Free Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Explore Your Gut

In this week’s Kids Yoga classes, we take a journey through the human microbiome.

"Explore Your Gut" (download the class plan here) is a kids yoga class for children inspired by the book A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut by Masha D’yans.

Using a garden analogy and props (flowers, a blanket as soil, have stuffed creatures like bees and worms etc.), kids learn that the gut is like a garden where the good bacteria are everything helpful to the garden (plants, soil, gardener, water, light, bugs) and the bad bacteria are pests, pollution or non-native/invasive plant species.

• In class we pretend to be one large intestine with everyone holding hands and seeing how far we stretch out

• We learn that there are more neurotransmitters in the gut than in the brain

• And we travel through the digestive system!

The sweetest example of how this class has impacted the kids I teach came from my own kid when he was 5. He exclaimed to his grandmother when she fed him veggies one day: "Grandma! This food is so good for my stomach enzymes!!"

Some other examples of how Appleseed educates kids and families on critical learning topics that the systems we live in don't usually teach include:

• True nature connection: ex: fostering relationship between us and trees, through inquiry into how we've related to a type of tree through our lives.

• Teaching age-appropriate information around sex and gender.

• Teaching about "pain" in the body and the different types and when it's ok to move through them or not.

• Teaching about rest and what it does for the body and how to achieve it.

It is my utmost joy to bring important information like this to your kids. I know teaching them critical topics like this early and in a safe environment will bring them into a healthy and integrated relationship with their bodies. And the best is that you're along for the ride!

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Lifecycle of a Star

Far, far, far, we’re going to the stars! In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLAST OFF!

In this week’s kids yoga classes, we’re climbing aboard a rocket ship and taking a journey through the lifecycle of a star.

The universe is BIG and full of inspiration for kids yoga classes based on the stars, planets, and more.

This yoga class is perfect for kids aged 4 to 8 years old but you can easily adapt it for younger preschoolers or toddlers aged 2.5-3.

• We start on Earth where we suit up for our journey, then float through space in search of a baby star or nebula cloud (Goddess Pose).

• As the star grows to Supernova, gather the kids into a tight circle, Squat down low (Malasana), then explode outwards into Star Pose.

• Your final rest (Savasana) will guide the kids through a short meditation that floats them calmly and gently back to Earth.

Want more ideas for your Star-themed kids yoga class? Get the whole lesson plan here, including a link to our Lifecycle of a Star Yoga Music playlist.

P.S. If you’re a kids yoga teacher, a primary school teacher, or someone who works with kids of all ages, the Appleseed Affiliate Program provides weekly lesson plans, live virtual meet-ups, and professional development opportunities to help support your teaching and keep kids connected with themselves. 

Kids Yoga Lesson Plan: Olympic Inspiration

This week's kids yoga classes are inspired by the Winter Olympics - Milano Cortina 2026. To give you a glimpse of what a kids yoga class based on the Olympics looks like, here’s a little of what I came up with:

-Flying to Italy (airplane pose in the middle of the room/at the wall)
-Marching in the opening ceremonies (follow the leader with unique ways of moving in a line while listening to the Olympic Theme)
-Participating in events like cross country skiing (chair pose, swing arms), snowboarding (warrior 2 variation), hockey (goddess pose) and curling (low lunge/lizard) to name just a few. 
-For rest we start in luge pose (lay on backs and lift head) before we relax like a proud olympian after their event

If you want more, I'm happy to share with you my full detailed Winter Olympics Kids Yoga lesson plan. We also have a Winter Olympics playlist specifically designed to go with class (complete with a resting song at the end), so you can get in the spirit at home or the classroom!

The Christmas I Grew Up With Is Long Gone

The kind of Christmas I grew up with is long gone from my reality. 

Maybe you know what I mean - back in the 90s when you couldn't even see the tree skirt because of the presents piled so high and extended so wide you weren't able to imagine how Santa even got them in the house. 

The privilege I experienced as a child still takes my breath away at times, and while there is an inherent privilege in my children's life that will remain, things look quite different. 

Here are some of the ways we've framed Christmas for our kids: First, when my kids came out of the womb I told them Santa wasn't real (no kidding). Second, we spend very little on our kids for Christmas, around $100 per person. Third, we focus on buying local, and having meaningful experiences over the holidays. 

One of my favourite traditions we've created is making natural gifts for wild animals as a family (like 🍊🍿and 🌰) and taking them to our special tree in the forest. We decorate the tree with our offerings to the animals, and then we sing songs and drink hot chocolate. We got the idea from the book "Night Tree" by Eve Bunting - check it out here. 

This year is no exception - and for our family, we are holding fast to personal connections and meaningful experiences over a consumeristic holiday. Not only will this be easier on our bank account, but I know teaching our kids about the meaning behind these choices will form their expectations around Christmas and the holidays for the future. 

What are your favourite holiday traditions? I love to hear about them.

Peace,
Megan

Nature Crafts at Appleseed

At Appleseed, we are passionate about nature and creativity and how we combine the two. We believe using our hands and our creative brains is a large part of yoga and we strive to create a large space for these two in the lives of our children. We trust our children to create on their own and give them the tools they need to do so. We believe everyone has the power to build up a culture of beauty around them using their own creative skills and nature around us.

We also do our best to honour, learn from, and preserve the beauty and simplicity of nature’s design. Our crafts are committed to being chemical-free and eco-friendly wherever possible, as we strive for a life of respect, balance, and health for our children.

Simplicity, beauty, nature, and health. All reflected in our nature craft creations. All indicative of our connection to each other, our communities, and the earth. So come craft with us at Appleseed - we do nature crafts everyday in our yoga camps, as well as in some of our special classes and birthday parties. If you have a brilliant nature craft idea, we’d love to hear it!

Check out a recent video we posted to socials with our favourite crafts we’ve done through our 8 years in business!