4 Activities To Help Children Become More Mindful
While we here at Bullionite love mindfulness and meditation, we know there is something of a trend for all of us that we came to this practice as an adult. Because we were already grown up with our own habits it can be quite challenging to try to shift our practices. This can be further exasperated when combined with some older ways of thinking that had fearful notions surrounding meditation as something “new age”. Breaking through these barriers can be a journey in and of itself, and we hope we have helped make the journey easier for you. Today though we are looking at your children. If you have found mindfulness and meditation beneficial to your life, consider starting your children in the habits that will help them become more mindful adults. Of course parenting is a deeply personal choice and anything you do in the raising of your child should be discussed with your partner and/or people who you feel matter in your child's development. There are numerous children's books already available to help you on your journey but here are four exercises I like to help teach a child to become more mindful. Though you can start mindfulness exercises at preschool age it is never too late to start and most of these exercises are applicable to children and adults alike.
1- Mindful Snack Time
An easy way to bring mindfulness to your kids is to take a simple activity and break it down. I like to take a simple snack like a piece of fruit or vegetable that can be eaten in tiny bites like carrot sticks, grapes, grape tomatoes, etc. I like this technique because each piece will have a slightly different flavor and there will be more things for your child to be aware of. Start by keeping screens away for the lesson and then bring out the snack. Ask your child how they feel about the snack. Excited? Dreadful? Ask them where they feel this emotion in their body. Next pick up one of the pieces and look it over. Ask your child to describe the color, temperature, weight and so on. Now have your child put the snack in their mouth and bite into it. How does it taste? Ask them to chew slowly and fully embrace the flavor. After they are done slowly eating, have them describe the snack to you. You can repeat this a couple times, comparing the tastes and looks of each piece.
2- Mindful Walks
This is the same exercise I suggest for adults, and both of you can benefit from this one! Get ready to go for a walk that is an appropriate distance for your child's age. Let your child lead the way and as they discover things let them be in the moment. Watch your child fully engage with their surroundings, something perhaps we struggle with as we get older, and let your child be the teacher here. Engage in what they want to engage in and let your own curiosity loose!
3- Counting Breaths
Though some children will be too young to be able to use their breath to control their emotions, you can start them with just a simple breath counting exercise. Sit somewhere quiet and ask your child to become focused on their breathing. Tell them to try to fill their chest full of air then exhale, counting the breaths out loud at first and silently as they get comfortable. For more advanced exercises you can alternate them with belly breathing and chest breathing. Let them push their bellies out as far as they can go then exhale their breath slowly. As they get confident counting breaths and controlling where the breath comes from, you can start them on more advanced breathing exercises.
4- Share a 3 Breath Hug
After your child has gotten comfortable with counting their breaths, start using breath as a means of measurement. An easy one to start out with is a three breath hug. You can start these breaths as good mornings or good nights or just because. To do this hug your child and tell them you will breathe together. Tell them when you are breathing in and breathing out the first couple times you try this exercise but with time they should soon be able to synchronize their breath with yours without any verbal prompts. While in the hug, drop your shoulders and let your tension melt away. Give your child cues for these relaxation techniques as well. With your first breath tell them to drop their shoulders and let their body go limp. On the second breath tell them to focus on the unity of your breaths and on the last breath simply let yourselves be in the moment. Feel free to extend these hugs for more breaths if needed.
Of course this is all just a guide and a starting off point. Feel free to alter or omit different exercises as you see fit for you and your child. If you are enjoying how mindfulness helps you though do not hesitate to start your child on the path to mindful living. Not only will it help your child be more manageable, it will also teach them how to identify and control emotional outbursts making them an easier child to raise and a stronger adult in the future. Let us know your thoughts and if this worked for your family. Reach out to us at info@bullionite.com with your comments and questions