In case you haven’t heard, meditation is good for us. In fact, it’s proven to be very good. Meditation provides a host of benefits such as improved sleep, strengthened immune system, increased memory, lowered anxiety, more compassion, better interrelation skills and increased creativity amongst other benefits. So it goes without saying that it is highly beneficial to start meditating from an early age and to enable our children to do so by teaching them the practice of meditation.
Meditation for Children
Children and meditation may sound like an oxymoron – how can a child sit still long enough to meditate? However, it is something that they rather enjoy when it’s made interesting and fun. Contrary to popular belief meditation doesn’t have to be practiced sitting down, and when it comes to children, the key is to start off with short meditations as opposed to forcing them to sit still for prolonged periods. A general rule of thumb is to keep the number of minutes spent in meditation relative to their age, for example, a five year old would spend five minutes meditating, while a ten year old could meditate for approximately ten minutes. Of course, every child is different and some will happily meditate for longer periods at a young age, while some older children might need to start off with shorter periods and build up to longer sessions. Always go with what works for the individual.
1. Start off Slowly
Introduce some morning or bedtime meditations once or twice a week. Make it interesting and fun for the child so that they look forward to the practice — more tips on how to do this below.
2. Time the Practice
Choose a time when your child will be open to trying something new and is in the mood to meditate. If they are tired and irritable going to bed, try a morning meditation. If on the other hand they are full of energy in the morning and can’t wait to have their breakfast or play, try a late morning meditation — before nap time or an afternoon session. Work in a time that works for you and the child.
3. Gain Momentum
Gradually increase the number of meditation sessions so that the child is spending time meditating daily. If done in a creative and interesting way, they will look forward to the opportunity to meditate. If there are some days however when they are not in the mood, don’t force it. Just try again the next day but don’t give up altogether because of minor setbacks!
4. Explore Different Methods of Meditation
Start off with guided meditation. Children can identify with the story like element of guided meditation and they are usually great at visualising and immersing themselves in the steps. After a while move on to trying other methods, keeping the practice varied and interesting.
5. Gauge their Prefrences
Depending on the age of the child, encourage them to give you feedback and tailor the meditation practice to their preferences. Try out different types of meditation to gauge their interest. Soon you will know if the child prefers guided meditation, mantras, mindfulness, movement meditation or another method that you have tried with them.
6. Make it Interesting
Make guided meditations easy to follow with fun, interesting content that children will identify with. Some children like to sit or lie down and close their eyes to meditate, others will prefer to stand and move around. Allow them to do what works for them. If they prefer movement, work this into the meditation to facilitate their needs. Have fun using mantras, children love to sing and they will happily chant along with you. Learn more about mantras and breathing techniques and guided meditation in my book – Angels Aid, Guided Meditation for Children and Parents.
7. Join in
If as a parent you have never practiced meditating before, teaching your child to meditate is a perfect opportunity to learn by joining in with them and practicing together. Not only will you experience the benefits of meditation, you will also enjoy the time spent bonding with your child.
Have fun and enjoy the experience and the shared time together. You will be amazed at the results that come about relatively quickly – better sleep, improved memory, increased concentration and positivity. Now who doesn’t want that for their child!
Eager to learn more? Grab a free copy of my ebook – Just Breathe, Mindful Exercises for Children and Parents here.
Sandra’s book Angels Aid, Guided Meditation for Children and Parents is now available to order.
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