World Relaxation Day: Top relaxation tips for children

Happy World Relaxation Day! World Relaxation Day is celebrated annually and was originally created by 9-year-old Sean Moeller who wanted a dedicated day where everyone could take the time to relax and regain some calmness.

Here at Foster Care UK, we know that young people can feel stressed and anxious, especially during times of change or upheaval. So, we have put together a list of fun family friendly activities to help you create a more relaxed and stress-free environment. Being able to recognise and cope with anxiety is a skill that will benefit children for life, by doing these simple activities together with them, you are teaching your little one how to calm themselves down and how to look out for early signs of stress.

Check out our top relaxing tips below:

• Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a great way of dealing with anxiousness as it is all about being ‘in the moment’ and makes focus on what you are currently doing. Mindfulness encourages you to use all your senses to really experience the moment. Getting little ones to focus on what is around them can sound challenging but exercising simple mindfulness on a regular basis is a good way of helping children to pause and think before they react to certain situations. Here is an easy mindful exercise you can try, take a small food item (like a grape or cracker) and ask your little one to examine it closely. Ask them to look at it, smell it and see what it feels like in their mouth, as well as how it tastes and sounds like. By asking them to do this you are enabling them to be ‘in the moment’ whilst doing something they have done plenty of times before but have not paid that much attention to before. Close examination like this is a great way of focussing the mind and helping them relax.
• Laugh it off – Laughter has been proven to decrease stress hormones and relax muscles. If you find that your child is feeling anxious or is becoming stressed, try watching your favourite show together, telling jokes, or try pulling funny faces. Not only will this create a more relaxed environment for you all, it will also help you and your child to bond and become closer with one another.
• Deep breaths – Simple breathing exercises can help with slowing down racing heart rates and can also help with regaining control of your body. If you notice your child is becoming stressed or overwhelmed, encourage them to take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds and then slowly exhale. You can try different styles of breathing but it is important you find a style that suits you and your little one. You can incorporate this into your daily routine and teach your child to practice the breathing exercise when they find themselves in an overwhelming situation.
• Stretch it out – Practising yoga with your children is a great way of incorporating simple exercise into your routine, as well as a mindful experience which can also help reduce stress. Through yoga, you are teaching your child to live ‘in the moment’ and focus on what they are doing at that moment. Try this simple yoga move with your little one, stretch your arms above your heads, stand on tiptoes and make yourself as tall as possible, and then flop back down to your original stance. Repeat this a few times to get yourself and your little one used to yoga, you can view other yoga moves to try, here.

We hope these tips will help you and your family create a more relaxed and stress-free environment!