Easy Tips to Master Butterfly Yoga Pose with Kids
/Ready for spring after a long winter?
Feeling overwhelmed and need some calming and grounding practice?
Want to open the hips and stretch the inner legs?
Fly Free in Butterfly!
Butterfly yoga pose, also called Bound Angle pose, is one of the most accessible poses for young children. Many kids have actually already practiced this pose in ballet or gym class!
This pose may be simple for young children but it gets more difficult with age and sedentary lifestyle. That’s why it’s a good idea to establish our yoga practice early so we can help children maintain lifelong ease of movement.
In our culture we sit a lot. Unfortunately that does quite a number on our hips, legs and low back…squatting cultures do not have the same issues! Butterfly pose is a great way to combat the sitting stuckness and preserve mobility over time.
Butterfly Pose Benefits for Kids
Butterfly yoga pose not only stretches the inner thighs, groins and the lower back but also stimulates all the abdominal organs. Butterfly sitting is really great for the kidneys and bladder, which have the important job of removing wastes and toxins from our blood for a healthy immune system!
When we bend forward in butterfly, the pose supports our health by quieting the mind and bringing our focus inward. If we are overwhelmed or anxious, the negative impact of that stress is felt throughout the body. This pose helps us slow down, calm the mind and body and release tension.
Papillon means butterfly in French. Let’s sing along with Dan as we practice bound angle pose in this online yoga video. After you fold forward at the end, stay there for a few breaths to get the full benefit of this pose.
How To: Butterfly Yoga Pose (Bound Angle)
Sit tall with your legs stretched out in front of you
Bend your knees and draw your heels toward you, rotating legs open from the hips
Press feet together and hold the outer edges of the feet, thumbs pressing into arches
Press evenly through your sit bones and draw outer thighs and knees toward the floor
Firm the low belly, lengthen the waist and draw the heart upward
Keep neck relaxed and head in line with the spine
Option to fold forward at the hips, keeping the spine long and core engaged
Stay for 5-10 breaths
Tips for Mastering Butterfly Yoga Pose
If you are new to butterfly pose start with your feet further away from your body to reduce tension in the hip, knee and ankle joints. As your flexibility improves, you can move your feet closer.
If your knees are way above your hips, try elevating your seat with a block or blanket to allow the hips to gently open and the pelvis to remain neutral.
Relax shoulders down to relieve tension along the neck, shoulders and upper back.
When you are ready to fold forward, bend from your hips rather than your waist to lengthen the spine and protect the low back
Relax your jaw, face, and neck and keep head in line with the spine. It’s tempting to let the head drop as we fold forward. Make sure you keep the gaze slightly forward to lengthen the neck.
Kid-friendly Butterfly Pose Variations
Fly your butterfly by moving your knees up and down. Try going slowly at first and then speed up…try different speeds and see what feels best in your body.
Children can imagine they are soaring over fields of flowers, through gardens and parks. Pretend to land on a flower and then bend forward to suck up the flower’s nectar.
Butterfly can be perfectly paired with flower pose, a balancing version of butterfly. Slide your hands under your ankles and lift up your legs to turn into a beautiful rose, tulip or daisy. Wiggle your fingers to make the petals of the flower!
Butterfly pose is great to practice during a classroom unit on transformation or as part of a caterpillar -> chrysalis -> butterfly STEM study!
Elevate Your Curriculum
Yo Re Mi offers children's musical yoga and mindfulness resources for your school. Learn more:
- Request a professional development workshop
- Join a 30-hour certified kids yoga teacher training
- Download our app for exclusive videos and sequences -- with no ads!
- Inquire about brining the Yo Re Mi program to your school
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