Mindfulness Through Play: How Fun Activities Help Kids Manage Stress And Anxiety

As fun as it looks, being a child has its own set of challenges; children are exposed to stressful situations which can lead to a youth laden with anxiety or even a lifetime of chaotic emotions.

Mindfulness Through Play

What Is Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the quality of being conscious balancing both awareness and acceptance, being more mindful while engaging your 5 senses and performing any task with complete energy and concentration. When your child does an activity while being mindful, it can aid him in managing stress and anxiety in the longer run, as he’s subconsciously learning to be fully present in the moment. (Image source: Canva)

In What Ways Does Stress Affect Children: Present-day pressures such as scholarly demands, domestic dynamics, and peer benchmarks contribute hefty to the complex web of stress-inducing agents that leave kids feeling overwhelmed. Practising mindfulness through play is a therapeutic approach that counters the aforementioned by modifying the neural pathway of a child’s brain, fostering healthier stress responses. (Image source: Canva)

How Play Blends In Mindfulness: When children are immersed in the joyous mood, endorphins are released which naturally lowers cortisol levels – defeating stress. Mindful play has a host of benefits, it increases body awareness, sharpens focus and attention, enhances learning abilities and boosts academic performance and social interactions. (Image source: Canva)

Activities That Promote Mindfulness: Simple breath-based games or sensory play that have a soothing effect, can lead to more stability and concentration as it increases body awareness, and regulates the overall internal mechanisms. Exercise-based games allow children to feel their bodily functions from outside, and thus grow aware of their physiology which not only roots them but boots their overall memory and sense of consideration, which teaches them the value of the present moment. Yoga is known to aid a life free of stress, for it builds emotional resilience, making young minds more adaptable and woke to the value behind savouring the moment. (Image source: Canva)

How Mindfulness Alleviates Stress In Children: Mindfulness through play relaxes the body, softening the muscles, focusing on the task at hand, and experiencing the taste of the present moment while having fun. Colouring or painting activities can be a great aid too as they promote creativity as well as critical thinking – as children learn the harmony of colours. (Image source: Canva)

Inputs By: Ankur Maheshwary, Founder, Masti Zone(Image source: Canva)