Meditation Ideas For Kids Who Can’t Meditate.
If there is one thing I wish I had learnt in my childhood, it’s how to meditate and be mindful.
Meditation for me has been transformational after years of mental health struggles.
Learning how to meditate and being able to quiet your mind is one of those essential life skills. Like tying up shoe laces or learning that broccoli really is good for you (listen up, kids).
My youngest will happily sit with me and do a mindfulness meditation or calming yoga.
Enter my strong-willed child. Highly emotional, highly sensitive, poor sleeper, full of hectic energy. A perfect candidate for a meditation practice. The problem? The kids who need to meditate most have ZERO interest in sitting still on a cushion to listen to their breath.
Should I give up? Absolutely not. I just needed to get creative about bringing mindfulness into our life.
Today, I am going to share with you my family’s tried and tested meditation ideas for kids who can’t meditate. Namaste.
The whole world opens up when we accept this moment, this very moment.
deepak chopra
Meditation Ideas for Kids Who Can’t Meditate.
Do as I do, not as I say.
There is no point trying to tell your child to do something that you don’t bother with yourself. The message will go unheard. If you are a regular meditator, let your kids see this. My boys know meditation is part of my morning routine. They are used to seeing it. They see me stop in the woods and listen in to the birds or sit quietly at home whenever I need to. If you don’t mediate, then now is a great time to start.
Talk about mindfulness and busy thoughts.
Chose a quiet calm time, if you are a homeschooler like myself, after Poetry Teatime is a great time. Have a relaxed chat about thoughts and what the present moment actually means. Make it an active exercise. Give them something to hold, a pine cone or board game dice works. Ask them to hold it and just focus solely on that. Even if it’s only one minute until they get distracted, explain that is being mindful. Explain how they can use that simple mindful observation anytime they feel strong emotions or busy thoughts.
Use active meditation exercises.
Active meditation is simply taking the principles of meditation (a quiet time observing your breath) off the cushion and into daily activities. Here are a few I like.
- Nature walking. No gadgets (for the kids and you), stopping to observe what you see (you might need to lead here “wow look how amazing that spider web is” or for older children “turn on your spiderman senses” the super senses of touch, feel, hear, sense.
- Moving mindfulness such as Tai Chi. My kids became very interested in trying this when I linked it to becoming a Ninja. Match up the breathing technique to the movement. Watch a few videos to learn some moves or just make it up. The important thing is the breath, not the perfection of technique.
- Mindful coloring. I originally started mindful coloring when I was suffering from insomnia myself, but my boys love my mindful books. I now have a couple dotted around the house, pencils right next to them which they can (and do) use anytime. If I sit and get my book out when things are getting hectic, they stop and do the same.
- Observe the raisin. A friend taught me this one but I love it. Give each child a raisin, then ask them to focus solely on it. Ask them how it feels, looks, smells. Next time try a sunflower seed, Lego brick or anything you have handy.
Try a Yoga for Kids class.
Cosmic Kids Yoga is a regular feature of our homeschool week. The classes are all about healthy ways to incorporate mindfulness, yoga and calm breathing into life. They are great for young children but I find all our family members love doing a class with Jamie.
Check out this video of Popcorn and the Pirates yoga adventure.
Try a guided meditation.
There are several great apps now, with meditations for every age group. I love the Calm app but I also use Smiling Minds. Set up a quiet space so it looks enticing and new. Shift any clutter, throw out a few comfy cushions, dim the lights, and put on some calming music.
Wait until your child walks by the space. If they are interested, then pick one of the short meditations. Starting with 2 minutes is absolutely fine. Have no expectations and then try again in a few days’ time.
Mindful eating.
This one is great for adults and children. How often do you actually pay attention to what you are eating? Or do you munch whilst scrolling, watching television or checking emails and miss what you actually just ate? Mindful eating is a great way to introduce mindfulness to young kids. Try this;
- Set the table, screens away and television off, only gentle music.
- Ask them to have a look at their plate of food before eating.
- What colors do they see? What shapes? What sizes?
- Whilst they are eating, ask them to tune into the textures, tastes or feelings. “Is that crunchy, is it smoky, is it soft”.
