7 Free guided meditations for kids

Meditation is often something we come to as we enter adulthood. However, research shows there are so many benefits to the practise that we should be encouraging our kids to give it a go.

It might seem like a crazy idea to ask your child to meditate (hands up if you can’t get your child to sit still for 30 seconds). Yet teaching children to calm their minds and settle into their bodies allows them to process their feelings more effectively, focus more intently and retain more new information.

The benefits of meditation for kids

Meditation and mindfulness are known for helping adults excel in their professional lives. Although kids are a bit of a way off from their career, meditation can have positive and measurable benefits in a school setting. In the classroom, meditation can improve a child’s working memory capacity. It can also increase their awareness and help them determine what learning strategies work best for them.

Meditation isn’t just for academics and professionals. It can be used for personal growth too. Meditation can help increase feelings of calm and relaxation, as well as self-acceptance. One study has even found that meditation has been helpful for children in developing their sense of emotional intelligence. This has led to increasing ability in recognising and managing one’s own feelings and emotions as well as those feelings and emotions of people around them.

When should children start meditating?

Children as young as four or five years old have been found to benefit from meditation. Research suggests that at this age, children have a well-rounded awareness and understanding of their own thoughts as well as an understanding that other people’s behaviour can be guided by their own beliefs and aspirations.

If you introduce meditation to your children early in their lives, you can not only build on the practise but make it a more natural part of their daily life.

The good news is you don’t have to download or subscribe to expensive programs to get access to some awesome guided meditations for kids. YouTube has a lot of great options that will relax your child and have them nodding off before you know it.

Here are seven of our best picks.

Sleep Meditation for Kids 4-in-1 | New Horizon – Meditation & Sleep Stories

KITC Autumn issue out now 2024

Run time: 1:05 hours

This collection of stories combines four popular meditations into one video to gently soothe little ones into a restful sleep.

Moon and Stars (Peace Out: Guided Meditation for Kids) | Cosmic Kids

Run time: 9:52 minutes

In this Cosmic Kids guided relaxation, you imagine you’re enjoying looking at the moon and the stars!

Sleep & Relaxation Animal Stories Collection | Happy Minds


Run time: 2:11 hours

Kids create their own peaceful dreams with Freddie the Fox, Ollie and Olivia the owls, and Luna the Last Dragon as their calm and safe sleep guides.

Relaxation Techniques for Anxiety | My Calm World

Run time: 5:17 minutes

Featuring beautiful and relaxing guided imagery with relaxing background melodies, your child will relax to sleep.

The Mindful Pirate | Happy Minds

Run time: 10 minutes

In this quick and fun mindfulness meditation for kids, The Mindful Pirate will teach kids how to focus their minds with a magic spyglass and be the very best captain of their own ship!

Calming Meditation Activity for Children | Moovlee

Run time: 6:13 minutes

This short meditation is based on a set of Qi Gong exercises that focus on breathing and developing your Qi (internal energy). It is perfect for those that like to watch and follow rather than listen.

The Body Scanner | The Mental Health Teacher

Run time: 5:50 minutes

A relaxing lying down body scan, to run through how you are feeling. This is a great check in at the end of the day and one of our favourite guided meditations for kids to do each day.

 

 

 

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By Angela Sutherland
After spending many years hustling stories on busy editorial desks around the world, Angela is now mum of two little ones and owner/editor at Kids on the Coast / Kids in the City. She is an atrocious cook and loves cutting shapes to 90s dance music. Angela is the editor of Kids on the Coast - a free family magazine whats on guide for Kids: things to do, school holiday fun and free activities for kids... Fun attractions, family food & travel, kids health & wellbeing, kids parties venues, parenting, pregnancy & babies, guide for parents. Servicing Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and beyond, Kids on the Coast is an online guide for parents with kids things to do with kids, schools and education and lifestyle news located on Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Brisbane, QLD.

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