7 Ways to Teach Meditation to Your Child

Meditation can be a beneficial practice for both children and adults. When done correctly, meditation can help improve focus, decrease stress levels, and promote relaxation. There are many different forms of meditation that can be tailored to fit the needs of each individual. In this blog post, we will share 7 ways to teach meditation to your child.

Meditation is not easy. It is only when we move past your expectations that we can enjoy and benefit from the practice. The same “let go” needs to occur when teaching our children to meditate.

We need to consider the child’s age and style of meditation we want them to undertake. While you can expect a 10-year-old to sit still for ten minutes to practice traditional meditation, you can’t expect the same from a 5-year-old.

To make meditation an activity that the whole family can enjoy, try starting with Mindfulness.

Here are 7 ways to Teach Meditation to Your Child

1. Keep it simple

Bindfulness is noticing our thoughts, what our body feels like, what we’re hearing and anything else in our environment at the present moment.

2. Create a mindful bedtime ritual

Bedtime is a great time to introduce Mindfulness to kids. A short body-scan meditation before bed is a calming way to unwind at the end of the day. Ask your child to close her eyes, and tell her to bring her attention to her toes, feet, legs, fingers, arms, belly, neck, mouth, ears and eyes. Take a couple of deep breaths while focusing on each body part.

3. Practice with a breathing buddy

For young children, an instruction to simply “pay attention to your breath” can be hard to follow. Ask your child to grab a stuffed animal, then lie down on their back with their buddy on their belly. Ask them to focus their attention on the rise and fall of the stuffed animal as they breathe in and out.

4. Make your walks mindful

Try a NOTICING WALK. Walk through your neighbourhood and notice things you haven’t seen before. Dedicate one minute of the walk where you are completely silent and pay attention to all the sounds you can hear — birds, cars, a lawnmower.

5. Establish a gratitude practice

Gratitude is a fundamental component of Mindfulness, teaching our children to appreciate the abundance in their lives, as opposed to focusing on all the things they crave.

6. Meditate with your children

If you are practising meditation and get interrupted by your children, ask if they would like to join. Try to continue your meditation even as they play around you. Eventually, they may sit down and join you for a few minutes.

7. Make it fun

Use the Superpower Kids MINDFULNESS CHATTERBOX Printable and start playing.

Although there are many ways to teach meditation, we’ve outlined seven methods that have been successful for parents. We hope you find one or more of these strategies helpful in teaching your child how to meditate. If you’re looking for an interactive way to use mindfulness, be sure to check out our Mindfulness Book. It is filled with activities that will help your family develop a daily practice of mindfulness.

Related Articles

What is SEL, and How Can We Practice at Home?

AMA: From Selfish to Empathetic

AMA: Kids Anxiety. What to do?