After exploring yoga as a learning tool in my previous project, I witnessed how movement could unlock new ways of thinking in the classroom. Inspired by the impact so far, I’m now shifting from experimentation to purposeful integration of yoga and math — using poses not just for mindfulness, but as a gateway to spatial reasoning, shape recognition, and creative expression.

I will introduce next is Star Pose and Chair Pose, which will be guided by short-form videos from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In Star Pose, students stood tall with arms and legs stretched wide, imagining themselves as radiant stars lighting up the sky. We paused to observe the symmetry in their bodies, the straight lines formed by their limbs, and the wide angles between their arms and legs.

https://youtu.be/mH1UFFs7MCU?si=Zcy8PDLtE2L-Kriu

In Chair Pose, students bent their knees and reached forward as if sitting in an invisible chair. We noticed right angles in their knees, parallel lines in their arms and torso, and discussed how balance and alignment relate to geometric structure.

https://youtu.be/k1ZucNbTUN8?si=YUoNzgN000HYfncf

To take our learning further, I will introduce “Shape & Pose” — a hands-on activity where students traced their yoga poses, spotted shapes in their bodies, and built them using joining sticks, pipe cleaners, and straws. Each pose became a playful puzzle: Where’s the triangle? Can you find a straight line? Movement turned into math, and curiosity led the way.

To reflect on their discoveries, students completed exit slips, recording which shapes they saw or felt in each pose. They added simple diagrams and notes about how the movement made them feel — whether happy, strong, or calm. This approach turned yoga into a joyful exploration of geometry, helping children experience math not just as numbers on a page, but as something they could move through and feel.

As I continue this journey, I’ve also noticed how social media platforms are reshaping the way we interact and learn in the classroom. TikTok and Instagram are no longer just entertainment spaces — they’re becoming vibrant hubs for educational inspiration. I’ve started using short videos to introduce poses, share math challenges, and showcase student-created content. For example, the #kidsyoga and #yogaforkids tags on TikTok offer a treasure trove of creative ideas, from pose breakdowns to mindfulness tips.

During designing project I also explored using platforms like Padlet and Flip to create interactive shape galleries, where students can upload photos of their poses and annotate the shapes they see with their parents if they like. These tools allow for real-time feedback, class collaboration, and a more dynamic way to learn.

Moving forward, I plan to introduce more poses that highlight symmetry, angles, and spatial reasoning, while continuing to integrate digital tools and hands-on materials that make learning visible, shareable, and joyful. By blending movement, math, and media, we’re creating a classroom culture that celebrates exploration — one pose, one shape, one story at a time.

After starting with Tree Pose, I felt encouraged to keep going and explore more yoga poses that can bring joy, movement, and creativity into my classroom. This time, I’m learning with the help of the Puppet Pals app and some engaging YouTube videos to guide me through the next steps.

Next, I will try the Butterfly Pose. Sitting with soles together, knees open like wings, this pose is playful and calming. It teaches flexibility and body awareness.
In class, I’ll invite students to imagine themselves as “butterflies fluttering in a garden,” gently flapping their knees. We’ll notice circles (feet), angles (knees), and count how many fluttering motions they can sustain before settling on a “flower.”

Then comes the Airplane Pose. Standing on one leg, torso leaning forward, arms outstretched like wings, the body becomes a flying plane. This pose builds strength, balance, and concentration.
In class, I’ll encourage them to “soar through the clouds,” stretching arms wide as wings. We’ll spot straight lines (arms/leg), triangles in tilted bodies, symmetry between wings, and talk about alignment.

In each pose, we will pause to notice: What shapes do our bodies can make? Can we count them? Can we draw them? Yoga becomes a way to feel math—not just see it.

To extend the learning and make yoga even more engaging, I’ve planned a few creative activities that blend movement with math. After practicing each pose, students will trace their body shapes on large sheets of paper, helping them visualize the lines and angles they create. They’ll also draw their favorite poses and circle the shapes they notice—triangles, rectangles, circles, and more. During our yoga sessions, I’ll guide them through a playful shape hunt by asking questions like, “Can you find a triangle in your pose?” or “Where’s the straight line?” These moments spark curiosity and help children connect their bodies to geometric ideas. To reflect on their discoveries, students will use exit slips to record which shapes they saw or felt in each pose, adding simple diagrams and notes. These hands-on extensions turn yoga into a joyful exploration of shapes, patterns, and self-awareness.

