It’s always important to find ways to cope and keep your head calm. One great way to do this is to teach your kiddos to meditate! If your child is worried about a test, a concert performance or even a big game, then meditation could be a beneficial solution for them!
If you’re thinking, “that sounds great, but my kid would never sit still for that,” then this is for you! Here’s a few tips to teach your kiddos to meditate!
- Start off short and sweet: Don’t start with an hour-long meditation for their first try. Start with a five-minute or 10-minute meditation to ease them into it. You can slowly increase the time each day as you see fit.
- Teach them breathing exercises: While there are many different ways to regulate your breathing while you meditate, a few options that work for kids according to The Chopra Center are the Ujjayi (Victorious Breath), Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breath) and Kapalabhati (Shining Breath) techniques. These methods include making sounds and breathing deeply, so they will have something to focus on and an activity to do!
- Listen to a guided meditation with them: If they’re having trouble staying still or focusing, try playing a kid-friendly guided meditation for them. There are many resources that are geared toward kids that you can try, such as the YouTube channel Cosmic Kid Yoga or with a meditation app for kids
- Reward them for trying something new: If they sit through the meditation and put an effort into learning this new skill, reward them with something small like with a favorite food, an extra few minutes of screen time or some special one-on-one time with mom or dad!
- Repeat! Remember, repetition is key! The more you get your kiddos to meditate and get used to the breathing methods and calming down for a moment, they will be more comfortable with meditating and they will reap the amazing benefits that come with consistently clearing your mind and relaxing your body!
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