Six Self-Care Activities for Kids

Yoga & Stretching

Stretching can help both you and your child relax, especially before bed, while also improving flexibility. Stretches should be held for around 20 seconds, and this helps your child's body slow down after high-energy activities. Another form of physical activity, yoga can provide similar benefits of relieving nervousness and anxious feelings.

Art Therapy

Creativity is vital to the long-term development of children. A child can use many senses when creating art including sight, sound, touch, smell and even taste, making it a great activity for a developing young one. Plus, creating art is the first step to developing fine motor skills for children. Scribbling eventually leads to greater control and the ability to make shapes and, eventually, the ability to write.

And, most importantly, kids enjoy making art!

Story Time

A nightly routine like reading together helps a child’s development in many ways. Young children can benefit from getting to know sounds and understandings words or language. The literacy skills a child develops when reading with adults can lead to a life-long enjoyment of books. It can also result in a strong relationship between adults and children.

• The 10 Best Books for Baby’s First Library
• The 15 Best Books for 1- and 2-Year-Olds
• 10 Books to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten

Listen to Calming Music

Music naturally grabs a child's attention, and creating music is often enjoyable for children. It can be both stimulating and soothing. When a child is hyperactive, music can grab their attention, causing them to focus on the sounds they are hearing.

It doesn’t have to be slow music either. As long as a child enjoys the music, it can be classical, pop or even rock music that grabs their attention and helps them relax.

Take a Bath

Baths can stimulate children and cause a burst of energy. Consider reducing the number of toys to avoid over-stimulation during bath time. Keeping water levels low minimizes messes while using lukewarm water avoids skin irritation or abrupt stimulation. By making bath time part of a regular routine, children can become accustomed to winding down and relaxing during a bath.

Don’t forget about these necessary precautions during bath time.

Screen-Free Day

Studies suggest that screen time has a direct correlation with sedentary behavior in children which leads to increased obesity. Activities as simple and easy as dancing, walking, drawing or building a fort take electronic devices out of children’s hands and enhance sensory and creative development.