A common feeling shared by many, especially in the modern Middle, is the constant difficulty which adults especially have in finding opportunities to be still, to have moments of breathing, of calm in our noisy busy world. Now let’s picture ourselves as toddler; We wake up in a new environment with new sensations, new emotions and new things to learn. This is where mindful play comes in – the strategy by which the toddler can be made stable, focused and self-aware. – Emotional Stability in Toddlers

Stability in emotions of early childhood development is quite important in boosting the young child’s health. For them it provides ways on how to overcome any difficulties, manage stress and develop healthy relationships. Play as a serious business is a unique approach of using play to teach young children simple mindful practices and developing a strong mechanism for self-regulation for the rest of their lives.

In this article you will learn: what is mindful play, its purpose, how to introduce mindful play into your family and answers to most popular questions that parents can ask themselves. So let us begin this exploration of how play with consciousness will help our children to grow emotionally.

What is Mindful Play?

Playfulness with the purpose of being aware of what is happening in the present moment is called mindful play. It can be used to help children pay particular attention to their sensations, ideas and emotions and make no decisions about them. It is not about the fun resulting from participation, or even winning the game, as the key aspect of mindful play calls for the child being present here and now.

Think of it like this: try to picture your toddler stacking some blocks in order to create a tower. In normal turn taking, there may be an interest in building the tallest tower before the other person’s turn. Instead, in mindful play, a particular focus is made on the process; how the blocks feel in the hands, how they sound when they click together, and on the fun of building something new.

Here are some examples of mindful play activities that are perfect for toddlers:

• Sensory Play: Using water, sand or playdough helps the toddler mimic different textures, and get a rich sensory experience. Tell them to use the words about what they experience by touch, smell, and sight.
• Nature Exploration: It is always a good idea to take your child out to play because this offers them the best chance to play mindfully. You can prompt your toddler and ask them to watch, listen or touch the leaves, birds or grass all around them.
• Creative Activities: Drawing, painting, or even coloring can be very relaxing exercises. Help your toddler concentrate on the colors, shapes, and texture of what they are manufacturing.

Thus, an important aspect being that mindful play is not the same as regular play, in that one is intentional out of the other. Although all measured and purposeful leisure contributes to the well-being of the person who plays, engaging in play with awareness pays even more dividends. It’s okay to take a pause and engage in fun and fun is not just a game of football or basketball outside.

The Benefits of Mindful Play for Toddlers

Sesame learning games boost the younger children’s emotional, social and developmental needs to help make them fully grown. Let’s explore some of the key advantages:

Emotional Regulation

Young children have feelings and often do experience them to the full. This is because; through mindful play they are equipped with the means of handling these feelings properly. Describing what a toddler is feeling at a given time, the child comes to understand that he or she may be happy or furious at the moment. This self-awareness is the first level of emotion self-regulation The lack of these skills negatively impacted previously on my learning.

In addition, meaningful play enables children at toddler’s age to learn about strategies which they can use to handle uncomfortable feelings. If they are stressed they can calm themselves by employing breath control techniques or participate in relaxation exercises such as the sensory play. This can help get rid of tantrums and episodes involving high levels of emotions, and maintain order instead.

Example: Just think of a toddler struggling to create a block tower. When they get angry, agitated or irritated they are encouraged to pause for a while, to think about why they are feeling that way and then go back to building the blocks with fresh energy.

Focus and Concentration

It is critical to teach learners to pay attention in a world that seems to offer so much of that which comes in the way of concentration. By playing, toddlers are offered a chance for appropriate measures of positive self-regulation such as sustained attention. Games like puzzles, building blocks or drawing calls for focus and makes the toddler not to wander off from what is being done.

These improved awareness’s can reflect upon better learning skills and better stabilization of complete human brain functions. If your child can focus while performing a task, he or she will be able to learn more, work through issues, and think creatively.

Self-Awareness

The techniques of play help the toddlers to focus on their inner self, and on the body. The kids of this age learn more about themselves as they concentrate on their sense and feelings. They know when they start feeling different sensations in their bodies and knowing how they feel at any given time, strengthens their personality.

This last is innate for emotional health, and the oddest of Nursery Rhyme’s consequences. If a child is able to identify feelings of self as well as relation to behavior then it is easier for them to learn how to relate and handle themselves appropriately in society.

Stress Reduction

Early childhood is the age of stress, and there is no doubt, as a toddler experiences new things, changes, and difficulties. Families need peace, joy, and happiness which are provided by mindful play in the course of chaotic everyday life. Soft toys, enjoying songs or listening to music, stroking soft materials, or getting into simpler yoga like child poses will be helpful for toddlers to neutralize.

