Full Moon Yoga & Activities for Kids
The Full Moon occurs every 29.5 days, once a month. It’s the time during the month when the Earth is between the Moon and Sun, so it receives it’s glow from the Sun’s reflection of light. The full moon is also a time of heighten energy. People can feel revved up and have trouble sleeping. Children can be very sensitive to the affects full moon energy, and not even realize it. Here are 10 Full Moon Yoga & Activities* to share with children to find ways for them to notice their energy and feelings during this time.
*If you read the New Moon Yoga & Activities for Kids, this one begins the exact same, learning about the moon.
Learn About the Moon
First things first, teach children about the moon and the different phases of the moon’s cycle around the Earth. The Moon receives it’s glow from the Sun’s light reflecting off it’s surface. As it travels round the Earth, it change’s “shape” or receives different amounts of light depending on the position around the Earth. Below is a picture of this process and the names of the different phases.
Moon Salutations
Once children have learned about the phases of the Moon, practice Moon Salutations and move the body through the yoga poses that are similar to the phases of the moon. Ask children to share which pose matches which phase of the moon. Come up with different names of the pose that correspond with the Moon phases. Notice how the body changes shape like the moon through each cycle of the salutations.
1. Extended Mountain
2. Crescent Moon both sides
3. Goddess Pose
4. Star Pose
5. Triangle Pose
6. Folded Triangle
7. Low Lunge
8. Half Squat
9. Squat
10. Half Squat
11. Low Lunge
12. Folded Triangle
13. Triangle
14. Star Pose
15. Goddess Pose
16. Crescent Moon Pose both sides
Here is the Moon Salutation Practice in action by my dear friend and collogue Miranda Peterson Harton, owner and founder of Namaste in Nature.
Moon Journal
After learning about the Moon, another idea is to keep a moon journal and watch the changes of the moon as they happen during a months time. Children can take it further by noting their feelings during certain phases of the moon. Use this Full Moon activity to go outside, look at the sky and enjoy the nature around us.
Moon Stories
Did you know that the moon is full for only an instant, but because it is far away, it looks full for up to three days? On rare occasions a full moon will happen twice a month, the second one is called Blue Moon. Have you ever seen a moonbow? Another fun Full Moon activity could be to learn where the traditional names for the full moon come from and other folklore about the moon. Having a sound knowledge base about the moon helps children to understand nature, their place in the world, and the world around them.
Night Hike
Taking a walk during the Full Moon and being in it’s light may be an interesting activity to try with some children. Take flashlights, wear reflective clothes, and go to a well know area for your night hike. However other children may be afraid of the dark, so make sure this activity can be enjoyed by all. Spend time outside as a family, listen to the sounds of nature, notice the moon, planets and stars.
Warm Bath
During this time of Full Moon energy, some people and children have trouble relaxing and calming down to sleep soundly. Try a warm bath with Epsom Salts and/or calming essential oils. Lavender is a calming scent to use as a bath salt, essential oil. Making it a bubble bath and adding candles makes a nice touch. Warm bubble baths with lavender and candles is also a nice self-care activity any time to the month to allow children to calm and settle before bed.
Disconnect to Reconnect
During a Full Moon, especially the days before during a waxing moon, there is already enough energy building. Avoiding things like screen time before bed can decrease this energy and prepare the body for rest. Take one night, the night of the full moon perhaps, to not look at a screen. Use this time to spend it together as a family (try the night hike…), or practice any of the other full moon yoga activities.
Learn How to Let Go
The Full Moon is also a nice time to let go of anything you no longer need. Remember all the things you cleaned up and cleared our during the New Moon phase? Now it’s time to actually take them and give them away. If you didn’t read the New Moon Yoga & Activities for Kids resource, then go ahead and clean out and let go of anything you no longer need. This is a beneficial lesson for children, going through their things and letting go of toys, clothes, book, etc. that they don’t use or play with. Letting go of things so that others may enjoy them, creates more space in our lives for new gifts.
Meditation
Have you tried meditation with your child? Practicing meditation and relaxation with your children during the full moon may help to decrease the amped up energy that they can some times feel during this time Or it can guide and focus that energy to a more constructive and creative place. Here is a simple guided practice called Starlight Meditation.
Yoga Nidra & Relaxation
As I mentioned above, some people have trouble relaxing and calming down to sleep well during the full moon. For me personally, it’s during a waxing full moon, and I have found great comfort and relief from practicing yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques like a Deep Tension Release and yoga nidra. Learn more about yoga nidra in the Kids Yoga Blog, What is Yoga Nidra?
Final Thoughts
The Full Moon time can be a fun and exciting time for some. It can also be a challenging time for others. Children tend to be more energized during this time, so I hope you find a few of the Full Moon Yoga & Activities in this blog beneficial for your child. The Full Moon is also a time of releasing and letting go of anything that you no longer need. Thoughts, feeling emotions, relationships, or things all fit in to the letting go category. Letting go allows more space to bring in new things that will give us great comfort. Embrace it!
Ms. Brandon, RCYT, RYT500, holds a Master's degree in Special Education from Western Carolina University, is a highly qualified educator, and has 20 years' experience working with children and children with special needs. Information for this resource page comes from Ms. Brandon’s 95 hour Children’s Yoga Teacher Training RCYS, and is approved by Yoga Alliance.
