You’ve probably been hearing a lot about meditation recently. Whether it’s from a super bowl commercial or through a Google search on reducing anxiety, meditation certainly seems to be having its moment in the spotlight. It’s not without reason either, meditation is one of the oldest and most beneficial practices on the planet. With benefits that range from increased immunity, better sleep, reduced anxiety and depression, it’s no wonder you’re seeing it pop up in virtually every space. Maybe you’ve tried meditation, but aren’t sure where to start, or think it’s a practice best experienced perched high on a remote mountaintop somewhere. After all, that is the image Google conjures up when you search for meditation.
Unfortunately, it’s narratives like these that lead so many adults into thinking meditation isn’t accessible for themselves, let alone their child. In reality, meditation is for every child, every body, and every ability. To combat these stereotypical ideas of meditation that preclude so many kids from experiencing the truly transformation benefits that can come from meditation, we’ve compiled a list on what’s fact and fiction for children’s meditation.
Anyone who’s ever spent more than five minutes around kids knows that they don’t sit still for very long and in truth, many adults don’t want to sit still for very long either.
Fact: Kids can meditate while walking, sitting, standing, swinging in a hammock, or moving around in a wheelchair.
The words “silence” and “children” don’t usually go too well together.
Fact: Meditation can be done quietly, or it can be practiced while singing or humming, counting steps, or saying affirmations aloud, and there can be music too.
Oceans and mountains are beautiful, but let’s face it: how many times have you been to the beach or a mountain and saw a child meditating there?
Fact: Meditation is about finding peace and calm wherever you are. From the car before a big soccer game, a noisy lunchroom, or the inside of an unfamiliar hospital room, meditation can be done in any setting.
No month long retreats to picturesque monasteries or pristine beaches required.
Fact: Meditation is primarily about two things: focus and acceptance. While this focus may be on your breath, an object, a sound, it can also be focusing on a story. Thankfully, kids can easily focus on listening to a story, oftentimes asking to hear them again and again. That’s why we teach meditation through Dragon’s World, a developmentally appropriate way to meet kids where they are, in a world where anything is possible and anything is achievable.
Stories are also great tools for kids to meditate with because they are widely accessible. Certain meditation techniques aren’t suitable for all ability levels, like breathing meditations for kids with asthma, but stories provide a great way for all children to practice meditation
Fact: As meditation is one of the oldest practices in the world, it’s an evidence-based practice that has been documented in countless research studies across the world. Here are some benefits of meditation:
Wee Meditate teaches meditation skills through an immersive storybook world with characters that look, act, and feel the same ways your child does. We create meditations that are fun, engaging, and strongly impactful, all while being equally representative and accessible.
Sign up to gain access to Wee Meditate’s complete meditation library.
Want to try before you buy? Preview our meditation library.
