Relaxation Techniques for Children

Life for children is no more what it used to be, thrown in a highly competitive world early on in life, can take quite are regressive toll on some. I have often wondered how some children cope, while some just don't. From what I have read, seen and understood, is that children have an amazing ability to de-stress themselves, something we lose as we grow older. Psychologists that study children behavior and educationists who work with children on a daily basis have emphasized on the need for relaxation. Relaxing the mind, body and soul brings about a positive change in most people, it especially helps children more as they do not perceive things in the same manner as adults do. Children, just by their very virtue of innocence, are more open to accepting changes which translate into a positive vibe for them, enabling them to deal with stress, even as they become adults.

Techniques to Help Your Child Relax

Relaxation techniques could range from simple activities to prescribed ones, from the one's learned at home to the one's taught under guidance. Following are a few of them.

Laughter: Laughter can de-stress children and adults alike. Laughter releases endorphins, a mood elevator. Besides this, a good laugh reduces blood pressure and decreases stress hormones. So give your kids a reason to laugh, a funny movie, a joke or perhaps a visit to the circus.

Meditation: Meditation like yoga is an age-old technique to relax the mind, body and soul. A form of physical exercise, yoga can be introduced to children as young as four years old, starting with the basics of meditation and breathing techniques.

Breathing: Taking deep breaths while one is stressed, pumps in more oxygen into blood and to the brain. Basic breathing exercises take very little effort, teach your kids to concentrate on breathing by relaxing in a comfortable spot with eyes closed. Start with inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth exercise, and gradually move on to more complex ones.

Muscles Relaxation: As they are children, they cannot sit in the same place or do the same things for prolonged periods. And exams forces them to do exactly that, stressing their neck, back and leg muscles. Simple stretching exercises will increase the blood circulation in those cramped muscles, and help them to relax.

Music: Music for many is like soul food as it stimulates the brain which allows kids to be better focused, productive and motivated. When I say music, I do not mean just classical, environmental sounds or instrumental sounds, but any form of music that your child enjoys. Since it's he or she who needs to relax, as parents you can guide them to make an informative choice, but not decide for them, for what could be noise to you, will be music to their ears.

Sleep: Sleep deprivation is seen as a major cause of stress, tiredness, frustration and anger among children. It's recommended that children should get a minimum of 8-9 hours of sleep, everyday. Adequate sleep is vital to unwind and improvise the ability to manage stress.

Visualization: Visualization is a powerful technique where one uses creativity by stimulating imagination to solve problems, or simply de-stress. Teach your child to create happiness and peace around him or her by visualizing beautiful places, happy episodes and memories. Trust me, this one technique always works well, for children have no dearth of imagination.

Few More Relaxation Techniques for Kids

There are many more other ways so that children can relax themselves, without guidance from their parents. Children by instinct find ways to cope with difficulties by involving their minds in places where adults may find it hard to get their share of peace.

• Clay Modeling: Research has proved that keeping your hands engrossed, keeps your mind from getting too worked up.
• Bubble Bath: Children love water, give them their own time and place where they can splash about as much as they want. Though, if it's in a pool, keep an eye.
• Gardening: When kids use their tiny little hands for digging up soil, planting and watering, it gives them a sense of purpose, and happiness.
• Dancing: Dancing makes them happy, put on some lively music and see them tap their worries away.
• Coloring: Art is a form of expression, let your kids express or even vent out their feelings on paper.
• Reading: Reading lets your mind travel far from worries, give your children a large number of books where they can leave their stress behind.

As parents, teachers and care providers, we need to recognize the need for providing our kids with ways to handle and manage stress, ways they can evolve and carry forward as they grow older.