Mindful play also helps to foster state resilience as an important attribute of virtual-order emotional well-being. It equips toddlers with mechanisms to be able deal with problems and recover from failures thus improving hope.

Social Skills

This is also very true because careful play can improve social interaction skills in toddlers. There is emptier pretense to sharing their toys, turn taking and cooperative play leads to an empathetical kind of behavior among children. They are also taught observational skills, and learn how to behave towards other children using polite language, this is instilled once the toddler is trained to pay attention to the present time rather than worrying of what could happen next.

These skills for interpersonal relationship are so important for enabling individuals to overcome challenges in interpersonal contexts. Using toys wisely helps children interact properly with others creating sound emotional state as well as their feeling of everyone belongs.

How to Implement Mindful Play with Your Toddler

It’s time to discuss the basics of how to start introducing mindful playing to your toddler and make the most of it for his or her development.

To facilitate mindful play, it is important to determine and eliminate potential Sources of distraction in a given play space.

• Designate a Calm Space: Select some low interference zone in your home where your toddler could effectively practice the element of mindfulness through play. It could be a corner in their bedroom, play area or just a corner in the living room where children preferred to play.
• Minimize Distractions: Television, phones and other electronic devices should be switched off, and as few unnecessary items as possible should be left around. The other aspect is that soft light and calm colors also play a big role in improving the environment.
• Provide Age-Appropriate Toys: Provide toys in line with intended learning in such a way that there will be different toys for open-ended play. These could be building blocks, jigsaw puzzles, painting tools and equipment, sensory items and many more, and some raw materials such as pine cones and leaves.

Selecting Mindful Plays

• Sensory Exploration: Use water, sand, play dough or finger paints to make your toddler engage his or her senses; simple tasks. Ask them to tell you what they think, hear and sense in terms of smell.
• Nature Connection: Go out, and play or just wander around observing the environment and or things that are around them. Take your child for strolls in the park, pick up leaves and flowers or listen to different bird calls and insects’ buzz.
• Creative Expression: Give a chance for the kids to perform art work through painting, singing, dancing and the likes. Engage your toddler by singing for them, painting, drawing, dancing, or playing with blocks.
• Mindful Breathing: Introduce easy breathing strategies such as blowing bubbles as well as blowing out candles. This can help them to relax and bring on centre their attention.
• Mindfulness Games: Play catch and hide and seek or simply play people spotting or the colorful car racing game and many others. If your playing games with your toddler make sure that the games are suitable to the developmentally appropriate level of the child but they should also be enjoyable.

Parents’ handbook on how to get their toddler to engage in mindful play.

• Use Simple Language: It doesn’t matter if sweet toddler can’t comprehend formal definitions and the brain terms, as the concepts will be explained to her through easily understandable terms. Then Tempt them to use words such as ‘notice,’ ‘feel,’ ‘observe’ to enable them experience and perceive on their own.
• Encourage Curiosity: Be sure to ask questions that are meaningful to the child and get them questioning on their own. “What do you see?” “How does it feel?” “What do you hear?”
• Model Mindful Behavior: As a mindful play partner engage in the activities and consciously practice mindfulness. Teach them how to love the now and pay attention to such things as details.
• Start with Short Sessions: Start with the mindful play in a less duration and then increase the duration of play as the child becomes more attentive.
• Make it Fun: It is safe by develop mindful play as more fun and enjoyable activity. Do not force your toddler or make them feel like doing it is a tedious task.

Being a Mindful Play Partner

• Active Participation: Spending playful time with your toddler, try to be myself and involved in mindful activities. It also helps you both feel closer to one another while also providing a chance to practice being mindful.
• Patience and Encouragement: Toddlers should be addressed gently as they learn how to participate in mindful play. Acknowledge the work they do and keep an eye on the progress instead of the result.
• Create a Routine: Integrate play into your daily schedule as much as possible, it can be just several minutes a day. This will assist your toddler to acknowledge a correct method of practice.
• Be Present: Do not let your thoughts center on anything that is causing you stress while playing mindfully with your toddler. Focus on them and be available at that moment you are with them.

As per the tips highlighted above, you are able to instill basics of mindful play that can help a toddler improve on his or her playtime. So just to recap, the three cornerstones that need to be followed at this stage are easy, enjoyable and suitable to your child.

