The girls love this story because there is a witch. The boys love this story because there is a dragon. Enjoy the story with twenty kids’ yoga poses!
The witch had a cat (Witch/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. / Cat: Hands and knees in tabletop position, round your spine. Let your head drop down, tucking chin to chest.) and a very tall hat.They sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind (Warrior 3 – Flying: Standing straight with your feet together, bend your upper body forward bringing it parallel to the floor. Balancing on your right leg, raise your left leg and stretch it behind you. Extend the arms out at shoulder level.). When the wind blew so wildly it blew off the hat (Pinwheel Breathing: With a pinwheel held in front of the child’s face, instruct the child to take a deep, slow breath in. Then, slowly release the breath by blowing the pinwheel. And repeat. You can also use paper napkins instead of pinwheels. After long and deep breaths, ask them how they feel. Calm, relaxed?). They flew to the ground to search for the hat, but no hat could be found. Then out of the bushes bounded a dog with the hat in his jaws (Dog: Coming to all fours, tuck the toes, lift your knees. Send your hips up and back.). He dropped it politely and said, “Is there room on the broom for a dog like me?”. “Yes!” cried the witch. And whoosh! They were gone.
They flew over forests (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.). But the bow of the witch from her long ginger plait blew away. They flew to the ground to search for the bow, but no bow could be found. Then out from a tree flapped a green bird with a bow in her beak (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.). She dropped it politely and said, “Is there room on the broom for a bird like me?”. “Yes!” cried the witch. And whoosh! They were gone.
They flew over the rivers (River: Sit on the floor with the legs stretched straight in front. Place your hands on the floor behind you, fingers pointing towards your bottom. Pointing your toes, raise the entire body upwards.). But the witch let go of her wand this time. They flew to the ground to search for the wand, but no wand could be found. Then all of a sudden from out of a pond leapt a dripping wet frog with a wet wand (Frog: Squat down with your fingertips on the floor. Push up to your tiptoes, take heels off the floor and hop!). He dropped it politely and said, “Is there room on the broom for a frog like me?”. “Yes!” cried the witch. And whoosh! They were gone.
They flew over the mountains (Mountain: Stand with the feet together, big toes touching each other. Keep the stomach tucked in, chest forward, spine stretched up and the neck straight. Bring arms close to your body. Eyes can be open or closed. Focus on the breath and the steadiness of the body.). The frog jumped for joy and the broom snapped in two! The witch’s half-broomstick flew into a cloud (Child’s Pose/Cloud: Sitting on your heels, bend forward. Rest your forehead on the mat in front of you. Place your arms wherever you feel comfortable, they can be extended or down by your sides.). And the witch heard a roar that was scary and loud (Lion Breath: 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.). It was the Dragon, who wanted to have witch and chips for his tea (Dragon: Standing up, come down onto one knee. Reaching your arms over your head, lift your chest. You may link your thumbs together and stick out your tongue as you breath out dragon fire.)! But just then from out of a ditch rose a horrible beast (Monster: Standing with the feet wide apart, bend your knees. Throw the arms out at shoulder level while bending the elbow and opening all the fingers to be faced in front. Lift your chest and open your shoulders.) with four frightful heads. It said to the dragon “That’s my witch!”. The dragon started to shake and “I am sorry!” he said. He spread out his wings and was off through the sky (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.).
Then down flew the bird and down jumped the frog. Down climbed the cat and “Phew!” said the dog. “Thank you, oh, thank you!” cried the grateful witch (Namaste: Sitting tall and crossing your legs, bring your hands together in touch in front of your chest, in prayer position.). Then she filled up her cauldron and everybody threw something in. The witch stirred them well and she muttered a spell (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.). Then out rose a truly magnificent broom with seats for the witch, the cat, and the dog (Chair: Stand with your feet together or hip-distance apart. Raising your arms above your head, bend your knees. Bring your thighs as parallel to the floor as they can get.), a nest for the bird (Nest: Lying on your stomach with your legs hip width apart, bend your knees, feet up and towards your bottom. Sweep your arms around and grasp the outside of the ankles or feet. Lifting your head, try to raise the knees and chest higher.) and a shower for the frog. “Yes!” cried the witch and they all clambered on. The witch tapped the broomstick and whoosh! They were gone (Flying: Standing straight with your feet together, bend your upper body forward bringing it parallel to the floor. Balancing on your right leg, raise your left leg and stretch it behind you. Extend the arms out at shoulder level.).
Relaxation:
Please lie down comfortably and close your eyes softly. Feel like this kind-hearted witch who is loved by everyone. Be happy with this feeling. Let a nice smile on your face… now take a deep breath through your nose, inhale the goodness in every breath you take. While breathing out, leave out all the negative emotions, fears, angers, etc…
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!