BELLY BUDDIES
Belly Buddies is a wonderful mindfulness exercise that teaches our little
ones the importance of taking care of ourselves and that we each have a
safe and peaceful place inside us. This exercise is one I use with my very
own children at night time before bed, it’s a part of our bedtime routine.
Not only does it help calm them before bed, but again, their focused
attention on the rising and falling of their belly buddy helps exercise that
attention and awareness muscle.
1.
2.
3.
Pick out a belly buddy or an item that has some weight to it, this
could be a small stone or a small stuffed animal.
Lay flat on your back and place your belly buddy on your still body.
Play the song “Breathing in, Breathing out” by Betsy Rose (you can
find it on itunes or youtube) or any other calming or soothing song for
about 4-5 minutes.
4.
Feel the belly buddy moving up and down as you breathe in and
breathe out.
Any calming exercise is best to introduce and practice with your child
when they are already calm. Children as well as adults find it difficult to
learn something new when they are experiencing overwhelming feelings.
Never force or demand that your child use a calming method, that only adds
more pressure. However, it would helpful to have a picture or poster of the
method to remind the child that it is an option if they find themselves
stressed or overwhelmed with unpleasant emotions.
Not only will your little ones benefit long-term from a consistent
mindfulness practice but you’ll soon start to notice in them some immediate
benefits as well, such as improved concentration, stress reduction, increased
empathy, better mood, improved sleep, more compassion, decreased
anxiety, over-all sense of well-being, and loving kindness.