yoga with kids   With these fun yoga poses, you can stretch those aching joints and sore spots – and bond with your child all at once. By JUSTINA TAN     FAMILY YOGA IS a good way of spending quality time with your loved ones, while getting a good stretch at the same time. Kids feel special when they share in their parent’s activities; and yoga is perfect – no special equipment is needed and you can do it at home. While yoga for adults is more about discipline, breathwork and perfecting your practice, yoga with kids is a time of fun and bonding. According to Regina Chan, 38, yoga instructor and founder of La Vida Loft, kiddy yoga is just an extension of a child’s regular activities. She says: “If you watch how children behave, you’d find that they are actually doing yoga; it’s just very unstructured. So, with yoga for children, we try to add more structure, allowing them to be corrected now and then, but not so much that they execute picture-perfect poses.” Yoga is also a good way to teach your young ones the basics of good posture. So grab a couple of yoga mats and let Regina’s specially developed parent-child yoga poses add fun and fitness to your relationship with your child.   1. SIT EASY A relatively simple and calming pose HOW TO DO IT You and your child sit cross-legged, close to and facing each other. If either one of you has hip problems and can’t sit for too long, place a cushion under your buttocks to alleviate any discomfort. Ask your child to put her palms together at chest level, and then clasp your hands over hers in a similar way. You can both look into each other’s eyes to build a deeper bond, or close them and relax, but keep your back straight, breathe steadily and be sensitive and aware of each other. BENEFITS A calming pose that can be done just before homework time or after a disagreement. “The pose gives the assurance to parent and child that they will be there for each other. It also helps them relieve tension and direct their focus to each other,” says Regina.   2. LET’S MEET HALFWAY A challenging pose for adults who don’t stretch often, but kids love it as they usually have an advantage over their parents HOW TO DO IT Sit upright with your legs spread as wide as you can, then get your child to face you and do the same. Hold each other’s hands and alternate between pulling her towards you and allowing her to pull you. Keep your back straight, as this will make the stretch easier. Be gentle and gradually increase the stretch with each pull. Avoid this pose if either of you has a slipped disc as it may worsen the injury. BENEFITS Good if you have very tight leg muscles; it also increases endurance. As children are usually more flexible than their parents, this pose is a good way for parents to step down. Says Regina: “You learn to admit your vulnerability to your child when you ask for her help, yet at the same time, you’re teaching her to be patient and gentle with you.”   PHOTOGRAPHY FRENCHESCAR LIM HAIR & MAKEUP JOEY KHOE (8282-1768) MODELS JOSEPHINE CHUA & JOIE TEO CLOTHING ADIDAS & PUMPKIN PATCH