Q is for Quiet Times
Finding Calm Amid the Chaos
Life is busy!!! It seems that every day there’s an after-school club to attend, that weekends are jam packed with social engagements, and our downtime is dominated by technology which is at our fingertips 24/7. Consequently, we’ve become over-stimulated and forgotten how to switch off. Perhaps our children have never even learnt this skill! It’s important to slow down sometimes! It’s important for kids to learn how to be still, to be quiet and to relax. Quiet time has been proven to boost independence, encourage reflection, enhance creativity and promote mindfulness. So, here’s a few ideas for helping them find calm amid the chaos...
Reading
Getting lost in a good book never gets tired and of course encouraging a love of reading from a young age has a myriad of benefits. It’s not always easy dragging them away from their devices but if you can find something which captures their imagination, and fuels their natural interests then you’re half way there. It doesn’t always have to be a traditional storybook, it could be autobiographies, themed encyclopaedias, poetry or even comics. Here’s some of our favourites to hopefully provide a bit of inspiration - Good Night Moon, A Poem for Every Night of the Year, Horrible Histories, Julia Donaldson, Incredibly Curious Questions & Answers, Rebel Girls and Boys series and the Tom Gates series.
You can also check out our reading list full of diverse and inclusive recommendations here and here.
Yoga
Yoga is the perfect way to seek calm and feel centred. Cosmic Kids fun, interactive and colourful videos led by instructor, Jaime, keep kids engaged while helping them practice mindfulness and build strength. We also love Yoga Pretzels cards and the Little Yogi Deck – simply pick a card and get posing. If you’re looking for a mat specifically for kids, then Yogi-Me’s features their own variation of the Freedom Flow, with illustrations of safe, child-friendly poses which enable them to gracefully transition from one pose to the next, creating a thematic story as they do so. My Ga also has a lovely range of yoga mats featuring beautiful, vibrant designs as well as Kids Yoga Dice featuring 12 poses and 6 action cues.
Meditation
In our fast-paced world meditation allows children to tune into themselves, feel grounded and combat sensory overload. Available on Spotify, YouTube and via their own app, the New Horizon Holistic Centre’s guided meditations have been designed as interactive stories which give children the option to choose what they want to do and where they want to go, to be whoever they want to be! The brilliant Headspace also has a selection of meditations for kids tailored to different age groups and available free to all subscribers.
Rest
Whether at bedtime, naptime or just seeking a quiet space to reflect and process our thoughts, our beds are the perfect place to enjoy quiet times! We don’t know why, but we also find our children seem to more amenable to opening up at night time. Perhaps it’s just a ploy for staying up later but even so we’ll take it! Make their personal space extra enticing by adding accessories such as lava lamps and fairy lights. Why not try creating spaces in your home designed to encourage them to engage in some downtime - swinging in a hammock or snuggled up in a teepee. Scandiborn has a wide selection and the bright colours of the Wild Wonders teepee from Rex London are sure to inspire some magical daydreaming.
