Meditation for growing minds

Children are quite amazing. These bundles of energy are constantly growing and changing. And they’re always asking questions – you run out of explanations at times!

They’re also learning how to handle some of the more difficult aspects of life. How to get back on the bike when they’ve fallen off. How to share or take turns when they feel impatient. How to manage big feelings, make mistakes and be kind to themselves. (Let’s face it – some of us grown-ups are still learning this too!)

How does meditation benefit children?

Take a minute to think about your child’s typical day. It might involve:

  • Reminders to make their bed, eat breakfast, get dressed, brush their teeth etc
  • A rush to get to childcare or school on time
  • Fitting in at school – following rules, doing schoolwork, navigating friendships
  • After-school activities
  • Screen time
  • Chores and homework
  • Bed – then do it all again tomorrow!

Pressure can build up, whether it’s from busy days, academic expectations or relationship dramas.

Meditation provides a chance to pause, recognise feelings and regroup.

What does meditation involve?

There are many ways to meditate but they share some common characteristics.

Meditation usually involves:

  • Being still
  • Slowing down the breathing – which, in turn, slows down the heart rate
  • Noticing thoughts and feelings without judging them.

The end result is a feeling of greater calm in both body and mind. That not only feels lovely, it helps your child to regulate their emotions and behave more appropriately.

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Meditation exercises for kids

There are a number of different meditation exercises that you can try with your kids. Some types of meditation take your child on an imaginative journey, some teach them to control their breathing and others help them to connect with their senses, reframe their worries or explore feelings like gratitude.

Don’t worry if your child initially complains that exercises like this are dumb. Just encourage them to keep trying – despite their reluctance, you’ll probably notice that they are becoming calmer.

Here are a couple of ideas.

Five senses exercise

This exercise is an easy way to practice mindfulness in nearly any situation – try it when the kids are fighting in the back seat or before dinner.

Your child experiences the world through their 5 senses of touch, sight, smell, sound and taste. Connecting with their senses is an easy way to help your child be present in the moment.

Ask them to:

  • Take a few slow, deep breaths
  • Notice:
    • 5 things they can see
    • 4 things they can touch or feel
    • 3 things they can hear
    • 2 things they can smell
    • 1 thing they can taste.

Balloon breathing

Ask your child to lie down and begin breathing slowly in and out through their nose.

Then ask them to imagine there’s a big balloon inside their tummy. Each time they take slow, deep breath in, their inner balloon fills up with air. They may even be able to feel their tummy rising.

When they’ve expanded their belly as much as they can, they can start to slowly let the air out of the balloon. You can even make a slow hissing noise to help them breathe out really, really slowly.

Then repeat.

How can we help?

At Think2Be Healthy, we know that the mind has a powerful influence on health and wellbeing. We want to equip families and children to develop a healthy mindset and a meaningful life.

If you’d like to access more tips, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.

References

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