17 Easy To Do Yoga Moves For Kids

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Exercising – the very first picture that strikes you when you hear this word is an adult treading his steps on a treadmill or lifting weights. When it comes to kids, exercising takes a different meaning. It is more of indulging in fun filled physical activities. And, yoga is one of the best exercises that kids can include in their busy schedule… Wondering why? Here are a few interesting reasons why kids should do yoga!

Top 10 Benefits of Yoga For Kids

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1. Better flexibility
2. Stronger body and muscles
3. Lesser chances of kids turning overweight and obese
4. Better sleep
5. Improved levels of self confidence
6. Lower stress levels
7. Better focus
8. Improved memory power
9. Better concentration

And

10. More aligning potential

Here are 17 amazing easy to do yoga poses for your kids, including a meditation technique and a breathing pattern.

17 Fun Yoga Moves For Kids

1. Tadasana – Mountain Pose

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Standing tall as a mountain will strengthen them from outside and inside. A stronger back, legs, hands, and a better focus – that is what Tadasana is for. Kids who want to improve their height should practice this posture.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the floor with foot separate slightly. Keep your hands along your body.
2. Keep the spine erect, while head, neck, and shoulders are relaxed.
3. Inhale, lift your hands over your head, and join your palms, fingertips pointing to the ceiling.
4. Close your eyes and hold the posture, taking deep breaths. Elder kids can continue.
5. Inhale and lift your heels off the floor, balancing your body on the tip of your toes.
6. Keeping the eyes closed, hold the pose for 10 deep breaths.
7. Exhale, release the hands, and bring down the heels to the floor.
8. Relax in the initial posture.

2. Nakshatrasana – Star Pose

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This is yet another pose that focuses on balance and stability. The extra stretch it offers to the body keeps it stronger, adding a certain level of suppleness. Teens can choose the pose to indulge in a quick meditation just before they are about to enter their exam hall as it is one of the best relaxing easy yoga pose for kids.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the yoga mat, back and head erect, shoulders rolled back and relaxed, while hands rest along your body.
2. Inhale and shift your left leg away from the right in such a way that the legs are now wider than hip distance.
3. Simultaneously, spread your hands out on either directions at shoulder level.
4. Let the palms face the ceiling.
5. You can spread the legs a little more apart or till you feel a comfortable stretch behind your thighs.
6. Close your eyes and take deep breaths and relax.
7. Exhale, join your legs together, release your hands to body sides, and relax.

3. Ardha Chandrasana – Crescent Moon Pose

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This pose is good for a stronger legs, back, shoulders, and arms as well as for improving and enhancing the stamina. It improves your balance while opening up the chest, and paving way for better circulation. Kids can make it into a flow by swaying from side to side.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the mat, hands along your sides, back and head straight, while shoulders are relaxed.
2. Inhale and lift your hands over the head, joining the palms, fingertips facing the ceiling.
3. Exhale, bend to your right, from the waist. Tilt your head slightly to the right and gaze towards your left.
4. Inhale and come to the center.
5. Exhale, bend to your left, from the waist. Tilt your head slightly to your left and gaze towards your right.
6. Inhale, come to the center.
7. Exhale and release your hands. Come back to the starting posture.

This makes one repetition. You can do 10 repetitions.

4. Utkatasana – Chair Pose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utkatasana

Sit on that invisible chair and learn to correct your posture, kids! You can do this even while watching your favorite cartoon or munching on that bowl of caramel popcorn. It corrects the posture, strengthens your legs, and even helps you pull in that small bulge of your tummy.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the mat, feet together, hands resting along the body.
2. Exhale, bend your knees, and bring down your arms allowing the fingertips touch the floor.
3. Inhale and sweep your hands over your head, aligned with the ears.
4. Tuck your navel and tummy in while holding your thighs and knee caps tight.
5. Push your hips back in such a way that your knees are stacked atop ankle and you can see your toes.
6. Hold the pose, breathing deeply, for 10 deep breaths.
7. Inhale, exhale, and release the hands.
8. Straighten the knees and come back to the starting posture.

5. Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend Pose

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Let go off your worries, kids, and just hand yourself in this pose. You can feel the way blood just rushes into your face and brain, leaving your flushed, fresh, and rejuvenated. An awesome stress buster, it offers the kids a great way to invoke their creative side too.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the floor, feet slightly separated, preferably maximum at hip distance.
2. Let your hands rest along the sides while head and neck is erect. Keep your shoulder relaxed.
3. Inhale and sweep the hands over your head.
4. Exhale and fold forward from your hips.
5. Let your head hang freely allowing the crown to come closer to your foot.
6. Place your palms on the ground.
7. Keep the knees softly bent.
8. Taking deep breaths, let go off everything and hold the posture for 10 deep breaths.
9. Inhale and come back to the initial position.

6. Dandasana – Plank Pose

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A classic push up pose, it is a fabulous whole body energizer. It also helps in strengthening the core and back. Teens, especially girls out there, try this out if you aim is that washboard abs.

How to do:

1. Stand straight on the floor, feet slightly separated, preferably maximum at hip distance.
2. Let your hands rest along the sides while head and neck is erect. Keep your shoulder relaxed.
3. Inhale and sweep the hands over your head.
4. Exhale and fold forward from your hips, allowing your head to come closer to shin.
5. Let the palms rest on the ground firmly.
6. Inhale, take your legs back, one at a time.
7. Align your hands in such a way that your wrist comes just beneath the shoulder.
8. Exhale and adjust your torso, aligning the hips, so that your body is a slanting straight line from head to toe.
9. Breathing deeply hold the pose for 5 deep breaths.
10. Exhale and lower your body, stretching out the toes towards back, and hands resting along your body.

7. Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

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This is a good relaxing yoga pose. A mild back bending posture, it rejuvenates you and eases the stress. Feeling tired after a hectic day at school and want a deep night’s sleep? Just do this quickly and crash…

How to do:

1. You can start this from where you left the previous pose.
2. Place your palms aligned with the chest.
3. Inhale, push your arms, and lift your torso off the ground.
4. Keep the elbows bent and balance yourself on your abdomen.
5. Tuck your navel in and squeeze in your buttocks.
6. Inhale and straighten your elbows.
7. Tilt your head back gently and fix your gaze at the ceiling.
8. Breathing deeply, hold the pose for 10 deep breaths.
9. Exhale, release your arms, and lie down on your abdomen.

8. Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog Pose

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Give your whole body a gentle, yet powerful stretch, nourishing it physically and mentally with the Downward Dog Pose. Let go off your body the way a little puppy does as it stretches itself… Go ahead and enjoy….

How to do:

1. Lie down on your abdomen, toes stretched out to the back wall.
2. Place your hands at chest level.
3. Inhale and as you exhale, push your palms firmly onto the ground, tuck your toes and lift your torso off the floor.
4. Keeping pushing the heels to the ground.
5. Keep lifting the tailbone to the ceiling, while urging your head to come down in between the feet.
6. Indulging in deep breathing, hold the pose, for 10 deep breaths.
7. Inhale, lift your right leg and place the right foot in between your palms.
8. Exhale and place your left foot in between your palms.
9. Inhale and lift your body up and come back to standing.
10. Exhale, take a gentle back bend, release, and relax.

Want to know more interesting yoga moves for kids? Click here….

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