Why mindfulness and meditation are important skills to add to your kid's toolbox

Mindfulness and meditation are often thought of as practices for adults. With hectic lives full of busy schedules and stressful challenges, it’s no wonder so many people use these tools to keep them grounded. But did you know that mindfulness and meditation also benefit kids?

Kids are learning to exist in a complex world, and incorporating mindfulness and meditation into their routine can help them experience calm, develop empathy and express emotions.

“Asking kids what they notice and how they feel is something they can usually answer right away because kids are naturally mindful,” says HomeLearners Network (HLN) Guide, Jenn. “As we age and life becomes more complex, we lose the ability to tap into that unless we’re actively practicing it.”

Jenn recently became a HomeLearners Network Guide to add to her diverse teaching career, which included many years teaching in public schools and working as a mobile outreach teacher, driving across Alberta to provide science programming on behalf of the Odyssium (now the TELUS World of Science).

She’s excited to step into a support role for home-learning parents/guardians after receiving so much when she homeschooled her own children. “I had amazing support from teachers and other parents/guardians who are masters at what they do. Being an HLN Guide feels like paying it forward,” says Jenn.

Mindfulness and meditation have become outlets for Jenn to relieve stress, increase energy, and achieve restful sleep. After teaching yoga to seniors in her home studio, she now incorporates mindfulness and meditation into teaching young learners. “I regularly encourage kids to slow down, take a breather, listen to quiet music, and release expectations about where they need to be or what they need to do.”

We sat down with Jenn to explore how mindfulness and meditation are excellent practices for kids. She also shared helpful resources for home-learning parents/guardians, listed at the end of this blog!

Improved focus and concentration

The present world can be overstimulating when it comes to information processing, environmental feedback and entertainment. Adults and kids alike often split their focus between the present moment and what they’re doing two hours from now or what happened the day before.

“Mindfulness is about stopping and focusing on your breath or one sense at a time to bring your mind and body into the present moment. I like to think of mindfulness as the ‘what’ and meditation as the ‘how,’ with mindfulness representing the quality of our attentiveness,” says Jenn.

Improved emotional regulation

Kids undergo different stages of recognizing emotions and reacting to them. Meditation and mindfulness allow kids to practice pausing, paying attention to and acknowledging their feelings, and adopting the skills to actively choose their response.

Reduced stress and anxiety

“The natural act of taking slow, deep breaths stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of our nervous system that calms us down,” says Jenn. “Activating the parasympathetic nervous system helps kids take an anxious response and turn it into something manageable.”

Improved sleep

Sleep is critical for kids because it helps them with memory formation and emotional well-being.

“Mindfulness and meditation can be wonderful additions to bedtime routines,” says Jenn. They can help kids not only fall asleep faster but have a better quality of sleep, which then leads to more energy and better engagement in the day.”

Enhanced self-awareness and empathy

Cultivating attentiveness is a personal journey that connects the physical body with the emotional state, but it can also lead to a better understanding of others.

Jenn says, “Natural empathy evolves from self-awareness, and I think that by adopting mindfulness, we can help a generation of kids be kinder to themselves and others.”

Mindfulness and meditation activities for home learners

If you’re looking for awesome activities that help your kids practice mindfulness and meditation, check out upcoming activities with Jenn!

Pebble Meditation is a great way to introduce mindfulness and meditation to beginners! Kids will learn about the benefits of mindful breathing, practice meditation through drawing, and make a cool bag to keep their meditation pebbles.

✅ Sign up for June 6! (Ages 5-8)

✅ Sign up for June 20! (Ages 9-12)

In Mood Jar Meditation, kids will connect their feelings to colours by creating a mood jar and practice a simple meditation with guided breathing!

✅ Sign up for June 4! (Ages 5-8)

✅ Sign up for June 18! (Ages 9-12)

In Animal Asanas, Jenn turns fun animal movements and poses into a kid-friendly yoga practice! Kids ages 5-12 will Increase their flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination!