Dr. Monti suggests three activities: one on breathing, one on visualization and the last one involving the construction of a mandala
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousJust like us, children are also experiencing a complicated time, struggling with anxiety and stress caused by the many changes imposed by the pandemic on their daily lives. How can we help them regain some calm and happiness? By offering him simple breathing, visualization or mandala creation activities.
For some suggestions we contacted Monia Monti, pedagogue and expert in meditation and mindfulness, whose techniques and activities also offers children with excellent results. On these issues you have also published a book: “Calm and happy children. Meditation techniques for children and adults to manage anxiety and stress ".
Dr. Monti suggests three different activities: one on the breath, one on visualization and the last one involving the construction of a mandala.
Mandala of legumes
Do you know that you can make mandalas that soothe children with pasta, legumes and leaves?
The breath that calms
The breath that calms children with a simple… paper boat!
The cloud of calm
Do you know that you can make mandalas that soothe children with pasta, legumes and leaves?
Do these techniques work on children?
Monia Monti's experience in schools (which also involved very young children) clearly indicates that the results are excellent both mentally and emotionally and physically and energetically.
Teachers and parents, thanks to meditation techniques and other relaxation activities, notice a greater attention and concentration capacity on the part of children who are able to better perform the assigned tasks and, indirectly, this has a positive effect on their self-esteem and confidence in themselves.
Another very interesting aspect is that of emotions.
“Teachers and parents underline how the dynamics and relationships between students improve, aggressive behaviors decrease and there is a greater capacity for cooperation. Children are also able to manage not very pleasant emotions more effectively like anger, anxiety, fear and this also in sports when they have to face a race ".
Children appreciate these techniques which somehow approach their feeling. Dr. Monti also told us some anecdotes that make us understand well how these activities remain impressed and deeply "affect" the little ones.
"I happened to return after almost a year to a kindergarten to do a meditation project with the children and once again while I was wandering around the school hall a group of children passed accompanied by their teacher and a couple of them tell me "the dada of relaxation is tonata, when you come to us to play the magic breath game". The incredible thing is that we are talking about children who are 3, 4 years old. My joy in that situation was immense. The children are the real litmus test of how they were during a relaxation process and then you realize you have left something good "
Another very indicative episode took place at the supermarket where the meeting with those who had remained in the heart of a child brought to mind her pleasant experience:
"I was in the supermarket doing the shopping at a certain point I hear the voice of a little girl who says" Dad, dad there is the dada of relaxation "I turn around and the little girl runs towards me holding me tight, takes me by the hand and takes me from her dad to introduce me. The father is pleasantly surprised and tells me that at home his child often asks to be able to practice 'The cloud of calm', The magic rainbow and other meditation techniques learned at school. It was one of the most beautiful and emotional days for me ".
Finally, one thing we particularly like about the techniques proposed by Dr. Monti is hers great attention to the environment and animals. Some of the activities it proposes, in fact, have the purpose of developing more the qualities of the heart, love, respect, tenderness, for people, the environment and animals and a greater attention and awareness of the actions taken.
And this aspect too seems to bear excellent results. Dr. Monti reports to us a situation told by the father of a 7-year-old girl, taken from the above-mentioned book:
“I was in the park with my daughter and without paying too much attention I rolled up the receipt of the ice cream we had recently eaten and threw it on the ground. My daughter looks at me and says to me: 'No dad, don't get dirty, trees give oxygen to breathe and you have to keep them well. This, even when we breathe the air in relaxation '. I didn't have time to bow to pick up the piece of paper that Valentina was holding tightly in her little fist. I was struck by her words and above all by her tender and severe gaze, at the same time, which went straight to my heart. A real life lesson that I will never forget "
Read also:
- Meditation at school: Helps children study better and manage emotions
- We teach children to watch the clouds
- 1 million children in meditation to save the planet (VIDEO)
- Yoga for children: the benefits, how and why to practice Yoga from an early age
