This blog, ’10 ideas to teach kids mindfulness’ was inspired through the parents from my Facebook Community: Mindfulness For Children.

We want our children to enjoy learning mindfulness and meditation. So it’s important that we keep it enjoyable. The following ideas are meant to help you do just that. These ideas have been generated through a group chat post, in response to the question:

What mindfulness and meditation exercises are you finding the kids are really enjoying?

1. Guided Imagery meditation was mentioned the most times.

This meditation is best down laying down. The children learn to use their minds eye to create mental imagery. Ideas for a mind’s eyes journey may include cultivating a beautiful garden in our imagination; or walking through a forest; or along a beach.

Try this adult version for yourself: Mind’s eye meditation with Elizabeth Mulhane

2. Breathing exercises where they are laying down with a stuff toy resting on their belly.

This is a great exercise for helping them find their calm. We can use this when we want them to settle down.

3. Listening to guided recording from Annika Harris and Kinderling

Several parents are finding their children are enjoying listen to guided recordings with them.

4. Watching Cosmic Kids on YouTube received a few mentions.

Remember to only use screen time as an added extra, rather than a regular way to practice mindfulness.

5. Parents are finding that reading books on the topic of mindfulness are helping. For example, Alphabreaths by Christopher Willard .

6. Watching Mr Andrews is also growing in popularity. Andrew Jordan Nance has made a series of magical mindfulness videos that kids seem to really like: https://youtu.be/UXiHInp-K3g

7. Parents are enjoying practicing varies forms of yoga with their children as a way of practicing present moment awareness and slowing down.

8. Mindful nature walks was also mentioned as a very enjoyable practice for children.

9. Calm App (guided meditations) came up a few times with one brilliant parent suggesting it’s best used at bath time.

10. A lovely exercise from Helene Papillion: Looking around and finding hearts. The more we look, the more we see them! Then we send them to the people we love and those who need them.

I hope you find this list gives you a new sense of creativity towards cultivating different ways of bringing mindfulness into the lives of your children. Learning to practice with children is a wonderful way to commit to our own practice while also helping them cultivate theirs. Additionally, parents are finding that this time is becoming a wonderful bonding time.

Kind regards,

☕️