Meditation 101
Have you ever tried meditating? Often it feels more challenging than the yoga class itself! Meditation for kids may seem like an oxymoron, but teaching them how to find that space of stillness in both the mind and body can really bring out some amazing benefits:
- Mental Clarity
- Reduced Anxiety
- A Sense of Calm
- Relaxed Muscles
- Body Awareness
And these are just a few…! So how can we get our kids to find that space? How can we get them to stay completely still and stop fidgeting and talking? The answer is simple, give them some ground rules. Kids do amazingly well when they know what’s coming and what’s expected from them.
There are many ways to incorporate meditation into kids’ lives. Today’s meditation is called: Listening Meditation. It’s a great one, because it not only helps them become aware of themselves, but also their surroundings.
Listening Meditation ground rules:
- Have them sit comfortably, criss cross applesauce or any way they like (as long as it’s upright).
- Explain that they will have to sit completely quiet for 60 seconds (start with 30 if they’re extra squirrely)!
- During this time, their eyes will be closed and they will have to listen.
- After the allotted time, they will get to share what they heard.
It’s always fun to hear what they’ve heard. Sometimes they really tune into the subtleties of things around them like the ticking of a clock, noises or voices in the distance, birds chirping…Teaching young kids to become more present and to just pause and tune into the world around them, is an amazing skill that will help guide them as they get get older.
Be sure to try this fun meditation after a lot of upbeat, physical activities. It helps to slow them down and is a great way to prepare them for a nice, relaxing savasana.
Enjoy! 🙂