Our 5 Favorite Mindfulness Gifts
As if life wasn’t wild before, the last 8 months have brought extra changes and uncertainty our way. So many families and children have seen many of the predictable comfortable patterns of daily life shift with little notice. And, where there’s change, there’s often BIG feelings.
With that in mind, and the holidays and gift giving around the corner, we thought we would share some of our well-loved and well-tested mindfulness and anxiety relieving items for Littles.
Mindful Kids Card Deck, $14.99 (Bundle with Yoga Pretzels Movement Cards, $27.99)
I’ve been using the Yoga Pretzels and Mindful Kids Card Decks for years! There are so many ways to interact with the cards - either one on one or together as a family. We use these both at home and in our school programs. Always a hit, they help direct us towards calming strategies that might otherwise feel out of reach in a tense moment. Another bonus: they are beautifully illustrated and grab every kiddos attention - just spread a few out on the floor and see what happens.
Zenimal Meditation Turtle, $54.99
I purchased Zenimal for my daughter last spring when the word “COVID” was new and the world was really scary. Fast forward 7 months, and the world is still wacky, but we use our Zenimal EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. We breathe + find stillness together before we say good night. When she wakes up in the nights, she’s also able to turn it back on and listen to one or two meditations to calm her mind and drift back off to dream land. This is one #covidritual that I don’t see going anywhere in our house.
3. Buddha Board, $34.95
This is one for kids and parents alike. I received this originally as a gift, but have found that when left out in open space, young children will paint on here endlessly, and revisit it often throughout the day. In a way, when left in an accessible spot, it serves as a quiet touchstone for them to return to throughout the day when they are overstimulated or in need of soothing activity. Per the website, “Buddha Board is inspired by the Zen idea of living in the moment.” and we think that’s something we could all use a little more of!
4. Create an EVENING RITUAL.
I started drinking tea with my mom so long ago that I can’t remember the start. I do remember how special and grownup it felt for us to share this moment in the afternoon or evening. The ritual of preparing tea created a quiet time just for us. As I got older, it became an integral part of my daily routine. Tea has become both the way I start and end my day. I have used the kid friendly “Quiet Child” tea by Mountain Rose Herbs (featuring Organic spearmint leaf, catnip, chamomile flowers, skullcap, raspberry leaf, calendula flowers, and meadowsweet flowers) for both myself and my tiny humans for years. Subtle, soothing, and smile inducing - a cup of this tea paired with a special mug is the perfect way to carve out some time for conversation, relaxation, or reading together.
5. Make your own Magic Mist, $12.95+
A favorite part of every one of our kids yoga classes or mindfulness activities is the moments of stillness at the end. Children love to settle in and relax their bodies. We make the moment extra special with “magic mist”, a subtle fragrance diluted in a spray bottle, and spritzed 2 or 3 times over each friend. Just a the smell of apple pie can transport you back home, using the same relaxing fragrance during rest can help children “build the muscle memory of letting go”. Right now, we are using 5 to 10 drops of “Breathe In, Breathe Out” essential oil (a refreshing blend of Silver Fir, Lavender, Lemon, Frankincense, Sweet Marjoram, Lime, Roman Chamomile, Vetiver, Damiana, Ginger, Spearmint, Vanilla CO2) in our spray bottle full of of water.