Being a kid sure can be a bit stressful sometimes! Between homework, cultivating friendships, changes in routines, bedtime, navigating emotions and stress, extracurricular activities, and all the rules, life can often overwhelm children. That’s where mindfulness comes in!

 

Mindfulness is a practice that includes certain exercises or activities that can help to bring awareness to sensations and emotions, without excess judgement or interpretation. It allows for a person to feel present in the moment, alleviates stress, and brings on a sense of calm and peace.  Practicing mindfulness can include meditation, breathing methods, guided imagery or affirmations, and even gentle activities such as yoga, coloring or doodling, nature walks, baking, and much more. 

 

In fact, the more you practice mindfulness, the more mindful you will be with your daily experiences and interactions.  When you are in a state of mindfulness your breathing slows, your blood pressure is reduced, muscles relax, and your ability to focus and notice sensations and feelings in your body increases.

 

While mindfulness is a powerful tool for people of any age, it can have an especially profound impact on children who practice it frequently.   It can help children identify and regulate their emotions, slow down and relax, enhance focus, and improve social skills.  Not only does mindfulness work but it’s completely free and can be activated and practiced anytime, anywhere!  This makes it a priceless and accessible tool for children and adults alike.

 

We believe that every kid, especially Kidpreneurs, can benefit from the practice of mindfulness. Running a business and being a kid can certainly have it’s challenges and its stressors. But with a dash of mindfulness, and a commitment to a growth mindset, kidpreneurs can learn to effectively manage tough situations, big emotions, or frustration and overwhelm.

 

Mindfulness isn’t a new concept and has been practiced by numerous cultures for over 2,500 years. However, it has gained more traction in recent years because it’s such a simple, easy, and practical way to increase overall wellness with very little effort or background experience. In fact, many schools have even integrated mindfulness into their curriculum.

 

Along with the recent resurgence of mindfulness, new toys, games, and books have also arrived on the market to introduce the concept as well as to provide diverse ways in which mindfulness can be achieved.

 

We are proud to present to you some of the best-selling and highly-rated games and toys that are specifically aimed at providing kids with an introduction to mindfulness.  Many of these products also offer additional activities and exercises to keep kids engaged and interested.

 

Mindfulness Games and Toys for Ages 3 - 8

Playlearn Sensory Glitter Calm Down Jar

Perfect for little kids and little hands, this ingenious little tube can help young kids visualize calm and mindfulness in a unique sensory manner.  When the jar is shaken or flipped, glitter slowly swirls and settles while the included LED light creates a peaceful atmosphere. The sensory calm down jar also helps kids focus, encourages visual tracking, and can be used as a tool to help kids regulate their breathing and relax when they are upset or sad.

 

Ehome Meditation Chime

A multi-functional mindfulness resource, this meditation chime emits a crisp, beautiful sound that instantly brings self-awareness, attention, and peacefulness. This chime can be used in a classroom or during activities such as yoga or other mindfulness exercises and functions as a sound-therapy tool for overall relaxation and mental clarity. It can also be used to gently signal to kids a change in activity or routine.  Children love the sensory experience of striking the chime and hearing the sound resonate and fill the room as well.

OM Yoga Cards for Kids

Whether you are a parent practicing mindfulness with your child, an educator, or a kids' yoga teacher, these yoga cards for kids are a wonderful resource for children to build their own yoga and mindfulness practice. Use these cards as warm-up activities, brain breaks, a transition between activities, or simply as a fun and relaxing meditation story. Our yoga cards are designed for kids of all ages!

 

 

OM Warrior Kids Lifetime Membership

Empower your kids to have the self-confidence they need to reach their full potential and promote a healthy body, in a fun way. An online yoga and mindfulness video series created to help kids gain important qualities!

 

 

Novelty Space Ball

This far-out toy engages a child’s senses and curiosity while also functioning as a visual for breathing exercises, a stress or fidget toy for kids, and a way to improve hand-eye coordination. Designed to be fun, while also bringing a deep state of relaxation and awareness, kids can use the ball to guide them in inhalations and exhalations while the ball slowly contracts and expands.  Relax and calm your mind & body with this breathing ball techniques that is designed to bring the body into a state of deep relaxation

Artagia Mindfulness Game

With over 150 cards, the Mindfulness Game offers three entire games in one! Included on the cards are directions to help children explore mindfulness through competitions, fun experiments, yoga and meditation experiences, and questions. Used as a way for families to connect, this game encourages self-reflection while also improving concentration and providing kids with the tools they need to use mindfulness anytime, anywhere.

 

 

Mindfulness Games and Toys for Ages 8+ (and teens)

Buddha Board

This time-tested product has been a favorite of kids and adults everywhere! The Buddha Board is an inventive art toy that teaches the concept of mindfulness, impermanence, and creativity through disappearing works of art.  Kids use a water brush to create paintings and doodles on the Buddha Board, similar to Japanese Sumi painting. The images begin to slowly fade and then completely disappear within 3-10 minutes. As the masterpiece fades away, kids can learn to embrace what it feels like to let go and to appreciate the moment, bringing them a sense of powerful mindfulness and gratitude.

Mindfulness Therapy Game

We included this game in the mix because it was created as a tool to use in therapy sessions for both children and adults but could be adapted for use at home or in school.  The deck of cards offers positive affirmations as well as fun activities meant to improve focus, bring a sense of grounding, and help kids learn how to manage their emotions in a healthy way.  An included bonus booklet supplements the game with extension activities that promote calm and self-awareness and helps boost social skills.

Mindful Games For Kids

This handy book gives kids the chance to participate in 50 engaging games and activities that use kid-friendly terms and soothing designs to delight all of the senses.  With simple instructions, this book includes techniques such as visualization, deep breathing, meditation, and body awareness. Kids will love discovering new ways to be mindful and can perform the fun activities with friends, family, or on their own.

 

Mind Your Beeswax

Mind Your Beeswax is a cooperative game where players complete activities to earn a card that represents a part of a beehive. The game is over, and the players are successful, when the group has collected all parts of the beehive.  This game encourages cooperation, helps kids improve social skills, and teaches active listening. Included in the game are 14 unique activities (with 48 variations) and 10 mindfulness moment cards.

 

Head Rush

Designed for kids ages 12 and up, Head Rush is a card game that helps teens build rapport and learn the dynamics of meaningful conversations. This fast-action game is crafted to also improve confidence, quick recalls, emotional regulation, and self-resilience.  Perfect for group settings, family time, or used in the classroom, Head Rush is a mindfulness game that engages thought and brings on the smiles.

 

 

The Mindfulness Journal for Teens

Every teen needs a good journal and The Mindfulness Journal For Teens is an excellent one to add to their collection.  The journal introduces teens to a number of mindfulness exercises and “teen survival skills” through the practice of self-reflection, inspirational quotes, and journaling.  We love that this journal focuses on relevant topics for teens, such as self-esteem, relationships, and worries about the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Real World Money Lessons for Kids & Teens

While not a game or toy, Real World Money Lessons is a fantastic, fun way to teach children and teens about money. After numerous requests from parents and teachers for more in-depth coverage of the latter topic, the Toren brothers have put together the perfect money-management-for-kids publication. Whether used as a stand-alone tool or as a companion to the original Kidpreneurs book, this book will provide your kids with an education on money that will put them miles ahead of even most high school graduates.

 

 

 

Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs with Big Ideas

The philosophy behind the Kidpreneurs book is simple. The future of our children begins with us! Most people say, “It’s never too late.” The Torens say, “It’s never too early.” The benefits for an early introduction to the basic principles and infinite rewards of entrepreneurship are massive.