Since the Covid-19 pandemic, children’s lives have changed dramatically. Classes and sporting activities are canceled, events are postponed, and they must be socially distant from friends. These challenging circumstances may create additional stress for children. Consider art and mindfulness to help your child manage stress.
Begin by planning a virtual tour of an art museum with your child. Because many museums are currently closed, they have made their collections available online. Choose a museum from this online list.
Before embarking on the virtual tour, ask your child which type of artwork they would most like to see. Providing them with a list of the available exhibits may help them decide. Now, focus your tour on individual sections of the museum. Then, ask your child to choose their favorite artwork.
Once your child chooses a favorite art piece, guide them through a mindfulness activity. Remember, mindfulness is about presence, observation, and non-judgement.
Begin by asking your child to simply observe what colors, shapes, and textures they see. Look at all of the tiny details and nuances closely. Explain that if they experience any judgmental thoughts about the artwork, they should simply observe the thought. Let it be there and just notice it. It’s perfectly normal if thoughts show up.
As your child continues to focus, tell them to breathe and relax their body. Encourage them to become aware of any other feelings, sounds, or sensations they experience while they are viewing the artwork.
Allow them to spend as little as 30 seconds on this activity or to focus as long as they would like. Even just 30 seconds could give them a chance to relax and be present.