When I started Mindful Movement with Maggie, my main priority was creating workouts for busy people to do at home that included all aspects- core, strengthening, and stretching, as well as build in a mindfulness practice that leaves you feeling calm, grounded, and reset. The more I practiced M3 myself, I could see how my daughter watched and emulated me, and how through my example I was teaching her how to build a healthy relationship with movement. The older she gets, the more fun it is to share my practice with her and now at 6 years old, I am proud that movement and meditation is more than a norm for her, it is something that brings joy and inspiration into her life. As I moved with Audrey at home, I could clearly see the value it was adding to her life and wanted to share that with other kids as well. And so, M3 for Kids was born and started to take root in classrooms and living rooms all over the Bay Area and beyond.
What is Mindful Movement for Kids?
My approach:
I meet kids where they are at. I believe children can understand and pick up on big concepts when they are learning how to embody them. While that can be leveraged to influence a lot of good in child development, it can also bring about some challenges that we, as parents, need to be mindful of and proactive about. Our kids are growing up in a world where so much is coming at them so quickly, and, just like us, they need the tools to slow down and check in with their emotions. M3 for Kids offers videos that teach kids how to practice things like breathwork, movement/exercise, and mindfulness in a fun and accessible way. These are the tools they can lean on throughout their life to deal with any challenge that life throws their way.
The Major Points:
Exercise:
This generation of kids are generally more sedentary--spending a lot of time at school in desks and on screens. They need to move their body. They need to channel their energy into something physical otherwise it gets wound up in their system and there’s no way for them to process or work through big feelings and emotions. Taking small movement breaks during the school day followed by a mindful moment to re-center can have an incredibly positive impact on children’s development and productivity. In an article from Education Week Teacher it states:
“...studies show that children who are more active exhibit better focus, faster cognitive processing, and more successful memory retention than kids who spend the day sitting still. Keeping the body active promotes mental clarity by increasing blood flow to the brain, making activity vital to both learning and physical and neurological health.”
Spacial awareness:
Knowing where your body is, is an important skill that takes practice to master, especially at the preschool and elementary age. Being taught where your ‘bubble of space’ is, helps children to understand respect for their own bodies as well as others. When doing Mindful Movement in a group, it is important to remind kids to notice where they are in the room or in the circle and always bring the conversation back to their personal ‘bubble of space.’
Non-competitive environment:
Other sports and extracurricular activities always involve some element of competition or an end goal. Competition has its benefits and I think that every child should experience the lessons learned from winning, practicing, losing, and continuing to show up again and again. However, with a mindful movement practice, we can teach kids how to just move and be present in their body, without an end goal in mind. What an amazing practice to be able to move just to feel good and be in the moment, especially as we continue to mature into middle and high school, and beyond that into our adult lives.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness is best learned when connected to movement. Think of a time when you felt upset or frustrated or anxious. Can you remember how that feels in your body? Our body language reflects our emotions. Conversely, when we get up and move our body, we shift our mindset. For sure this is a hard practice to integrate as an adult. If our kids grow up with a positive movement practice it is something that will stick with them into their adult lives. To me this looks like shaking out, breathing, dancing, jumping up and down, moving with flow to music. Then….stillness. A quiet moment sitting or laying down with eyes closed.
Ready to begin your mindful movement practice with your kid(s)?
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Think Mindful Movement would be beneficial at your child’s school?
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