Book Review: Yoga Adventures for Little Explorers

If you like yoga and want to introduce it to your kids at home or in the classroom, Yoga Adventures for Little Explorers by Meghan McDougall and illustrated by Hayley Lowe.

The book takes readers through a kid and adult yoga class where the kids imagine being trees in the jungle and mountains by the beach. As they go through the poses, the story gets sillier, featuring a wild pig lounging in the grass, chimps throwing food and watching TV, and gorillas having a dance party.

It all comes back to a restful conclusion at the end of the class (and the book).

This is a fun read that kids will probably want to follow along with and try to do the poses as you read. There are drawings of gorillas along with the Sanskrit and common English name for each pose in the back of the book for reference.

One thing I really liked about this book is that the illustrations show kids of all sizes, shades and skill levels. When the kids do tree pose, for example, some barely lift their foot, or have it just above their ankle in addition to one who looks more like what you’d imagine tree pose to look like. You can see the wobbles as they try to find their balance.

This is an important lesson in yoga and in life, that we all start where we are and it looks different for everyone, but we all try our best.

The book is aimed at listeners in the pre-k to kindergarten range, and it would be a good one to have on hand for a rainy day when you need to get some wiggles and sillies out. Just make sure you don’t skip the calm stuff at the end!

About the book: 32 pages, hardcover. Published 2025 by Pownal Street Press. Suggested retail price $21.95.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year (because it celebrates the time period when several countries gained their independence) and it’s a great time to bring in some Hispanic inspired crafts and foods. For an overview on the celebration, the difference between Hispanic and Latino and the importance of the holiday, as well as a look at Latino art and famous Latinos and Latinas, check out this post and related information from the National Museum of the American Latino.

Spanish Playground has a great collection of craft ideas that you can do in Spanish class or with kids in any class or at home. It includes things like weaving, making mola (folk art from Panama; learn more at Kid World Citizen), doing an artist study of a Hispanic artist and more.

Crafty Chica has a great collection of crafts, coloring pages and printables for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with kids. I love this coloring page inspired by Amante bark painting, but there are also folk art stamps, corn husk dolls, tile painting ideas and more.

Papel picado is a classic folk art from Mexico that will feel familiar if you’ve ever made a paper snowflake. Learn how to make them from tissue paper with this video from Hispanic Society Museum and Library.

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month, get recipes and crafts from PBS Kids. I love this Peruvian siku flute, which can be made with old markers or paper straws.

While not exactly a craft, playing loteria (a Spanish language bingo game) is a fun thing to do with a group of kids. Free Kids Crafts has printable bingo cards with basic Spanish vocabulary and images for people who don’t already know these words.

And if you need a little snack when you’re done crafting, try these no bake mini tres leches cakes from Inspired by Family. They’re made with purchased pound cake so they’re pretty fast and easy.

Have you read?

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