INSIDE: Self care isn't just for adults! These day, kids are under a considerable amount of stress as well. Try these self care for kids activities to help them with anxiety, enjoy more well-being, and set themselves up with some healthy habits.

 

Have you ever wondered about how your life would be if you had started your self-care rituals just a little earlier?

As adults, most of us understand the importance of self care. Taking the time to disconnect from the world and reconnect with ourselves helps us to maintain a healthy balance - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

But the majority of us don’t come to this realization until we hit a certain point: the point of conscious change.

Our youthful years are the prime time for learning and developing healthy habits. After the age of 25, our brains stop working the way they used to. It becomes harder to absorb and retain new information as our brain is fully developed.

As such, adults begin to operate through the rational, prefrontal cortex, while young adults and children operate through their emotional response center.

Children have an overwhelming amount of emotion, which is why self care for kids is incredibly valuable.

Learning how to manage, regulate, and express emotions early on can lead to logical decision-making, remarkable accountability, and a higher rate of happiness as an adult.

Importance of Self Care for Kids

It's important to know the value of self care for kids as parents, older siblings, or as anyone with children in their lives.

The way we act around children can have a long-lasting effect on them. They don't face nearly as many day-to-day interactions as adults do, so even the smallest interaction can impact them, and it's our responsibility to make it a good one!

It does wonders to a child’s self-esteem when they feel heard, valued, and appreciated. Holding space for them so they can express themselves around you will definitely go a long way.

And if you want to take it up a notch for the little one in your life, we have some fun self care for kids activities that you can do together...

Self Care for Kids Activities

Self care can come in many different forms -- it caters to what we're lacking in the moment. Whether that means exercise, creative expression, or simply stillness, it reminds us of the value that we hold as individuals.

Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Children already seem to have many activities that allow expression - play time, arts and crafts, storytelling, and more.

However, teaching them the value of doing these things when they're feeling emotionally overwhelmed is what makes all the difference. And once they are able to identify what activity they need to do to relieve their emotional influx, you’ve done your job!

Introduce Them to Crystals

Children are naturally attracted to crystals, and they can help them foster a world of imagination, magic, and play. Crystals can be used to help them release stress, increase confidence, feel comforted, and so much more.

Let them choose the crystals they want to work with based on the ones they are drawn to. Children are very intuitive, so they're sure to pick the right ones for them. 

Learn what crystals are best for kids and how they can use them here.

Introduce Stillness

A foreign concept to most children, stillness can be extremely beneficial when introduced at an early age. Whether it's a guided YouTube meditation or a simple 5 minute practice, teaching a child to be mindful of the present moment can instill in them a great deal of self-awareness.

Encourage Journaling

Sometimes a child won’t want to share their thoughts or feelings with anyone out of fear of judgement, and that’s totally okay. Encouraging them to journal in these times allows them to feel safe and sound, and it's one of the best self care for kids.

Give them a blank notebook, or a fun gratitude journal with daily prompts so they can learn the value of reflection and self-expression early on!

Have a Dance Party

In times when your child is overwhelmed with energy and doesn’t know what to do with it, host an impromptu dance party! Allow them to shake it off to some funky tunes, teach them the value of intuitive movement, and create meaningful memories together.

Practice Breathwork

As we get older, breathwork becomes an increasingly integral part of maintaining mindfulness. During moments of anxiety, panic, and stress, focusing on the breath helps to stabilize emotions. 

When your child is struggling, introduce the 4-7-8 method:

• Inhale for 4 seconds
• Hold for 7 seconds
• Exhale for 8
• Repeat as many times as you need to

Teaching them this technique will undoubtedly help them out during any future hardships they may face without you. Frame it as a challenge, and it’ll be hard for them to turn down.

Orchestrate a Play

Collaborating on a play is one of the best self care for kids activities! It allows them to spend time daydreaming and then bring those dreams to life, emphasizing the value of creativity, visualization, and action-taking.

Be sure to teach them how easy and fast their visualizations can manifest into reality with just a little bit of work.

Have a Spa Day

Having an at-home spa day can be a super fun activity for you and your child. Showing them the importance of prioritizing themselves will allow them to maintain this into their adult years without feeling guilt or shame.

Do a face mask, burn some herbs or diffuse some essential oils for aromatherapy, give them a message, do your nails -- the options are endless!

Gather some self care product ideas here!

Create a Vision Board

Next time your child is in the mood for something artsy, introduce them to the magic of a vision board. It's a really fun type of self care for kids.

To do this, you will need:

• Access to a printer
• Poster paper or a bulletin board
• Tape, glue or thumbtacks

How to create a vision board:

• Create separate lists of goals you want to achieve within a year
• Surf through Pinterest to find pictures that remind you of each goal (or magazines if you have them)
• TIP: Find affirmative words that express how you'll feel when you accomplish these goals
• Print them out and make a collage on your board

This will allow them to focus on their dreams, whatever they may be at the time, and teach them the value of thinking ahead. Seeing their dreams every day will make it hard for them to forget, and it will motivate them to take action!

Write Each Other Love Letters

If they're feeling down (and even if they’re not), writing each other love letters can be a really fun activity to do together.

It does not need to be fancy or poetic (unless you have a poet on your hands!). Instead, it can be as simple as writing down a list of things you love about each other or a few paragraphs of how much they mean to you and vice versa. 

This teaches them the importance of emotional expression and shows that love comes in all different forms!

As a bonus, they will always have a piece of you to refer to on their down days to cheer them up, and they will grow up with a higher sense of self, knowing their value.

Remember to Stay True to Your Word

The most important thing to remember is that children are sponges. They absorb the energy they're around! Because of this, it's important to maintain your word around them, as to not confuse them or show them that it is okay to say one thing, but do another.

Final Thoughts on Self Care For Kids

We hope some of these self care for kids activities inspired a fun play-date with you and your little one. When you show them how they should be loved and treated early on, they will never settle for less!