Meditation helps calm the mind and relax the body. That is common knowledge. However, it is less known that this also applies to children. In our hectic society, children often have to keep up with a tight schedule from an early age. They run from school, to sports, to music lessons or to a birthday party. There are often insufficient moments of rest to process all the impressions. This can lead to restlessness, concentration problems and sometimes aggression. Meditation helps children find peace and balance within themselves and from there to deal with what arises on their path.

What is children’s meditation?

In fact, meditation means nothing more than: consciously focusing your attention. It is also described as controlling the mind. It means, among other things, practicing your attention and concentration, relaxing and becoming aware of your body. Teaching children this requires a creative and playful approach. This is often done through short meditations, relaxation exercises, fantasy journeys, group discussions and creative expression. For very young children, meditation is often a matter of playing a game that leads to more concentration and attention.Topics discussed during meditations include:

• be attentive
• be aware of your body
• concentration
• emotions
• creativity
• visualize

Why meditate with children?

Just like adults, children can also be terribly worried. About friends, family, their own achievements, a pet, you name it. The way you deal with your concerns as a child, and how those around you respond to them, often determines your later behavior. Children who are helped to put fears and worries into perspective and develop a calm mind also benefit later in life. Meditation can help children see things in the right perspective and achieve self-knowledge and (self)acceptance. Children who learn to meditate from an early age make conscious choices and generally have a more balanced and relaxed approach to life.The benefits of children’s meditation at a glance:

• concentration
• better night’s sleep
• learn to relax
• create inner peace
• more balanced
• deal more consciously with emotions
• more creativity and imagination

Can all children meditate?

In principle, all children can learn to meditate, regardless of religion or cultural background. The extent to which the child succeeds in truly finding peace within himself also depends on the extent to which the child is open to meditation.

Age groups

Meditation can take place individually (private lessons) but usually takes place in groups. Sometimes offered as an after-school activity. Adjusted to social and cognitive development, work is usually based on age groups; 5-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds and 13-18 year olds.

Meditation at school

At some primary schools, meditation is offered during lessons. In countries such as China and Japan this is very common and meditation is a permanent part of the curriculum. But also in the Netherlands, a growing number of schools regularly meditate with children. A good example is De Fontein primary school in Lelystad, where students meditate twice a day. The result is that these children can keep to themselves, concentrate better, thus perform better academically and there is little or no bullying.