What is meditation?
I start with this question as the more I work with children, teens, and their parents, the greater the variety of definitions I hear.
I, too, once thought of meditation in a very narrow form. Then, I realized that shamanic journeying is a form of meditation as well—a slightly more active one.
The books I wish to share with you today provide a variety of approaches to calming children’s minds, helping children be more relaxed and able to control their emotions and reactions.
Meditation for Kids
Meditation for Kids: How to clear your head and calm your mind by Johanne Bernard and Laurent Dupeyrat. Illustrated by Alice Gills. Originally published in French.
Meditation For Kids begins with a chapter explaining where the practice of meditation originated, its different forms across cultures, who the Buddha was, what meditation is, and why we need to practice and train ourselves, as well as a little about what happens in the brain during meditation.
The explanations are suitable for at least eight-year-olds, if not perhaps a bit older. But this always depends on the child’s maturity and motivations.
The book offers various sitting meditations, meditations with movement, and meditations on the cycle of nature. We have tried them all.
My favorite part of the book is the section titled “Teaching your parents to meditate,” which appears after each meditation. Beyond encouraging the children to take responsibility, it also empowers them and encourages them to make it a family habit.
As children come to us as our teachers, this invitation to teach the parents and the tools with which to do it are welcomed guidance.
One element to note: In some of the sitting meditations and guidance to parents, children are encouraged to try to be motionless. One does not have to sit motionless to be calm and “succeed” in meditation. Failing to sit still can discourage your children.
So, my personal recommendation is to clarify that they can try to be motionless, but they don’t have to be. Most children (not all, and the ones who aren’t able to stay still, are beautiful as they are!) will be able to learn to be more motionless with practice.
Highly recommended!
Teach Your Child Meditation
Teach Your Child Meditation: 70 fun & easy ways to help kids de-stress & chill out by Lisa Roberts. Illustrated by Julia Morris.
Teach Your Child Meditation is for parents and teachers and includes important guidelines on working with children and identifying the challenges of each age group.
The various exercises are offered using play and games. There are many breathing techniques beautifully taught at the basic level, which is essential to set the foundation that the children will use later, in more advanced meditations. The later sections offer meditations to clear one’s mind, release stress, and regulate energy levels.
I appreciate the richness of the techniques and the teaching that breath and movement can help us both to calm ourselves and also to regulate our energy, de-stress, or enhance our energy level (such as with fire breath).
In this sense, the variety of exercises corresponds with the diversity of children and their assortment of needs.
The illustrations are simple and clear.
Highly recommended!
Sensational Meditation for Children
Sensational Meditation for Children: Mindfulness, guided imagery, and other child-friendly meditation techniques by Sarah Wood Vallely, winner of the Nautilus Book Award and the Living Now Book Award.
Sensational Meditation For Children takes a broader perspective than the above two books. It offers more depth on the importance of meditation for children and how they can benefit from practicing regularly. It also considers the senses and the child’s learning style (visual, auditory, etc.) and offers important tips for success, including communicating about the meditations and what comes up during them.
In Sensational Meditation for Children, you will find meditations ranging from mindfulness and centering meditations to working with the body, spiritual nourishment, guided imagery, heart meditation, and journeying.
Finally, the author also discusses children with unique needs, and how to adjust the various exercises for sensitive children, who need quiet or loud experiences, children on the spectrum, and more. She guides the reader on how to create meditations for individual children and how to teach in groups.
A great book!
Know other books on meditations with children that you like? Please share with me – Thank you.
