As parents, you always want the best for your children. Using mindfulness tools, we can give your children the best mindset for life. Whether your children are younger or older, they all benefit from mindfulness. All children are different and do not learn the same, so finding a way to teach them mindfulness can be difficult. Play on your children’s strengths and teach them mindfulness in a way that can be fun for them.
Here is a list of some of the best resources I found to foster mindfulness in children.
Books: If your child is younger, 4-12 years old, and they enjoy reading or you reading to them, books may be a good route to teach them mindfulness.
- Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey
- Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia
- Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel
- The Mindful Dragon by Steve Herman
If your child is older, 14-19 years old, and enjoys reading, there are books available for them to read about mindfulness. I found a link to a website with multiple books for this age group. This list includes:
- Bring You: a Girls Guide to Mindfulness by Catherine Hannay
- From Anger to Action: Powerful Mindfulness Tools to Help Teens Harness Anger for Positive Change by Mitch Abblett
Movies: There are a couple of movies out that can teach your children mindfulness. Many movies that I found were for older children.
- Inside Out (rated PG)
- The Truman Show (rated PG)
- A Mindful Choice (documentary)
- The MindFulness Movie (documentary)
Television Shows: There aren’t many television shows that are aimed at mindfulness. However, PBS Kids has many shows that portray mindfulness and if you have Netflix, YouTube, or Apple Tv+, there are a couple of shows that your young children may enjoy.
- “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” (PBS Kids)
- “Arthur” (PBS Kids)
- “Esme & Roy” (PBS Kids)
- “Sesame Street” (PBS Kids)
- “Headspace” (Netflix)
- “Luna Petunia” (Netflix)
- “Stillwater” (Apple Tv+)
- “Scout and Gumboot” (Kids’ CBC or YouTube)
Games: Whether your children are young or old, most children enjoy playing games. At first glance, many games may not seem to support mindfulness practice, but some are keeping your children’s focus on the present.
- Stop, Breathe and Think (Hulu)
- Jenga
- Simon says
- I spy
- GoNoodle on Youtube
Music: To find mindful music, YouTube is a great resource. Just search mindfulness music and the options are endless.
Apps: Since technology is a big part of daily life, mindfulness apps may be an easier way to practice some mindfulness each day. Here are some apps to add to your daily schedule to practice mindfulness.
- For Children: Headspace for Kids (ages 5 and under, 6-8, 9-12), Calm (ages 4+), Mindful Powers (ages 7-10), Stop, Breathe and Think Kids (ages 5-10)
- For Teens: Hear and Now, Calm, Aura, Inscape, Serenity
Now that you have resources to teach your children mindfulness, try them out. Just keep in mind that not all children learn the same way. Try multiple resources to find the best fit for your family and remember to have fun. Mindfulness is being in the present moment, and it is for everyone, regardless of age. Our ultimate goal is to create a healthy mindset for life.
