Standing Yoga in the Schoolyard Without Mats
A yoga sequence done entirely standing so it works in the schoolyard with no equipment: mountain, standing salute, warrior II, triangle, tree and side bend. It lets you close class outdoors while working on balance, flexibility and breathing.
How to play
- Mountain pose, paying attention to how the feet contact the ground, with three deep breaths (1 min).
- Standing salute: arms up on the inhale and fold forward with soft knees on the exhale, four times (2 min).
- Warrior II and triangle on each side, five breaths per pose (3 min).
- Tree pose on each side, with the option to keep the toes on the ground (2 min).
- Standing side bend with arms overhead and finish in mountain pose with eyes closed (2 min).
Rules
- Keep one arm's length between students in every direction.
- In warrior, the front knee lines up with the foot and doesn't go past the ankle.
- The comfortable pose is the right one: no one goes for maximum range.
Variations
Easier
Tree with the foot at the ankle and triangle with the hand on the thigh.
Standard
Full standing sequence with five breaths per pose.
Harder
Link the sequence as a flow, one pose per breath, and do tree pose with eyes closed.
Adaptations
- Wheelchair users: do seated versions of each pose with the arms and trunk.
- Visual impairment: describe poses using body landmarks, and a partner corrects with permission to touch.
- Balance problems: do tree and warrior next to a fence or wall.
Learning goals
- Perform basic standing yoga poses with correct alignment.
- Improve static balance and trunk stability.
- See yoga as a practice you can do anywhere.
Teacher tip
Stand with your back to the sun so students aren't facing it. It's a good option when the ground is wet or there are no mats.
PatioLab has "Standing Yoga in the Schoolyard Without Mats" and 5176 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More cool-downs for High School
24-Hour Recovery Plan After Training
Seated and stretching gently, students rate how hard the session was and design a concrete recovery plan for the next 24 hours: hydration, food, sleep, light movement,…
4-7-8 Breathing and a Sleep Hygiene Plan
A cool-down lying on mats using the 4-7-8 breathing technique, which also helps with falling asleep.
5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Grounding While Stretching
A sensory grounding technique: students name five things they see, four they feel, three they hear, two they smell and one they taste while doing gentle stretches.