This might take some time to introduce if your kids are not used to distraction free dinners, so maybe just try one to two a week at first?
Body scan or muscle relaxation.
Children can use this to tune into their bodies and find and relax tension. With older kids, you could emphasise the benefits of doing this before a sports practice. Ask them to sit or lie down in a quiet place.
Start at the top of the head and send all their attention to the head, then tell the head to be still. With a younger child you could say “send twinkling calm lights to your head”. Then move on down the body.
Take a mindful safari walk.
This is such a cool idea if you and like taking family walks. This fun activity will help children turn a regular walk into a safari adventure. It’s like a walking meditation with an exciting twist.
Tell them you are heading out on a safari. Ask them to collect a few items you would need for a safari (binoculars, a hat, notepad and pen and a flask of hot chocolate are great). Let them know the aim of the walk is to notice how many birds, bugs, animals, and even exciting plants they can find.
They will really need to tune into their super sense to find them. We uncovered a patch of really springy moss under some dead leaves on our last safari walk. Then if they are open to it, suggest drawing a few of their favorites in the notebook. Newbie to nature journalling like myself, then head over to Wild and Free for some great inspiration.
Again, this works best if you fully engage yourself in the task as well. So get super interested in that ladybug and take your own nature journal.
Get into the forest, often.
Forests and natural spaces are great place to find some inner peace. Just being in the woods has positive effects on your mental wellbeing. According to a study published by Nature Sustainability, “higher daily exposure to woodland, but not grassland, was associated with higher scores for cognitive development and a lower risk of emotional and behavioural problems for adolescents” (source).
You can use any time spent in the woods to stop, listen, look, and take a few deep breaths. Even one minute counts. Remember, very young children and very active or highly emotional kids will not sit and meditate for long periods. Just grab any mindful opportunity you can, in small doses.
Try a mindful activity such as Hama Beads
These little creative beads are a fun way for your child to slow down, engage and use their creativity whilst being still and present. Yes, all the little pieces can be annoying to tidy up but the benefit outweighs the work (just about).
Start a mindful journal.
The idea of journalling might seem like hard work if you have a reluctant writer. The Big Life Journal has created a journal that every age of child will enjoy. It is full of stories, journal prompts, poems and fun activities, all wrapped up in a beautiful notebook.
Just introduce it gently. I am a big believer in letting kids “find” activities without being pushed. This goes down a lot better than being told to sit there and journal. Leave the journal with colorful pens out on the sofa, in the reading nook or den, and just wait and see if they open it. For younger kids who can’t yet read, open up the journal and look at it whilst they are in the room.
Post: 51 Self-Esteem Journal Prompts.
Balance on one foot.
Stolen from the yoga tree pose. Balancing one one foot requires immense concentration. Sneak in a quick moment of meditation by timing how long your child can stand on one foot, then compare it to the other foot.
I could go on but this post would get very long. Just remember a few important things about meditation for kids.
Don’t force it.
Have no expectations.
Be encouraging.
Practice what you preach.
Don’t give up.
The long-term benefits of meditation in a child’s life can’t be ignored, but what your child’s meditation experience looks like might differ from what you had in your head. Simple meditation on a cushion might work for some kids, great go for it. If not, try any mindfulness exercises that encourage mindful moments. They all count.
Meditation and mindfulness apps for kids.
These apps can help kids manage stress, deal with difficult emotions, or fall off to sleep if they are struggling to relax.
Final thoughts on Meditation Ideas for Kids who can’t meditate.
There are so many ways to include a little meditation in your child’s daily life. Here’s an idea that will help you and your child. Start your own journal. Write about the day and what meditation exercise you tried (if any). Journal about the good and the bad parts of the day. Include your own mood and thoughts and see if you can find a thread of what works and what does not.
Meditation is a powerful tool to deal with the stresses and hectic nature of modern life. Enjoy finding your own style of “zen” with your family. I really hope it brings you all a little inner peace.
Other posts that might help you out.
Positive Affirmations. Do they work and how long does it take?
How to Thrive as a Homeschool Mom with Goals.
51 Positive January Journal Writing Prompts.
Have you found a meditation trick that works for your child? Please don’t keep it to yourself. Share your own ideas in the comments below.
Here with you.
Amanda x
