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Meditation, yoga and other mind strengthening exercises are popping up all over the world and for good reason. Studies show that these exercises help children be more attentive, forge good friendships, induce self-control, teach respect and empathy towards their fellow buddies all while reducing stress, hyperactive behaviour, reducing the symptoms of ADHD and increasing their grades considerably. Providing the kids of the current generation where cyber bullying is on the rise with the tools to fend of negative thoughts and behaviour, enhance self-confidence, focus and treat others and themselves with respect is an offering they will have for the remainder of their lives.

We live in a world where social media rules behaviour and disconnection is a real problem which is on the rise, our next generation needs a muscle of awareness which the schools are not quite able to encapsulate.

So, try these few exercises that can make meditation for kids a fun and enjoyable learning curve.

1. Guided Meditation: The Balloon

To bring a visual component to a very simple breathing exercise, this guided meditation technique can help. You can perform this exercise either standing or sitting.

1. Relax your body by inhaling and exhaling deep breaths through your nose.

2. Inhale slowly to fill your belly up with air, while visualizing a balloon expanding.

3. Slowly exhale through your nose as you release the air from your belly like you are deflating the balloon. You can even let out a hissing noise.

4. Continue for several minutes.

2. Guided meditation: Follow the Leader

This meditation technique is for children who are more than 5 years old. Ask your children to visualize their best friend, with whom they share all their exploits and secrets with. Ask them who leads and who follows. That is who usually takes the decisions in the group and who usually they look up to like their elder sibling will be the leader and they will be the follower. Ask them to associate the leader as the breath and the follower as the mind. Then follow the steps below.

1. Sit down and close your eyes. Ensure that you are comfortable.

2. Take deep inhales and exhales. Pay attention only to your breathing.

3. Then have the mind follow the breath no matter what. Picture yourself following your sibling, your breath. Make the mind focus only on the breath and follow the breath.

4. Count your breaths at every exhale. Do not rush. The mind will want to rush and count before the exhale but ensure that you don’t skip ahead.

5. Slowly, count to ten at the end of each exhale and continue to follow the breath.

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Source by Mark Waugh A