It's back to school time and with children getting back to the grind, here are 5 yoga poses that RediffGuru Sabrina Merchant recommends to help your child ease into the process.

Sabrina is a kids yoga expert having qualified from different yoga schools across the globe and the founder of Li'l Yogis, a forum to help kids imbibe yoga and mindfulness in an enjoyable, sustainable, way.

1. Butterfly Pose

How to do

• Sit up tall and bring the bottoms of your feet together to form your butterfly wings.
• Breathing in lift your knees. Breathing out lower your knees.
• Continue to breathe and flap your wings.

2. Seated Twist

How to do

• Sit up tall and bring the bottoms of your feet together to form your butterfly wings.
• Breathing in lift your knees. Breathing out lower your knees.
• Continue to breathe and flap your wings.

 

3. Plank Pose

How to Do:

• Start by coming into the table pose.
• Now stretch your right leg behind knees ups, on your toes.
• Repeat with your left leg.
• Hold this pose.

 

4. 3 legged Dog Pose

How to Do:

• Start in an all fours position, with your hips above your knees and shoulders above your wrists.
• Bring your hands slightly forwards of your shoulders, with your middle finger pointing forward, spread your fingers.
• Tuck your toes, lift your knees and push your hips up and back into the air. Keep your arms straight, your head and neck relaxed away from your shoulders.
• Press your hips back as you stretch your heels down toward the floor.
• Now lift one leg up into the air making sure you do not tilt the body.
• Lower back down to the start pose and by bringing your knees back on the ground and sit back on your heels.

 

5. Scorpio Pose

How to Do

• Start by coming onto your fours (Table Pose). Palms under your shoulder and knees under your hips.
• Lift your right foot keeping your right knee bent so that the sole of the foot is facing the ceiling.
• Pulse your foot to the ceiling 10 times.
• Bring your knee back on the ground.
• Repeat on the left side.

Sabrina Merchant is a certified kids yoga expert and founder of Li'l Yogis. She has authored the book Ocean Yoga which introduces yoga to children.

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Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com