I'm crazy obsessed with using props and games in my classes.
I get asked a lot where I found or bought the props I use in the pictures I post on Instagram, so I thought I would list them all here in one place to make it easier for evvverybody. Feel free to click on the pictures below to see where I purchased everything. (Some of these links may be affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). I'll continue to add as I go!
Studio Must-Haves
Candles for SavasanaI looooove these candles! They're battery-operated, but totally look real. PLUS, they have a remote control (which I didn't tell the kids about)! I call them my "Magic Candles" - I bring them out for Savasana and tell the kids that they only come on when everybody is laying down and quiet (and I control them with my remote control). It's been a game-changer at my studio.
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Light ProjectorI absolutely loooove this light projector ... I use it on the ceiling during Savasana and the colors instantly calm the kids down for my entire guided muscle relaxation - they love it! This projector has 8 color changing modes and a built-in speaker. Plus, you can run it with batteries so you can set it in the middle of the room. Highly, highly recommend!
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Plastic BinsI'll be honest ... these bins are pretty expensive, but they're totally worth it. They're sooooo strong (yes - they're definitely kid-proof!), clear so you can easily see what's inside, and have handles on the sides so you can grab them quickly and take them where you need to go. They're also nice and large (each one measures 12" x 10" x 8" high) so you can store whatever you need inside.
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Card CasesI have bought at least four sets of these babies and I absolutely love them (as you can see from my pic above). They're amazing to store sets of yoga cards, decks of cards, even craft supplies. Plus, they're flat so they stack nicely on a shelf or desk, they're clear so you can easily see what's inside, and they have snap-tight closures to keep the contents secure.
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Active Play
Balance PodsThese are perfect for working on balance and coordination. Usually, I just lay them out in a line and the kids take turns walking across them, but we also try yoga poses while balancing on them.
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Stepping BucketsI use these buckets a lot with my kiddos ... especially during yoga obstacle course week (a studio favorite)! They're crazy durable and have grips on the bottoms so they don't tip over or slide.
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ParachuteThe kids absolutely love it when I bring out the parachute (so many different ways to use one!) ... and this one's the medium size, so it's great for classes with under twelve yogis (durable, too!).
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Balance BeamLove, love, love this balance beam! It's padded but firm, and folds up for easy storage ... and the kids love walking across it with Beanie Babies on their heads, or trying to do poses on it.
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Wrist BellsSuch a great prop to use when the kiddos need to let out some excess energy! I use them in games of "Freeze Yoga": the kids dance until I pause the music, and then they have to freeze in the yoga pose I call out.
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Ribbon WandsThese are, hands-down, the most requested prop I have at the studio. All ages love using these ... from preschool all the way up to my middle schoolers. I usually crank the music up, and let the kids free dance.
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Yoga Jenga BlocksI got this idea from my "Kidding Around Yoga" training and I love it! I bought a plain set of Jenga blocks and then wrote different pose names on them with permanent markers. It's a great way to learn new poses.
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Yoga BallsI bought six of these yoga balls in two different sizes. Sometimes I bring them out and let the kids play around with them on their own, and other times I'll teach them how to use them as an aide with certain yoga poses.
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Ball Activity CardsThese cards are so fun to use with the yoga balls ... I usually let the kids take turns blindly choosing one from the deck for the class to try. There are individual activities, annnnd partner ones (which they love doing).
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Animal Jenga GameThis is a fun game I use with my Minis and Littles ... it's a Jenga game with an animal picture on each block. I turned it into a yoga game by having the kids act out whatever pose they pull (cow, dog, frog, etc.). A few of the animals on the blocks aren't necessarily yoga poses, so I got creative: child's pose for the mouse, happy baby (rolling in the mud) for the pig, and lion's breath for the lion.
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Hopscotch MatI use this hopscotch mat in a couple of ways, but my favorite is to put my Hopscotch Yoga Cards (which you can see in my Etsy shop here) on the side, and have the kids do the poses as they hop through the mat. The mat is a really nice size (about 72 inches long and 31-inches wide) and sturdy ... it's easy to just roll it up and store it in a corner until you wanna get it out to play.
