Childhood is one of the most important stages in our development and the one that marks our way of seeing and experiencing the world. A stage that many of us remember as happy but in which frustration, anger or incomprehension also have a place. Emotions that we can teach them to manage with relaxation exercises for children that we propose today.
Why is relaxation important for children?
To adults it may seem that children's responsibilities Compared to what we adults consume, they are not too many. However, the need to understand how the world works, the pressure that family, school or a group of friends can generate in one, as well as the many frustrated desires mean that children also have a hard time and require tools to manage. optimally these moments.
Practicing relaxation techniques from a young age not only serves to face situations such as those mentioned and manage emotions, but also helps the child adopt a more focused and realistic position in the world. Through meditation, the mindfulness for kids or other relaxation techniques, children gain numerous benefits:
- Increase confidence in oneself.
- Increases concentration and memory.
- Greater ability to face fears and unforeseen situations.
- It reduces stress muscular and mental.
- It enhances sleep quality.
- Regulates energies of the child.
- Favors in reduction of tics.
How to work on relaxation in children?
There are numerous relaxation activities for children that we can teach our children so that they can face life with a tool as important as the ability to relax. Today we have put together eight relaxation exercises for children that can be very useful. Take note.
Breathing techniques
Among relaxation techniques for children, breathing techniques are essential. And to practice them with children we only need to sit with them in a comfortable position and in silence, with a dim light and relaxing music in the background if that helps us, breathe deeply through your nose and exhale little by little through your mouth.
It is important to do it with them since when they are little they will imitate us. We can also teach the child to put a hand on his chest and another in the stomach, to observe when and how they move when breathing in and out. In the first weeks and while they are small, we can repeat the exercise (inhale-exhale) five times and then combine it with other relaxation techniques for children.
Jacobson progressive relaxation
This exercise progressive muscle relaxation It consists of tensing and relaxing different muscle groups while controlling breathing. It generally begins at the ends of the body (feet and legs, hands and arms) to gradually progress towards the center (abdomen, torso) and finally reaching the head.
Lying on the floor face up, the muscles should tense for a few seconds and then relax them for three times as long, repeating the exercise up to three times in a row with each muscle group. As it can be difficult for children to understand what they should do, the ideal would be offer simple examples. To relax your feet and legs we will ask you to try to sink them into the ground and for your hands to act as if you were going to squeeze an orange.
Practice the balloon technique
This technique is common in schools from the age of 7 onwards. It consists of explaining to children that the balloon can be inflated by blowing air into it, but that when the amount of air it can support is exceeded, it explodes. Then we will reinforce the idea inflating the balloon until it bursts.
Once they understand the idea, we can ask them to close their eyes and become balloons. Let them inhale air to inflate and then slowly deflate by exhaling gently through their mouth. Once the exercise is done and with our eyes open we can ask them In what situations have you felt like balloons? and how they turned out or think they should have resolved the situation.
Guided meditations for children
The meditation videos for children They are a fantastic way to introduce this practice to the little ones. Children's yoga and mindfulness for children are booming and today it is possible to find free exercises through YouTube and meditation applications. Place a soft rug on the floor, put on comfortable clothes and share short meditations of no more than 10 minutes to start.
To sing
How many times have you heard or said that music is therapeutic? It is a great tool to relax and relieve our discomfort. That's why sing to them or sing with them a simple song that you like and know well keeping the rhythm is always a great alternative. It will help improve the state of tension and relax the child.
Relaxing massages for children
In addition to relaxing the muscles, a massage helps strengthen relationships with children and therefore for them to feel safe. Before going to sleep, a massage can make us end the day with a pleasant feeling, both physically and emotionally.
Draw
Asking them to make a drawing that they like will make them concentrate on that work, redirecting your attention and reducing your stress level after a complicated event. It is a practical relaxation exercise for the little ones.
Teach them how to tense and release muscles
Using a stuffed animal or rag doll Children from six years old can be taught to relax by asking them to hug you, increasing and decreasing the force gradually and in time with breathing. In this way, children will tense and relax their muscles without making much effort.
Practice these relaxation exercises for children, focusing on a couple of them, and give your child tools to know how to deal with stress both now and in the future.