Yoga Landscapes: Group Shapes

In groups of five, students get a card with a landscape (a mountain with a lake, a bridge over a river, a forest with the sun, a boat at sea) and build it by combining solo and partner yoga poses. Classmates guess the scene while the group breathes in stillness.

How to play

1. Groups of five put their yoga mats together; each group gets a face-down landscape card (0.5 min).
2. They look at the card secretly and decide who does which pose, for example two mountains, one bridge, and two trees (2 min).
3. They rehearse twice: moving into the shape on a count of five and holding it for five breaths (1.5 min).
4. Taking turns, each group shows its landscape silently, and the seated audience raises hands to guess once the group finishes its breaths (3 min).
5. To finish, the whole class joins all the scenes into one giant landscape and slowly lies down at the end (1 min).

Rules

• Shapes connect only through hands, backs, or shoulders; nobody climbs on anyone.
• Everyone in the group has a role in the scene.
• While one group performs, the others watch quietly.
• Move in and out of the shape slowly, on the count.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student joins the scene from a chair as the sun, a cloud, or the moon using the arms.
• Shyness: give the student a pose in the middle of the group, surrounded by classmates.
• Lower fitness: the student chooses floor poses such as seated mountain or child's pose.

Learning goals

• Combine yoga poses to represent a picture as a group.
• Reach agreement and share roles within the group.
• Stay still and keep breathing while holding the shape.

Equipment for a class of 25

• yoga mats: 25
• cards: 5

Teacher tip

Pick landscapes with elements that are easy to imitate. If a group gets stuck, ask "What's the biggest thing in the picture?" and have them start there.

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