Is Meditation just for adults? Why your kids should practice it too

Is Meditation just for adults? Why your kids should practice it too

In today’s fast-paced, overstimulated world, where screens, fast food, and instant gratification dominate, finding peace and balance has never been more challenging. That's where meditation comes in- a practice that has stood the test of time for thousands of years. While it originally emerged in ancient cultures worldwide, meditation has gained modern popularity.

 

A 2020 survey found that 15% of adults in Britain practice meditation, with 9% incorporating it regularly into their lives. And with anxiety and stress levels soaring, it has become crucial for many. In 2023, a poll revealed that nearly three-quarters of UK adults had felt anxious in the previous two weeks, with a significant portion finding their anxiety so severe it hindered daily activities.

 

Children are also feeling the effects of our fast-paced, high-pressure world with 1 in 5 in the UK now facing mental health challenges. But, despite challenges and misconceptions, children can benefit from meditation as much as us adults. In this blog, we’ll explore how meditation can help kids manage stress, regulate their emotions, and develop lifelong tools for resilience and mental clarity. While meditation for children has been overlooked in the past due to the challenges of teaching it, more recent approaches-such as Stix Mindfulness- have been designed to meet their needs. So, we’ll also provide practical ways you can adapt meditation techniques to suit your child’s needs, providing them with powerful support for a healthier, more balanced life

 

Benefits of meditation for children

 

  • Improved focus: In our modern world children are surrounded by the fast-paced world of social media, tech gadgets, the internet and video games. They now grow up with their noses in devices and as a result find it difficult to focus and remain attentive. Meditation teaches them to direct their attention to the present through breathing and concentration exercises.

 

  • Better emotional regulation: Children will learn to observe their emotions with detachment and curiosity instead of being controlled by every mood or feeling. They will recognise that emotions are temporary and that they have the power to choose how to react to them. This will lead to less meltdowns, less impulsivity and better relations with family and friends.

 

  • Reduced stress and anxiety: Just like adults, children can experience stress and anxiety for many different reasons. It could be a return to school, a presentation, an exam or for no real reason at all. Unlike for adults, these feelings are new, and they might not have the tools to cope with these feelings. By learning how to relax and clear their minds naturally, children can face situations that cause stress and anxiety.

 

  • Better sleep quality: Meditation can help children quieten their minds from worries, anxieties, and racing thoughts. Thus, allowing them to ease into relaxation and deep sleep. Better sleep is crucial for their mood, physical growth, and cognitive development.

 

Adapting meditation for children

 

So, we’ve discussed the benefits of meditation for your children, now let’s talk about the hard part, introducing and teaching it to them. Here are some of the challenges involved in doing so:

 

Shorter attention spans

 

One of the main obstacles are children’s shorter attention spans, which make it difficult for them to stay engaged in meditation. Sessions designed for kids often need to be shorter and engaging to accommodate for this.

 

Our advice: We suggest quick 5-minute guided meditation activities. You can also offer children rewards for completing the sessions. It can also help to describe meditation as a superpower that helps them control feelings, making them calmer and more focused. This makes meditation exciting and valuable increasing your child’s enthusiasm to focus on meditation.

 

Lack of understanding

 

Another challenge is that meditation is full of abstract concepts like mindfulness, inner peace, or self-awareness, which can be hard for children to understand. Younger children, think in concrete terms, so teaching ideas like focusing on the breath or letting go of thoughts can be confusing.

 

Our advice: We suggest using simple and engaging language. You may say that ‘meditation is like taking your brain on a little holiday’. Using visual imagery to explain abstract ideas is also useful. For example, for breathing activities, you could ask your children to imagine their bodies as balloons. You could ask your child to imagine they’re a free, standing tall with their thoughts like the leaves blowing in the wind, but they can stay solid no matter how much they flutter.

 

Restlessness and fidgeting

 

Children often experience restlessness and fidgeting, which can make sitting still during meditation difficult. Their natural energy levels can lead to frustration when sitting quiet and still.

 

Our advice: We suggest trying different kinds of meditation that suit your child. You could try walking meditation, which encourages mindfulness of the body and the use of all five of your senses in the present moment. There are many more meditation activities that encourage movement such as mindful stretching, mindful walking, yoga, or Tai chi. Another tip is to choose a location which your child feels able to relax in; this could be the park, your garden, in bed or on the school run!

 

At Stix, our approach centres on providing children with an interactive, meditative experience that encourages movement and energy release while practicing mindfulness. We've designed activities that blend mindfulness with active, engaging experiences, making them dynamic rather than passive or monotonous. This helps children stay connected to the present moment during activities, reducing frustration and enhancing their mindfulness practice so they want to continue to engage with it!

 

When starting Stix, we considered all the challenges involved in teaching children meditation. We’re continuously studying how best to adapt meditation to children’s needs and that’s why our activities are the perfect length, involve body movement and are fun, engaging, and simple.

 

Why introducing mindfulness early is key to lifelong Mental Health

 

When it comes to mental health, prevention is key. Did you know that 50% of mental health problems begin by the age of 14? That statistic alone highlights the importance of introducing mental health tools, like mindfulness, at an early age. But what exactly makes mindfulness so powerful in helping children build a foundation for lifelong well-being?

 

It’s a way for children to develop coping skills that can help them navigate life’s challenges. When children learn to be present in the moment, recognize their emotions, and manage their stress, they’re building good habits for future challenges they will face into adulthood. They’re also reducing their risk of future mental health issues, like anxiety and depression. Mindfulness helps them approach difficult emotions with curiosity rather than fear, which is key to building emotional intelligence.

 

By practicing mindfulness, children develop emotional resilience and boost their self-esteem. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions or stress, they can use mindfulness techniques to calm themselves and regain focus. This early lesson can be life-changing- children who know how to manage stress and anxiety early are less likely to struggle with chronic stress later in life. Also, mindfulness builds empathy and understanding, helping them to build long lasting relationships throughout their lives.

 

How to get your child started with mindfulness

 

Set your child up for emotional success by helping them weave mindfulness into their daily routine. By building these habits early, they'll be better equipped to manage stress and emotions through the turbulent teenage years and carry those skills confidently into adulthood. It’s a simple practice that can make a lifelong difference! Here’s 3 quick tips:

 

Set a time and place

 

It can be helpful to set a daily meditation time that children can look forward to. This can be in the morning to set a positive outlook for the day, or before bed for restful sleep. A dedicated area for meditation activities will also convince the brain that it’s time to calm down and focus on themselves.

 

Lead by example

 

By showing your child that you practice mindfulness and meditation yourself, you’ll display how important it is. Children pick up a huge amount from their parents so sharing your experiences can also allow for a conversation about emotions and lead to your child opening up. Creating a family time for meditation can also add to children’s desire to engage and encourage an open dialogue.

 

Add mindfulness to daily activities

 

An effective way to introduce mindfulness into your child’s routine is to turn everyday activities into an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Everything from having a shower, a family meal, going for a walk to dancing can be a chance to use the senses and be present with the activity and moment.

 

Meditation truly is for everyone. While many adults are turning to it as a powerful tool to navigate daily challenges, the growing momentum around teaching mindfulness to children is equally exciting. Schools are increasingly recognising the benefits of integrating meditation into their curriculum, and it's easy to see why. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to explore meditation for yourself and share the skills you learn with your child. It’s a gift that can boost their well-being now and provide them with lifelong tools for emotional balance and resilience.

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