Believe it or not, children of all ages are exposed to and experience stress every day. Perhaps there are pressures at school for getting a good grade on a test or they are dealing with a bully. Maybe their family dynamic is changing with an imminent divorce or death in the family. Other stressors include health issues, transitioning to a new school or home, or fears about personal safety or global events.

As a parent, you can help by recognizing these stressors and teach your child coping strategies that will help them with stress for the rest of their life.

Meditation is one way to help children cope with stress. This strategy can include simple breathing exercises, guided imagery, storytelling, or games. The goal is to help children develop calmness, improve concentration, and manage emotions.

Sharing this strategy with children will be successful when you adapt the practice of meditation to their interests and age. Here are some strategies:
• Keep it short: start with short sessions, around 2-5 minutes, to match their attention span.
• Use simple language: explain meditation in simple, relatable terms, such as “quiet time” or “listening to your breath.”
• Incorporate games: make meditation playful. Ask your child to pretend to be a statue, taking slow quiet breaths. Find a calming story and read it together.
• Use guided meditations: find a kid-friendly guided meditations on an app designed for children.
• Involve visualization: ask your child to imagine a favorite place or a peaceful scene.
• Practice together: meditate with them to model the behavior and make it a shared activity.
• Create a routine: find a consistent time in the family schedule for meditation to build the habit. How about before bed or after school?
• Encourage reflection: after a meditation activity, share how you felt and ask how they felt or what they experienced.

These strategies can help make meditation a fun and beneficial part of a child’s routine, promoting better focus, emotional regulation, and stress management.

Helpful resources
Guided imagery
Guided Audio and Video meditation
Meditation