Call it a modern day, glitz-ified snowglobe, this “meditation jar” is a brilliant idea.
We’re not really known for being crafty, except for maybe a few times we’ve snuck cookies off the cooling tray, but when this kid’s project popped up on our radar we couldn’t help be impressed with both its level of simplicity (ding!), its cool factor (ding! ding!) and its potential to have a calming, one could say, meditative effect on its audience, even rambunctious kids and their rowdy adult counterparts (ding! ding! ding!)
Suzanne Seligson, an Art Therapist and Kids Yoga teacher in Montclair, NJ shared on a parenting site how this “meditation jar” combines creativity and expression to help students in her Kids Yoga and Art classes deal with their jumble of emotions, kind of like how kale chips mask that whole veggie thing. It’s easy to make, and leaves plenty of room for imagination.
Meditation Jar
In a glass jar (recycled pasta sauce or baby food jar), mix about 1 tablespoon of glitter glue (found in any art store) with 1 cup of warm water. If desired, add food coloring for some vibrant color.Have your child imagine the glitter as their thoughts. Have them shake the jar and imagine their head full of whirling thoughts. Then have them set the jar down, and continue to watch the thoughts slowly settle as they, themselves, begin to calm.
We love this, and there are unlimited options when it comes to children’s imaginations. A tool to calm the mind and open it up all in one. We think the big kids (of all ages) might benefit from this as well, eh?
Alternative adult version: Buy/make a green juice. Don’t drink it. Wait til it separates and settles. Shake. Wait. Watch. Repeat.
More meditation jar instructions at jugglingwithkids.com.
[Barista Kids]
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Earlier…
- Kids Yoga…In Juvenile Detention
- Baby Yoga is Adorable and Relaxing, Even When It’s Not
- Meditation Effects on Education (Infographic)
- Yoga, ‘It Just Makes My Day’ – Matthew, Age 6
This is a great tool for teaching mindfulness to youth. I like to let kids and teens add their own glitter, small shells, sand, etc., to the jar as they share the contents of their mind. “I’m adding five shells to represent my 5 school subjects that I worry most about.” The items sink at different times and some items float, enriching the metaphor.
I first came across this technique over 10 years ago in Kerry McLeans’ book, Peaceful Piggies Yoga.
http://www.amazon.com/Peaceful-Meditation-Albert-Whitman-Prairie/dp/0807563811/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379961544&sr=8-1&keywords=kerry+mclean