Cat in the Hat Yoga

This month’s Virtual Book Club for Kids selection is Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat. I’ve already shared some of our favourite Dr. Seuss sensory play ideas, so today I wanted to share a Cat in the Hat-inspired Yoga Sequence.

I’m excited to have my friend’s daughter modeling our poses for us today! Miss J is the daughter of my friend Alecia over at Learning 2 Walk. She’s new to yoga but loves the Cat in the Hat, so this was a perfect first yoga experience.

If your child is also new to yoga, emphasize the importance of listening to your body and not doing anything that hurts. Yoga for kids is about focusing, learning how to coordinate our movements, and gentle stretching.

When doing yoga inspired by a story you can either remind the child of the story as you’re going through the movements or actually read the story while doing the poses. For a beginner it would be difficult to hold the poses as long as the book requires, so I personally would just have your child help you remember the sequence & details of the book – which is a great reading comprehension activity!

Sitting Pose

Sally & her brother are sitting looking out the window at the beginning and end of the story, so what better position to start the sequence than “sitting pose.”

Only… you don’t get to sit. You’re going to reach your arms straight out in front of you and push back your hips like you are about to sit in a low chair. Don’t let your bum go below your knees. Hold this position for as long as is comfortable and safely return to standing.

If it helps, do this position against a wall.

Sun Salutation

We jumped into sun salutation to echo the moment in the book when the kids jump as Cat in the Hat enters the house and talks about the weather.

Stretch your arms straight up, stretch from your toes to your fingers and look up between your hands.

Tree Pose

This pose mirrors some of the contortions that the Cat in the Hat displays when he’s riding his unicycle.

To do tree pose, press your hands together in front of your chest in a prayer position, and then place your foot on your calf or thigh – avoiding your joints. Fix your eyes on a solid point and press your hands together to maintain your balance.

Cat Stretch

Next, lower yourself safely down to your hands and knees and pretend to be the Cat in the Hat! Arch your back and feel a nice stretch. Repeat if it feels good.

Fish Pose

Transition from Cat Stretch to Fish Pose by stretching out flat on your tummy and rolling onto your back.

Arch your back while keeping your legs and bum touching the floor. Repeat if it feels good.

(I described this as “stick your belly up and keep your bum down” and “make your belly look pregnant.” Both very technical yogi terms.)

Savatsana

Finally, lay down to rest. It would be really nice to read the book to your child as they lay quiet in resting pose, allowing the book’s narrative to almost serve as a guided meditation.

 

You can also add in some optional partner poses to play on the “Thing One and Thing Two” characters in the book, but Miss J’s brother would probably try to wrestle her if we had tried that!

Would your kids enjoy doing yoga based on their favourite books? Which book would you like to see us doing a yoga sequence for?

Check out these other awesome Cat in the Hat-inspired ideas:

Cat in the Hat Science by Toddler Approved

Build the Hat activity by I Can Teach My Child
Cat in the hat number lines and sequences by Rainy Day Mum
The Cat in the Hat Breakfast Hash Browns by Growing Book by Book

Cat in the Hat Themed: Gross Motor Activity by 3 Dinosaurs