Is Meditation Helpful for Preschoolers?

The benefits of meditation have been scientifically proven by various studies. Meditation has helped many adults gain peace of mind, confidence, concentration and most importantly, develop a positive attitude.

In this jet-setting age, people do not have the time to take proper care of themselves. It raises serious concern over the well-being of children. After much experimentation and research, it was found that meditation has a positive impact on the children. It brings about an immediate behavioral change in the preschoolers. It is advisable for parents to teach their children to meditate.

Benefits of Meditation

It’s been found that meditation is beneficial for preschoolers in various ways. Some of the major benefits include:

Calms the Mind

Meditation brings peace of mind, even to children. Once their minds are calm, their memory power increases. Children can improve their concentration as well with the help of meditation. This helps in increasing their creativity and ability to solve complex problems.

Reduces Hyperactivity

Meditation reduces hyperactivity in children. Children can be more focused and can concentrate for hours. They can overcome emotional mood swings. Meditation helps them to escape from negative effects of tension and stress.

Improves Social Skills

Meditation can help in remove the inhibitions in a preschooler. It changes their mind set and provides them with an entirely new outlook. Children start talking more than before and enjoy the company of other children.

Increases Confidence Level

Meditation helps one connect with the self. However, this might sound little odd for kids. But childhood is the best time to inculcate this habit. It helps in boosting one’s morale. An increased confidence level enables them to take initiative and become more accountable.

Controls Emotions

Children who practice meditation learn to control their emotions. To develop a strong personality and stable demeanor, it is important to have control over the emotions. Meditation also helps manage strong emotions like anger, jealousy and aggression.

Controls Anxiety and Stress

Regular practice of meditation helps in reducing high levels of anxiety and stress among children. Making children focus on their breathing can help them return to a calm and present state of mind.

Opportunity to Unplug

Kids are often stressed out and need help to unplug and feel calm. Sometimes kids are more stressed than adults as they don't have any coping mechanism to deal with it. Teaching meditation can help boost their performance at school, improve their sleeping patterns, and better their overall emotion regulations.

Improve Behaviour

Research indicates that kids performing meditation can successfully chain their brains for the better. Neuroplasticity refers to the ability to adapt to new approaches and training flexibly. Through meditation, the brain's response to emotions can change and help children in several ways by inducing a sense of calmness, making the child more responsive to his surroundings

Have Stronger Control Over Breathing

Teaching kids meditation and helping them to teach correct breathing processes can be beneficial in the long run as they will carry the practice subconsciously. The right breathing process involves sitting in a quiet place and focusing on exhalation and inhalation for at least 20 minutes each day. 

Meditation Tips for Children

You should never force your children to start meditation. First, teach them the benefits of meditation.

• You can make them understand through games. Yes, games are a great source of conveying messages.
• Another way of teaching meditation is deep breathing techniques which could include belly breathing and alternate nostril breathing. Your kids will enjoy such breathing sessions.
• Tell them a story and ask them to visualize the characters. This will help them be focused on one thing for some time.
• Make it simple. Let them just relax. They can't sit in a particular way and close their eyes to meditate.
• Meditate yourself every day. Children will learn by watching you meditate in a particular manner.
• Spend time with nature and ask your child to observe the surroundings. This will help to get some fresh air and will also calm them down.

Follow the aforementioned tips to prepare your children for meditation. It will definitely make them strong and impactful individuals.

Also Read: Concentration Building Tips for Preschoolers