Being aware of things, feelings or their own body can help children to relax and reduce their stress in everyday life.
Parents can try the exercises together with the children.
But it is important that there is no pressure.
If a child doesn't want to do the exercise, that's okay too.
A relaxed atmosphere can be supportive: a warm environment, a comfortable surface and pleasant lighting, a beautiful candlelight.
To breathe
Take 5 minutes together with the child and breathe in and out consciously.
Place your hands on your stomach and feel the abdominal wall rise and fall.
This relaxes at any time of the day - and also between homework.
For small children, you can also place a stuffed animal on their tummy so they can watch the animal follow the movements of their tummy.
This gives them a better understanding of how air flows through the body.
Breathe like an elephant
Stand firmly on the ground and close your eyes.
Then have the child pretend it is an elephant.
He takes a deep breath in through his nose.
Meanwhile, it raises both arms and puts them on top of each other as if they were a trunk.
As the child exhales, it drops its trunk again.
You can repeat this several times.
Carefully on the way
Be aware of things on the way to daycare or school: Am I walking fast or slow?
How does the ground feel under your feet?
What noises can you hear?
How do the arms move when walking?
collect stones
Collect rocks while walking or in the park.
As different as possible.
Then take a close look at it, every stone is different.
Encourage the child to feel the surface, to smell it.
Does the stone smell of earth?
Or lime?
Does the stone have special colors?
Then take a favorite stone home with you as a reminder of the day.
Careful at the table
As a family, you can set aside one day a week when everyone, over dinner, talks about what they are grateful for, in general or on that day, and what you appreciate about the other family members.
Mindful in everyday life
You can practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere.
Even when brushing your teeth, by concentrating on how the toothbrush feels in your mouth or what sounds you hear.
Because the brain isn't thinking about everything else (tomorrow's math test or the cluttered room), you can relax during this time.
favourite song
Find a favorite corner in the apartment or in the children's room and listen to your favorite song while closing your eyes.
Then paint a picture to the question: What comes to your mind when you hear the song?
write diary
Every evening before going to bed, think about what was nice that day and write it down in a little book.
This sharpens the awareness for the beautiful things.
If there is no time, you can also tell yourself - and let the other person finish speaking.
dream trip
This works best before bedtime when the kids are in bed.
Then you tell a fantasy story that is far removed from everyday life, but there are everyday motifs.
How does a day in the sun feel when it suddenly rains?
How do I imagine the smell of wet earth or when the wind blows across my face.
Stories for dream trips abound on the internet, but you can also make them up yourself.
They are definitely relaxing.
my cards
You can talk to the child about activities that they enjoy doing and that relax them.
These are then individually drawn on cards that can be picked up in a special place.
If a day is stressful and turbulent, you can bring them out and do one of the nice activities to relax.