Self-Care Techniques For Kids

Author: Anya Willis

Self-care is the way we help ourselves recharge, refresh, and prepare for the day ahead. This is especially important for kids who are still developing their own coping skills and coping strategies.

They’re also going through their own stages of self-awareness, and their needs may change from one moment to the next. So how can you help children learn to take care of themselves? 

The good news is that it’s easier than you think! There are plenty of ways to do this, from re-establishing routines to a regular bedtime routine. In this article, Jump Start Swimming discusses self-care, why it’s so important, and activities that help kids learn to care for themselves.

What Is Self-Care?

Self-care is something that people of all ages and backgrounds do to maintain good mental health. It can be difficult for kids to know when they need to take care of themselves, which is why we must teach them.

As a parent or guardian, it’s important to role-model self-care so that children know what it’s supposed to look like. Therefore, try to make it a point to practice different self-care routines every day.

When kids know what self-care looks like, they’ll learn how to care for themselves instead of relying on others. But keep in mind that if you are stressed, your child will likely be stressed, as well. And this can affect their self-care routine.

As such, you should work on your own techniques for reducing stress in your life. Whether it’s eating right, exercising, or other self-care methods, the key is to feel better about yourself without turning into a perfectionist.

Such behavior can have detrimental effects on children, so make sure you’re not setting a bad example by demanding perfection in everything you do.

Self-Care Activities for Kids

Here are a few ideas for self-care activities for kids. You may have to tweak them to suit your child, but these are a good start.

Put together a self-care kit that could include items like a jar of their favorite stickers, a book or toy, and some healthy snacks. 

Help them find their own place to relax. You can help with this by creating a spot in the house where they can decompress and relax—this is often best achieved by adding things they love, such as toys or books.

Perhaps most importantly, turn off the TV and get outside! Encourage your kids to play with friends and explore their surroundings. Take them on walks, go for bike rides, or give them bubble wands so they can blow bubbles on the lawn.

Learn to meditate. Meditation is shown to be an excellent way to decompress after a stressful day. Browse around online for tips on how to meditate successfully if you’re unfamiliar with meditation techniques.

Go swimming. Swimming is a wonderful way to help melt away stress. And since most kids love to swim, it’s a fun and exciting activity to use in their self-care routine. If your child doesn’t know how to swim, sign them up for swimming lessons at Jump Start Swimming so that they can take part in this fun and helpful activity.

Do Yoga. Yoga is another great way to take care of yourself. Yoga provides the opportunity to feel balanced emotionally and physically. Yoga can help you manage your stress levels, which will have a positive impact on your life. If you’re not sure what to do, there are numerous free courses online to help you get started.
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For more self-care tips visit Anya Willis’ website: https://fitkids.info/

Indoor Fun For Kids: Tips and Ideas

Author: Jenna Sherman

When it's time for play, sending your kids outside to explore nature and have fun is always great. What about when there's bad weather or they need to stay inside? It doesn't have to be the end of the world — there are plenty of fun and educational things to entertain kids indoors.

Arts and Crafts

Creating art stimulates many areas of the brain and is fun for kids. Some children love to have structured crafts to complete. Practice in following directions is great for them. However, giving kids access to create their own crafts helps them think outside the box and lets them express themselves. A simple way to provide this is by keeping a cabinet or shelf stocked with random items, such as pipe cleaners, glue, glitter, tissue paper, markers, and anything else you can imagine. As a bonus, keep a box full of recyclable items, including water bottles and boxes. It's a good opportunity for kids to learn about recycling, and it's inexpensive, too.

STEM Activities

In schools, there's a large push on learning in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Any activities kids complete in these subjects are sure to help them in the future, on top of being just plain fun. Try completing science experiments, building challenges with Lego or blocks, or programs to learn how to code. No matter your child's favorite subject, there are plenty of ideas for fun indoor activities. 

Activity Centers

If you need to stay indoors but also need to get away from home, an activity center is a fun solution. Try looking for an indoor pool: Many are open year-round so you can even swim in the winter. In Santa Ana, California, you can find swimming pools, gymnastics centers, miniature golf, and play areas. These allow your kids to jump, run, and release energy without being exposed to the elements.

Imagine a Small Business

Another fun way for kids to spend a rainy day is to imagine what it would be like to own their own business. They can learn about entrepreneurship and have fun creating products. For instance, they could start an imaginary clothing business. Think about products and supplies. Use a tool for your clothing logo design that allows them to use their own fonts and images. Perhaps they can create the items by sewing clothes for dolls or decorating outgrown clothes.

Make a Fort

Who doesn't love building a fort? Buy a kit that provides a framework to build, or go old school and use couch cushions, pillows, tables, and chairs to build up walls. For an added bonus, let kids create a fort in their room and spend the night inside like an indoor campout. You can get everyone in on the fun by making the fort into a neighborhood with each room having its own creation or by joining them together with tunnels for an epic play space.

Make Indoor Time Fun

Just because you're stuck inside doesn't mean boredom rules. There are a host of entertaining and educational activities to keep your kids busy for days. These ideas are only the tip of the iceberg.

Check out Jump Start Swimming for swimming lessons in Huntington Beach and other resources while you have fun with your family, no matter the weather. 

For more tips for kids, please visits Jenna Sherman’s website http://parent-leaders.com/