Creative Yoga Games for Kids and Adults

Having a disciplined yoga practice is wonderful, but sometimes you need to break out of the traditional practice and just play with your yoga!

In this article you'll find a yoga game that I created for my Thursday night Creative Yoga class. The game is called "Evolution", and is based around free-associating, and evolving from one yoga "pose" to another. Do not try to stay within the confines of traditional yoga assanas, just let your body go wherever it first desires.

This game is great for beginners and yoga masters alike. You can play in a group or by yourself (just modify the wording below and keep evolving from on position to another).

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Evolution (by Kate Gold)

Rules: For this game, the body gets divided into 3 segments: arms, legs and torso. On each turn, the person whose turn it is may modify the positioning of one of these three segments. You cannot use your turn to return everyone to the previous position, it must be something new.

To Play: Everyone stands in a circle. Choose one person to be “The Spark”. The Spark assumes a yoga pose of their desiring.  Everyone assumes the same  pose. Play now passes to the next person in the circle.  That person must modify the position/orientation/action of one of the 3 body segments (arms, legs, torso). Everyone else follows suit. Play then passes along through the circle in this manner. Enjoy the constant evolution of the initial yoga pose!

After two rounds (or more) everyone return to mountain pose and choose a new Spark and new initial pose. Play again!

Enjoy!

Variations:

• Segments modified cannot be repeated back to back (i.e you cannot modify “arms” right after someone else has modified “arms”, you’ll have to modify legs or torso instead).
• Play silently, no talking
• Subdivide segments into R & L, so you now have 6 segments to choose from.
• Try playing a round with eyes closed to be surprised at the end where everyone ends up.
• Alternate rounds eyes open/eyes closed

Let me know if you come up with any other fun variations!

If you want to come play this and other yoga games with other wonderful folks, stop on by my Thursday night Creative Yoga class at Inner Reaches Yoga and Health in the Kentlands. Class is from 6-:715. Drop-in fee $20.

Inner Reaches is also running a 2-for-1 summer deal, so bring a friend for free!