BREATHE and Meditate with your toddler

For the last few months, my son been attending a one-on-one therapeutic yoga and meditation to help him with some challenges surrounding anxiety and sensory regulation. I have seen some great progress in my his ability to self-regulate. Especially when reminded to use the techniques that he has learned from his lovely teacher.

One tool he has used in the therapy sessions is an app called Breathe, by Stop, Breathe and Think, that can be tried out for free. We hear about tons of educational apps for kids, but there isn't a lot of talk about a simple tool to help calm a child. We have been using it at home over the last two weeks.  There are two versions, Breathe and Breathe Kids. We have enjoyed both. Breathe is for all ages and walks its' users through calming, guided meditations that are tailored to your current mood. Breathe Kids also does this, but offers videos to engage children. We've actually not used the videos as of yet, since we use the app to help my son slow down, close his eyes and be still.

Being still isn't a strong point, or in my opinion a requirement for any small child, but there are benefits to learning how to be okay with laying down quietly, without any visual stimuli. This is very difficult for my son, but after two weeks of using the app once or twice daily, but son happily requests his relaxation time. He loves Bulldog, the main character of the soothing stories, who seeks to find his heartbeat, his quiet place or weather the storm.

Once a day, I encourage my son to lay down and quietly listen, while I put a mixture of lotion and essential oils on his legs and feet. While this sounds crazy luxurious for a three year old, it actually serves two purposes. It helps calm him, but it also helps him work on a sensory sensitivity of being touched by others.

I encourage any parent to incorporate mediation into their young child's day. It can take as little as three minutes and can start a good habit early on. Namaste!