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Sturdy Birdy GameThis is such a great game for working on balance and coordination with your little yogis! Each card has a challenge for the kids to try (balance on one leg while covering your eyes, etc.) and if you'd like to kick things up a notch, you can also add in using the bean bags that are included in the game ... or let the kids take turns making up their own challenges (they loooove doing that!).
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Bowling SetI'm pretty impressed with this bowling set ... the pins and balls are really sturdy, they sit still on the floor, and the balls roll pretty smoothly. I use it with all ages ... either by playing it regularly, or by taping pictures of yoga poses on to the sides of the pins and having the kids do the poses on the pins that are left standing after a round. My yogis give it 4 stars.
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Jump RopesI like these jump ropes - they're covered in soft beads that give the ropes some weight to them, the handles are gripped so the kids can hold on to them easily, and they don't get tangled. Plus, the beads make that "tick, tick" sound when they hit the ground to help with keeping a skip rhythm. They're a little long, though. Not the best for very little yogis.
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Mindful Play
Brain FlakesI use these the most with my middle schoolers - they sit down for a solid 30 minutes building elaborate designs. Highly, highly recommend!
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ChopsticksI love using these for a quick, mindful activity (it takes focus!). The older kids can slip the chopsticks out of the lion and use them independently.
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Pom PomsI use these for almost every class ... for Toe-ga, with the chopsticks, for breathwork, and even to let the kids use to design pictures on their mats.
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Hoberman SphereThis is a such great aide to use with all ages as a visual for breathwork (especially with the balloon breath). I usually have the kids sit in a circle and pass it around so they all get turns using it while they breathe.
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Colored DominosI love using these Dominos for some mindful activity time ... it takes focus to line these babies up! It's also great to use as a group activity ... I love to let the whole class work together to create one big design.
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Stacking MonkeysThese are a hit with all of the kiddos at my studio. It's a great activity for mindful play - the kids will see for themselves how important it is for them to get quiet and focus if they want to get their monkeys to balance.
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Balance BirdsI use these balance birds with all of my classes, PreK-8th grade - all of the kids absolutely love playing with them.The younger ones just like trying to balance the birds on their fingers, while the older kids have fun challenging themselves by trying to walk across the balance beam with a bird on their nose, or doing tree pose while balancing them on each hand. It's fun seeing their creativity.
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Kids' Dominoes SetI love taking out these dominoes for a little mindful play ... I let the kids take the lead and stack them how they want without any direction from me. And this set is really cute - each wooden block came individually wrapped and they're very well made. Animal shapes (I haven't turned them into a yoga game yet, but I will), letters, stacking bridges, a bell to ring ... they really keep the kids busy.
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Stacking StonesI bought two sets of these Rainbow Pebbles and looove them! They're such a great tool for teaching balance, focus, and patience ... and it's way harder than it looks! The set comes with 36 plastic pebbles, a sturdy storage case, and 20 double-sided activity cards. I've used these with my Mini Yogis (3-5 year olds) all the way up through my Tween Yogis (middle schoolers).
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Arts & Crafts
Slime ContainersI love these plastic containers for our slime parties ... they're clear so you can see the slime, they're the perfect size for an individual batch, and they're wide enough to reach inside.
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Ultimate Slime BookI post a lot of pictures of the slime parties I have with my classes and always get asked about the recipe I use ... this is it! It's a great step-by-step book with detailed pictures.
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Face StickersThis is one of my absolute favorite activities to do with all my classes ... they blow paint drops on their paper with straws, and then use these stickers to make faces out of them.
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Gratitude JournalStarting my classes with 5 minutes of gratitude journaling is my new fave. I use this set with all of my kids K-8th, because it has writing prompts annnd mindful coloring sheets (sometimes they feel like writing, sometimes they feel like coloring ... and so do I). The kids each have a folder where they keep the sheets they're working on or have finished ... at the end of the year, I'll bind them in a book for them.
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