EP 22- How Kristina Meditates To Feel Better

Zara and Leo are on a mission to hear from YOU. Listen to the mini-episodes as Big Life Kids (our listeners) from across the world tell us about their amazing adventures.

In this episode, Zara and Leo try some awesome yoga poses and a calming breathing exercise. And one of our listeners, Kristina, uses meditations to help her feel and sleep better.

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In this episode, children will:

learn how using meditation can help them feel and sleep better
be inspired by our listener Kristina

Supplemental Resources

Read

Breathing Makes it Better: A Book for Sad Days, Mad Days, Glad Days, and all the Feelings In-Between by Christopher Willard
Bee Still by Frank Silio
Mind Bubbles by Heather Krantz
Wild Mindfulness by Laura Larson
A World of Pausabilities is another title by Frank Silio
Here and Now by Julia Denos

Watch

3 Minutes Body Scan Meditation by Fablefy
Mindfulness for Kids: What does being present mean? by Fablefy
Cosmic Kids Zen Den Playlist - Mindfulness Series for Kids by Cosmic Kids
5 Mindfulness Exercises for Kids by Cosmic Kids
Breathing Buddies by Edutopia
Mindfulness Videos for Kids by GoNoodle

Activities

1. Complete Weeks 19 & 20 "Be Mindful" in the Big Life Journal - 1st Edition. Practice mindful smiling every morning when your child wakes up. If done regularly, this exercise will make children happier, healthier, and more positive.

2. Practice mindfulness using these 5 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children (in our Gratitude & Mindfulness Kit) in your home or classroom. These simple yet effective activities are designed to bring calm and to help children be in the present moment. Make mindfulness practices a regular part of your routine to reap the benefits.

3. When difficult moments arise, use the Calming Strategies for Adults (in our Resilience Kit) to pause and regain calm (and model this response to your children). Place this simple and elegant poster somewhere it can easily be seen.

4. Use the My Strategies to Feel Calm poster (in our Resilience Kit) to teach children emotional regulation. When they experience "big feelings", we want them to learn how to move through these emotions in a positive way. Whenever they need a calming activity, refer to the poster for quick, effective ideas.

5. Check out the Podcast Activity Kit for Seasons 1 & 2. The kit includes engaging activities to boost self-esteem, teach the importance of learning from mistakes, encourage resilience and more!

Discussion Questions

How did meditation help Kristina sleep better?
What’s one way you can use mindfulness to help you relax?
Can you think of a time in your day when you can benefit from being mindful?

For Parents and Teachers

Produced by Alexandra Eidens and Big Life Journal team. Written and directed by Sarah Cyrano. Sound design and original music by Elettra Bargiacchi. Sound mixing by Mattia Marcelli. Characters played by Sean Chiplock and Ryan Bartley. Managed by Kait Bibb.