Meditation is the greatest thing that we can get kids to do. (Not being dramatic here IT’S TRUE!) But kids don’t wants to sit in silence and meditate, that’s natural. Here are my top tips for getting your kids to meditate so they can be mindful. In this blog, I’m sharing how to get kids to meditate from my experience as a kids mindfulness coach. Use this how-to guide to get your kids to meditate with more ease so they can be mindful.
I started meditating when I was 15 years old and it has been so beneficial for me on so many levels. The only thing I wish is that I had started sooner. I can’t even imagine where I would be if I had started when I was 10 years old.
However, 10-year-old me would NOT have thought that sounded fun. Kids don’t want to sit in silence and meditate, that’s natural. They want to run around, play, and have fun! But regardless, meditation is something we should encourage kids to do and even get them to enjoy!
I have two younger siblings who are 13 and 10 who LOVE meditation now! All I had to do was figure out what they needed to enjoy the practice. In this blog, I’m sharing the best tips for getting kids to meditate so your kids can learn to be mindful and be healthier!
So without further ado, here are my top tips for getting your child to meditate.
A Quick Note On Getting Kids To Meditate…
“Meditation is simply the practice of sitting in stillness and limiting distractions so we can become more mindful of our mind and body. Meditation does not have to be done in complete silence or for a certain amount of time or be done while sitting in a certain position for it to “count” as meditating. If kids are sitting in stillness and focusing on being mindful, it is meditation.”
How To Get Kids To Meditate…
1. Have Your Kids Meditate With a Cup of Tea or Cocoa
This works great for my brothers and sisters. They love having something to sip while they meditate and it helps them find somewhere to focus their attention when starting off. When using this practice with your kids, tell them to focus on the tastes, smells, and feelings their tea/cocoa has.
2. Playing Engaging Meditation Music
Listening to some random ambient sounds makes it easy for kids to lose their focus in meditation and leave them thinking “when will the timer go off?” Listening to interesting music will help them feel more focused and able to reflect!
Find some songs that have strong guitar picking, piano symphonies, flute, etc. But stay away from songs with lyrics, this will distract their minds from their internal dialogue.
Get my meditation playlist on Spotify by clicking here!
3. Have Kids Hold Crystals While They Meditate
Crystals, crystals, CRYSTALS!!!!!! Crystals are my favorite meditation tool. Getting a small selection helps me and my younger siblings get pumped to meditate. They love getting to choose which crystal they’ll use in their meditation.
And it also gives them somewhere to focus their attention. If you have younger children this one can be a choking hazard due to the crystals small size. My siblings’ favorite crystals to use are Malachite, Rose Quartz, and Clear Quartz.
4. Making Meditating A Family Experience
Making it a family experience helped me make my practice consistent and this seems to be the case for other families with younger children too.
Meditating as a family is a great bonding experience because you can all share your thoughts with one another afterward and it makes the whole family more mindful. If you have older kids they may prefer to do their practice on their own but that’s OKAY!
5. Help Kids Realize That They Can’t Fail At Meditating
GUYS! 15 Year old me was mind blown when I realized that I can’t fail at meditating. As long as I was showing up that was all that mattered. The same thing applies to everyone who takes on meditating.
Kids, teens, and adults alike. If you are taking the time to sit in silence then you’re already ahead and it will make big difference!
6. Give Prompts For Kids To Meditate On Before
The biggest problem I see kids face with meditation is that they feel lost in their heads without focus! In my Making Mindfulness Fun Bundle, I give parents more than 20 different prompts to use with their kids before they meditated or even during the meditation. Here are my 3 favorite prompts to use…
- “Think about all the things you are grateful for. The things that make you happy and healthy. Think of people, foods, things, objects, places, and more”
- “What has been bothering you? Think of them all and then imagine they are butterflies you are releasing to the air and leaving your mind”
- “Bring your awareness to every point in your body. From the top of your head to the tip of your toe. Notice how every part of your body feels.”
7. Create a Comfortable Meditation Space For Kids
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SIT A CERTAIN WAY TO MEDITATE!!! This is one of the biggest issues I see in teaching kids to meditate. They don’t have to sit in a perfect criss-cross-applesauce or full lotus with their hands in the classic Gyan Mudra.
When starting off, help them find a position that is comfortable for them whether it’s laying down, sitting in a chair, sitting on a block/meditation cushion, or sitting on the floor. Make sure that their meditation space isn’t claustrophobic either or they will be easily distracted.
Since you are LOVING this blog, make sure you Get my Closer Connections Bundle for a complete guide to forming a closer relationship with your kids using mindfulness! Click the button below to check it out.
8. Get Your Kids a Sound Bowl
My family loves using sound bowls. We each take turns using it at the end of our meditations and my siblings love getting to play it.
Check out our favorite sound bowl on Shamans Market here.
9. Keep The Meditation Short
Meditation doesn’t have to be done for long periods of time for it to be beneficial. A 10-minute meditation is a great start and if you and your child decide you want to try sitting longer, work up to 15 minutes, 20 minutes, even 30! Whatever time you choose, keep it a consistent practice.
10. Say a Chant At The End
You’ve probably seen people in movies make fun of yogis by sitting and saying “oooooooommmmmmmm.” While it seems silly, some kids will love it! Repeating a chant at the end of your practice will help them feel more engaged in the practice. Try one of the 2 listed below
- “Om,” pronounced “aum” with a long “mmm” at the end, is the sound of the universe.
- “Om Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bavantu”: Chant “om” as you normally would then say the rest of the chant. This chant means “May all beings be happy, peaceful, and free”
Once you incorporate any of these 10 tips your child will be meditating with ease! Please leave a comment below! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy your meditation practice
Check Out These Crystals From Conscious Items For Your Child!
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- Creative Mindfulness Activities For Kids
- Complete Guide To Mindfulness For Teens
- How To Teach Your Kids Yoga
- Mindful Eating For Kids
- Best Crystals For Kids
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