There are various videos with meditation exercises that you can put on your television instead of programmes that might make children passive or overstimulate their minds. They are calming with breathing exercises and body scan practices. They teach techniques children can draw on if their feelings are overwhelming. Stories spark children’s imaginations. They can identify with the characters and join in with them. Parents can do the movements too to encourage children.

Sleeping Dragon 

Cosmic Kids Yoga uses a series of stories called Peace Out to help children use their breath to calm feelings that run out of control. Kids can be overwhelmed with angry feelings or frustation. In Sleeping Dragon, Dina is a dragon who sometimes sets things on fire she gets so wound up! Seeing how Dina is transformed by a breathing practice that helps her sleep, kids can relate and be inspired to try the practice themselves. The video starts with the reader Jaime visible at the recording studio so children can see the kind person who is talking to them

https://youtu.be/ELOads7rbxE

One Perfect Moment

New Horizon has a series of meditation videos for kids. One Perfect Moment has a still of a cartoon gorilla. A gentle middle-aged female voice encourages the listener to tap into past feelings of happiness. There’s a good emphasis on breathing and participants are encouraged to practise on their sofa. There’s gentle music in the background featuring piano. The child is prompted to feel they are and that they can carry this feeling of happiness on through the day. It’s empowering and a great tool they can utilise throughout their life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIRabf12InE

Mooviee Qi Gong

Mooviee has a calming animation featuring a monkey in some woods and birds flying. The monkey demonstrates a set of Qi Gong exercises which children can follow. Parents can practice with them to encourage them and benefit too. Although electronic, the music is calming and abstract. Breathing suggestions are explained in the video notes. There is no voice over. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKSkAtFUjo0

The Body Scanner

The Mindfulness Teacher has a body scan for the end of the school day. It is a very simple animation with abstract music. The voice-over speaks to children who might have been doing a lot of running or be digesting lunch. The meditation encourages children to focus on all their body parts and notice how they feel. They are asked to make no judgement and just accept what they find, be it tension in the shoulders or a frown. It suggests the children use the same practice at bedtime to relax. It helps bring them into the moment. They begin to notice if their muscles are tired or they have aches and pains early so they can begin healing more quickly. 

https://youtu.be/xLoK5rOl8Qk

Candle and Flower Breathing

Pure Star Kids has a very simple interactive animation where kids can blow on a candle and imagine sniffing a flower. This breathing technique is both mindful and calming. It repeats the breath action for just two minutes making it very easy to use at any time.

 https://youtu.be/qTN_MtV5TFw

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova