How To Use Mandalas For Mindfulness In Children

Introduction

Mandalas are soothing, circular designs that use repeating geometrical shapes, colors, and patterns in a centripetal manner, aka radiating from the center. While Buddhist monks originally began drawing mandalas in sand in repetitive designs to let go of all the negative emotions, modern mandalas use all kinds of materials. This is what makes things more interesting for children.

Mandalas are an excellent way of introducing young kids to meditation and mindfulness. As for reticent adolescents and stressed adults, they help keep worries and anxieties at bay. Thanks to its comfortable repetition of patterns, soothing designs, and liberal use of colors, mandalas have a relaxing and mindful effect on all who engage in painting or making them.

Mindfulness And Mandala - The Connection

Mindfulness refers to the art of being fully present in the moment and experiencing every bit of it, the good and the bad. It teaches kids to accept the negative aspects and appreciate the positive bits of life. And mandalas help introduce kids to this wonderful natural skill, by making them forget limitations and let go of their emotions.

While emotional regulation is a priority in kids, so is dealing with those emotions. Mandalas ensure that kids get to focus on enjoying the sensation of painting or creating it. Any emotions they feel associated with the mandala art they make should be acknowledged and dealt with by themselves. This will teach your children how to handle their emotions better and simply enjoy whatever they do.

Mandala Art Activities To Develop Mindfulness In Kids

1. Sand Art Mandala

Mandala sand art is a colloquial take on the original method of doing the art. For this, you can either use ordinary colored sand or provide kids with kinetic sand to make things fun. Just like rangolis, children can use colored sand and household items to do the geometric designs. Younger kids can try using animal cut-outs and kinetic sand to create unique mandala designs that delight all.

2. Food Mandala

Food mandala is a fun way of introducing children to various food groups and nutrition while making mandala. For this, let kids use non-perishable or uncooked dry foods like pasta, lentils, beans, seeds, and more to create mandala designs. This will not only intrigue kids further about nutrition but also improve their creativity and imagination.

3. Eco-Friendly Mandala

Make your children more mindful of the environment as well as their emotions by engaging them in a single activity. Making mandalas with eco-friendly and recyclable products. Encourage them to use leftover waste items, like plastic forks, spoons, cups, buttons, combs, and more. Ensure appropriate attire and hygiene are maintained but do let them get creative and make a mandala design out of their chosen scavenger supplies. Not only will this ensure your kids remain physically active, but also mentally and environmentally sharp.

4. Non-Dominant Hand Mandala

One of the most effective and liberating mindfulness exercises is encouraging your kids to use their non-dominant hand for coloring and primarily making a mandala. This gives their cognitive and coordination skills a massive workout while teaching them to learn to let go of things. Not everything in life can be colored perfectly between the lines till the time is right and this lesson can be taught to kids from a young age.

5. Natural Mandala

Making mandalas with natural objects is a fun and stimulating mindfulness exercise for children. Simply guide them for 10 minutes and gather any art supplies they need from nature. After that, they will use them to make mandalas from scratch. While initially they may be daunted, inspire them to use leaves, bark, branches, twigs, flowers, and more to create pretty, natural, and soothing mandala designs.

6. Mandala Dreamcatchers

Introduce your kids to weaving and sewing by choosing colors, threads, and designs together before beginning a mandala dreamcatcher project together. Let them choose and take the lead while you act as the ‘advisor’ of the project. To keep them interested, start by introducing some positive reinforcement for this project. Later, as they start enjoying the project and finally complete it, their sense of achievement and productivity will know no bounds.

Tips On Using Mandala To Develop Mindfulness In Children

• Do not be restrictive or rigid. Let kids be creative and unique.
• Instead of forcing them to give mandala art a try, give it a try yourself and show how much you enjoyed the activity. Kids love to try things their parents enjoy.
• Mandala art is a concept, and its applications are endless. Try to be creative and explore them with your kids.
• Always ask gentle questions about their feelings and creative choices after the project is over.

Conclusion

Doing mandala art brings peace to the mind and helps lower stress in humans of all ages. The comfort of sameness, the repetition of patterns, and the familiarity of colors, all of it make the activity soothing and engaging. Without even realizing it, children doing mandala art engage in deep, relaxed breathing and active, mindful thinking. This even helps children with autism and ADHD handle triggers and distractions.