Mindfulness For Toddlers And Children
At Bloom Toddler Classes we totally understand that being a toddler is hard! Competing with new and confusing emotions is extremely challenging for any toddler. This compiled with limited language to express just how they are feeling can lead to toddler tantrums, tears and the so-called “terrible twos.” (or threes or fours!)
Mindfulness is a fantastic technique used within our toddler classes to help your toddler to understand their emotions, take time out and offers quiet time to relax. In addition, it can help process all the amazing learning and new skills they have learnt in our classes.
Mindfulness Benefits For Toddlers:
You may be wondering why we think mindfulness is so important?
Here are some key benefits of incorporating mindfulness into your toddler’s routine.
- Supports emotional wellbeing
- Regulates emotions
- Strengthens self-confidence
- Can reduce tension in muscles and joints
- Can improve sleep quality
- Can lower stress hormones
- Can enhance memory and learning
Toddler Zen At Bloom Toddler Classes
At the end of every Bloom Toddler Class, toddlers are invited to lie down underneath our bespoke mindfulness parachute which is beautifully clad with metallic, shimmery fabric and dangling, silver stars.
The Bloom Toddler Class teacher will then offer some child-friendly breathing techniques which helps to calm and relax and finally offers each child a sensory light to aid with focus.
All of this is completed with our Toddler Zen song playing in the background. You can download this here.
Mindfulness Activities For Toddlers At Home
If you have attended a Bloom Toddler Class group before, you have probably already got a really good insight to how mindfulness can work for your toddler.
Here are our top tips for encouraging mindfulness at home:
1. Creating Safe Spaces
Find an area of your home with comfort in mind. This could be on the sofa or bed but needs to be somewhere your toddler feels happy and safe.
This is really specific to each child and you know best. For my toddler, the sofa would potentially create too many distractions and her bed she would heavily associate with night time. Therefore I would opt for my bedroom – somewhere she feels very content.
2. Dim The Lights
Dimming the lights and closing the curtains can help with the feeling of coziness as well as limiting distractions.
If your little one is afraid of the dark, (lots are!) offer a small night light or fairy lights to offer the same effect without a complete black out.
3. Add Music
Adding music can help provide focus as well as offering relaxation and calmness. You can download our Toddler Zen song on all major streaming platforms. Have a listen here or alternatively a simple search will provide lots of different options.
4. Breathing Techniques
Focusing on breathing can help you and your toddler feel present in the moment. It can also provide an “anchor” to focus on.
For some toddlers asking them to simply breathe in and out won’t work and they will soon lose concentration therefore choose a technique which offers purpose and understanding.
The following are our favourite mindful breathing techniques for toddlers:
Cooling Down My Dinner – Ask toddlers to imagine they have a plate of their favourite meal. It’s very hot so can they take a big deep breath in through the nose and slowly blow out through the mouth to cool it down.
Birthday Candles – Imagining a birthday cake with eight candles ask your toddler to take a deep breath in through the nose, hold and then slowly blow out each candle .
Belly Breathing – This can help show children a physical effect. Ask children to place their hands on their belly / chest. Encourage a deep breath in through the nose and a slow breath out their mouth until their belly is flat like a pancake again!
The feedback from parents at Bloom Toddler Classes has been so lovely to hear, why not give it a go yourself? Let us know how you get on in the comments section below.
Experience our Toddler Zen for yourself at one of our amazing Bloom Toddler Classes. Find your closest class here.
Do you love the idea of working with children and supporting their mindfulness as well as lots of other benefits to learning? Are you looking for a new role? Love the idea of becoming your own boss?
Why not pop us an email and request a prospectus on our Bloom Toddler Class franchise opportunities. Click here – it might just change your life!