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Squats are a great form of exercise; learn more by playing this interactive game.

Squats are a type of leg exercise. They are one of the best functional exercises out there, for helping in mobility and balance and gearing your body to complete real-world activities with ease. What are the benefits of squats?

1- Toning of Legs – Squats engage the important muscles of the legs and hence help tone and strengthen them.

2- Increases Flexibility – Squats increase the flexibility of joints. However, you need to maintain the proper form and do it perfectly so that you avoid injuries of any kind. The lower back, hips, knees and ankles are all engaged during squatting and so the respective joints get strengthened.

3- Burns Extra Calories – Squats work on major muscle groups and make the entire lower body have a thorough workout. Every time you workout the muscles, you burn extra calories.

4- Core Muscles Get Stronger – Squats make the lower back and abdominal muscles stronger.

5- Healthy Bones and Tissues – Squats help strengthen the bones and joints. The bones get stronger and denser and the connective tissues get reinforced too.

6- Improve Posture and Balance – Squats are an excellent exercise form that helps the person improve his/her posture and balance as well. Since proper form is a must, concentration is also a must.

The first image shows the right way to do squats. The second image is a bit different from the first. Can you spot the five differences in the second image?


Click on the spots to find the difference.

Globescan – August 10, 2018

A failed assassination attempt, war veterans delivering pizzas to the war zone, the 73rd anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing… and more.

Stay updated with the latest news from around the globe. Click on the hotspots to read.

Fright and flight

Home alone on a moonlit night meant it was the perfect time for the cousins to plan some mischief. And, Adhi and Lalith were not willing to let this opportunity slip through their hands.

Health in a bowl

If you feel peckish and do not want to pile on the calories then pick a fruit. Almost all fruits will provide you with energy and keep hunger at bay.

Why fruits? Because fruits are a natural source of vitamins and minerals, which are essential for our body to function efficiently. They are rich in dietary fibre and help the digestive tract. They provide us with energy without adding on unnecessary calories. They are considered healthy for the heart as it is rich in sodium and has no harmful fats. The potassium in the fruits helps regulate blood pressure. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant is found in fruits and is a source of folic acid.

Unravel these images of power-packed fruits while learning about them.

Energy booster

Banana is loaded with fibre, both soluble and insoluble. The soluble fiber has the tendency to slow down digestion and keep you feeling full for a longer time. Which is why bananas are often included in a breakfast meal so that you can start about your day without having to worry about the next meal.

Nutritional star

Cherries are a powerful source of antioxidants and compounds that reduce inflammation. These cellular body guards slow down aging and ward off chronic illnesses—including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and obesity.

Breath freshener

After a meal it might be a good idea to have a glass of lemon water. Lemon stimulates saliva, preventing a dry mouth which is the actual cause of bad breath. But beyond this, lemon is good for digestion, and a great source of Vitamin C.

Immunity booster

The guava is known as a super food because of the numerous health benefits it offers. It is rich in Vitamin C, manganese which helps the body absorb other nutrients and potassium which normalises blood pressure.

Summer coolant

The watermelon is nature’s way of helping us to stay cool. It contains electrolytes that negate the effects of the summer heat and reduces the risk of suffering a heat stroke.

Fruit of angels

Papaya is a natural source of vitamins and minerals that are essential for the normal functioning of the body. It is also a good source of fiber and minerals such as magnesium.

Triple treat

A couple of eclipses, a meteor shower and a new moon — here’s what you can look forward to this month. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the skies for a scintillating aerial show.

The 31 days in August will be action packed with one of the best meteor showers of the year. Keep your eyes glues to the sky on August 11 and 12. And, if that was not enough, a partial solar eclipse will also occur on August 11. Mercury can be seen at its Greatest Western Elongation on August 26. It is the best time to see Mercury above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

Scroll through the timeline below to see what else August has in store for us.

Origami crane

Fold colourful cranes and give them to your friends and family; spread the message of peace. Watch this video and follow the steps.

Origami craneFeatured Video Play Icon

Statescan – August 3, 2018

Rains lash several parts of the country, and the water level in the Yamuna rises above the danger level causing alarm. Fishermen from Tamil Nadu stranded in Iran, have been released and repatriated. Read on to see what else is happening around the country.

Here is an interactive map with this week’s news updates from various states across the country. Click on the hotspots to read more!

Give peace a chance

August 6 is designated as Universal Peace Day. It is a reminder that war is hateful and unjust and is a harbinger of sadness and destruction.

A line is drawn across the desk with a piece of chalk separating “your” space from your bench-mate’s. Your pen cannot cross over to your friend’s space and his notebook cannot casually lie over yours. What happens if they do? It means war! Well, not literally.

This may seem silly — no one’s hurt except maybe the pen nib and your ego. But in a larger context, war over territories and ideologies cause large-scale destruction of human life and property.

One example that the world can never or should not forget is the bombing of the city of Hiroshima in Japan. On August 06, 1945, at exactly 8.15 a. m., an atomic bomb was dropped over the city, destroying it and killing 90,000–146,000 people.

The lesson the world learnt that day was the evilness of war and the importance of peace.

The day has since been observed as Universal Peace Day. Every year, on this day, survivors, relatives, and members of the public gather at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, in front of the Memorial Cenotaph to observe a minute’s silence. They pay their respects to the victims, and pray for peace. The day ends with a lantern ceremony. Thousands of paper lanterns carrying written messages of peace are set afloat on the Motoyasu River.

Peace and you

Besides praying for peace, we can also learn it. Peace need not always be in reference to wars and conflicts. Sometimes, it is just individual acts of kindness.

Look around you — your home, classroom or your neighbourhood. Peace here could mean not having to deal with bullies, having friends and family you can share your troubles with, and having a litter-free street. You don’t have to participate in protests against war and violence. Peace is about being kind to your family, friends, strangers, and nature.

Kids for Peace, a global organisation, organises The Great Kindness Challenge — a week devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible. It provides a check-list of 50 kind acts, which the students accept and show the world that kindness matters.


Young Chef 30: Spinach pesto pasta

In the mood for a steaming, hot bowl of pasta? Well, try your hand at making and devouring some delectable spinach pesto pasta.

Pasta is always a fun meal. Now, add to it some spinach, and presto! What you can whip up is sure to be a delight for your tastebuds.


Drag the slider to see how the pasta is made.

Be a grammar whiz

Do you know how to use who, whom , whcih, and whose? If yes, how well are you able to apply it? Take this quiz to find out.

We often get confused as to when to use “who” and when to use “whom”, “which”, and “whose”. In general, “who” is a subject pronoun like he, she or they. “Whom” is an object pronoun like him, her or them. “Whose” is a possessive pronoun like his, hers or theirs, and “which” is to be used for animals and inanimate objects.
Now see if you can select the correct option.