elephant came, shouted and told everything. The elephant raised his foot and put it on the python’s tail with all his weight. The python woke up with terrible pain and opened his mouth and started shouting (Thymus Tapping: Tap your thymus, using your fingertips and calling out “aaaaoooo”). All the animals came out one by one from python’s mouth. While the elephant stood still on the python’s tail, the animals tied a knot in the python’s tail (Knot: Sitting up tall, one leg long, the other knee bent up with the foot flat. We reach forward with our arm – the same side as our bent knee – like we are trying to get something beyond our extended foot, but our arm ends up wiggling round to the outside of our bent knee. We use our other hand to go and find it, reaching round behind us to find those lost fingers). They learned very well that there would be no party with the python in the forest.
Relaxation:
Please lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Imagine that you are in a forest. This forest is full of animals. Try to hear the voices of these animals… lions, snakes, elephants… You walk among the trees. You smell the lovely flowers. Wait if there are animals you want to watch. Perhaps they are eating, playing, or sleeping. You become happy as you watch them and walk around. Whenever you want, close your eyes and come to this forest…
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!