1. A) Which yoga pose did you enjoy today?
   ☐ Mountain Pose 🏔️
   ☐ Butterfly Pose 🦋
   ☐ Airplane Pose ✈️
2. B) What shapes did you notice in your pose?
   ☐ Circle ⭕
   ☐ Triangle 🔺
   ☐ Rectangle ▭
   ☐ Line ➖
   ☐ Other: __________
3. C) Can you draw one shape you saw in your pose?
   ✏️ (drawing box here)
4. D) How did the pose make you feel?
   😊 Happy 😐 Okay 😴 Tired 💪 Strong

I’ve recently started learning yoga, focusing on strengthening my core, improving balance, and sharpening concentration. What surprises me most is how much it also helps me focus my mind—each pose requires awareness and patience, which is calming and energizing at the same time. I’m discovering that yoga is more than just exercise; it’s a way to recharge myself, reflect, and reconnect with my body. This personal practice has inspired me to think creatively about how I can bring similar experiences into my classroom for my tiny tots. I want them to feel the same sense of curiosity, fun, and discovery that I feel every time I step onto my excercise mat. I am going start with Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

To introduce this to my students, I’ll start with an example and show a short video so they can see the poses and shapes clearly. Tree Pose

I’m taking it one little adventure at a time—learning, exploring, and sharing—and slowly connecting it with teaching shapes. It’s going to be fun—not a classroom, but a tiny forest of birch, pine, oak, and cherry trees… as the kids will become trees. LOL! On snowy days, we can practice on foam mats in the gym, letting the students safely explore movement and shapes indoors. When the snow melts, we can step outside, using nature as our guide to visualize shapes, patterns, and angles in a playful and engaging way. (safety of kids will be taken utmost care as they have to balance and I will take help of EA in the class and have some holding support for all)

Tree Pose

I want my Grade 1 students to explore math through movement in the same playful and joyful way that I’m discovering in yoga. We can trace shapes in yoga poses, form triangles, circles, and rectangles with our arms and legs, or draw their favorite poses and spot shapes in each one. Even simple exercises, like counting breaths or noticing symmetry, can show them that math isn’t just something written on a page—it’s all around them, in their bodies, the classroom, and the world outside. This hands-on approach helps children connect abstract concepts to real experiences, making learning both fun and meaningful.

Yoga is helping me connect my body and mind in ways I didn’t expect, and I hope my students can feel the same. Through these fun exercises, they’ll see that math isn’t just numbers or rules—it’s about exploring, noticing patterns, and enjoying the little surprises everywhere.

My world has always been built on logic, structure, and a love for patterns. Equations made sense. Precision—even the “precise-ish” kind—was comforting. As a math teacher, I see formulas in everything: glasses become cylinders, tomatoes curve into parabolas, pizza slices are sectors, tortillas perfect circles, and kneading dough is a hands-on lesson in mass and volume. Math isn’t just a subject—it’s stitched into my everyday life.
Between lesson plans and life’s surprises, I felt a quiet need for balance—not just in equations, but within myself.
A friend once said to me, “As you sit for meditation, but have you ever tried yoga sometimes?” That question lingered. I realized that while I was grounded in thought, I hadn’t yet explored movement. I was centered, but not stretched. Focused, but not flowing.

So, It was time to solve for X—not in a textbook, but in my own body and breath.So I rolled out a mat, unsure of what to expect.

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/yoga-for-stress

But when I am going to intiate Yoga for me, I got a plan as well for School too.

My plan is to start with easy activities like breathing with counting or noticing shapes in yoga poses and make drawings so students can see how math is part of movement.

Learning math this way is not just about numbers. It’s about being curious, noticing patterns, and enjoying how our body and mind work together. I hope students leave the class feeling more confident in math and more connected to the world around them.