Children, with their boundless energy and vivid imaginations, often have what can be described as a “monkey mind.” Here’s a fun and engaging meditation technique tailored for children to help calm their lively thoughts.
Setting the Scene:
- Choose a quiet space, perhaps their bedroom or a cozy corner.
- Ask them to sit comfortably. This could be cross-legged on the floor, on their bed, or even lying down.
- You can explain: “We’re going to play a little game to help our minds feel calm and happy.”
Meditation Technique:
1. Breathing Buddies:
- Place a soft toy or a plushie on their belly. This will be their “breathing buddy.”
- Ask them to breathe in and make their buddy go up and then breathe out to make their buddy go down. This helps them become aware of their breathing.
2. Busy Bees and Quiet Bees:
- Explain that sometimes our thoughts are like busy bees, buzzing all over.
- But we can make our bees go quiet and still. Every time they have a thought, they can imagine it as a busy bee, and then with a breath, make it a quiet bee.
3. Body Rainbow Scan:
- Ask them to imagine a rainbow shining down on them from the sky.
- The rainbow starts at the top of their head and moves all the way down to their toes.
- As the rainbow moves, it lights up each part of their body, making them feel relaxed and warm.
4. Magic Phrase:
- Introduce a magic phrase like “Calm and Cool” or “Still like a Star.”
- Whisper the phrase together. Every time they say it, they can imagine they’re sprinkling a bit of magic around them.
5. Adventure’s End:
- After a few minutes (5-10 minutes is good for starters), tell them that the adventure is ending, and it’s time to wake up their body.
- They can wiggle their fingers and toes, give a big stretch, and open their eyes.
End with, “See? Every time we do this, our monkey mind becomes a bit more like a calm, sleepy monkey. And remember, it’s okay if your mind is busy; our game is just to help it feel a bit calmer.”
By making meditation playful and imaginative, children are more likely to engage with and benefit from the practice. It’s a wonderful skill to introduce early in life, setting the foundation for mindfulness and self-awareness as they grow.
For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a Grandma. I was fortunate to have two wonderful grandmothers while I was growing up and I have many happy memories of each of them. Today, I live in a “Grandmother’s House” where my husband and I enjoy lots of time with our family. In addition to my role as Grandma to nine grandchildren, I am a daughter, a wife, a mother of three grown children, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a writer, an artist … and a witch.
✨Grandma’s Grimoire✨ is a collection of family wisdom interwoven with a touch of magick. Our goal is to create a living and lasting legacy that we hope will inspire our future generations as well as anyone who is drawn to it.