Overcoming Challenges and Common Questions

Though trying to become mindful while playing for the toddlers can pose some challenges that are unique in their own ways. We have to examine and redress some common worries…

“My toddler won’t sit still! Mindful play can be defined as play that is engaged in with full attention and awareness in the present moment with the goal of adding a sense of purpose to the task or play, and to make the play experience a more profound, or enriching one for some children, how can it be encouraged?

Every child at this age is bound to have short attention span and a lot of energy. It is significant to remember that mindful play doesn’t equal to be still or quiet all the time. Here are some strategies to engage active toddlers:

• Incorporate Movement: This is important because children need some form of physical activity; so select activities like dancing, children’s yoga, or a nature walk.
• Break it Down: Begin with least play sessions with the child’s concentration (it can be as short as a minute or two) and then progress slowly.
• Use Visual Cues: Perhaps a picture or the use of a specific timer which is tied to mindful play or a specific blanket can be used to signify the beginning and end of the activity.
• Follow Their Lead: Pay attention to what your toddler likes and try to engage them in play based on those interests but think twice about how much you engage with them. If they like cars, then incorporate the cars in sorting activity or a breathing activity during which they have to ‘drive’ the car very gently.

” Can you tell me how I’m going to be able to tell whether or not the strategy of mindful play is working?”

While the effects of mindful play might be subtle at first, there are signs that indicate its positive impact on your toddler:

• Fewer Tantrums: Pay attention whether your child is able to cope with stress better during the course of the day, and if they experience fewer tantrums.
• Improved Focus: Look if they can sustain on an activity for longer durations and are more likely to be interested in low stimulating stimuli.
• Increased Empathy: Check whether they pay more attention to other people’s moods, and are more helpful and tolerant.
• Greater Self-Awareness: Consider how they communicate their feelings, and desires. Or are they more in touch with what is occurring inside them?
• Calm and Relaxed Demeanor: Check if be appear to be more at ease and happier in general.

Just bear in mind, as with all children, no two children are alike and changes may not always be immediate. Don’t forget to count the wins and pay attention to the improvements that are witnessed.

Here is the question: Can the kind of play we have discussed here replace the normal type of disciplinary actions we use with kids?

Play is a great way of smoothening a child’s emotional development; however, it does not mean that you should nix conventional disciplinary action. Competing rules is not recommended for children of this age, it is better to make clear boundaries for them and have constant expectations to their behavior.

Mindful play can complement discipline by:

• Providing Coping Mechanisms: It helps develop toddlers into responsible individuals by teaching them how to handle their feelings causing less need for punishment.
• Promoting Self-Regulation: A toddler learns that he/ she can be in charge of his/ her action or decision and be accountable for it.
• Strengthening the Parent-Child Bond: It promotes a common ground in establishment of rapport enhances opportunities for communication and collaboration.

Lastly, mindful play is one of the multiple ways for making toddlers have balanced emotions. When implemented it is most effective when use in conjunction with other constructive forms of parenting.

Mindful Play Resources for Parents

Want to get down to business with Mindful play? Here are some helpful resources to guide you on your journey:

Books:

• Peaceful Piggy Meditation for Kids by Kerry Lee MacLean: The work is intended for young children and is aimed at explaining the practices of mindfulness and meditation.
• Mindful Games: A Mindful Teacher in the Classroom by Jennifer Bloom and Myla Kabat: This publication lists games related to mindfulness appropriate for children, adolescents, and families.
• Sitting Still Like a Frog: Meditations for Children (and Adults) by Eline Snel: This book highlights easy to follow exercises that teach children about mindfulness as well as their parents.

Websites:

• Mindful Schools: This website provides support and practical guides for anyone who would like to introduce mindfulness to school and home setting.
• The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: This website offers information and tools on the practice of mindful self-compassion which might be useful to parents as guardians.
• Greater Good Magazine: This is an online based magazine that is involved in publishing articles and research on mindfulness, happiness and well-being from greatergood.berkeley.edu

Apps:

• Smiling Mind: This free app; contains meditation instructions for kids and for adults.
• Stop, Breathe & Think Kids: This really is an excellent application that offers mindfulness activities and games which should be specific for children.
• Calm: This free app is one of the most downloaded for the practice of meditation and relaxation, with some sessions for children as well.

Connecting with Others:

• Local Parenting Groups: Most of the communities can provide parenting groups or classes based on the subject of practicing mindfulness and of having positive feelings.
• Online Forums and Communities: Join to the friendly online communities and communities to get in touch with other parents, discuss, tell stories and ask questions.

As I have pointed above, the practice of mindful parenting is a lifelong process. Using these resources, activities that may help you and your toddler gain more access to a mindful play can become easier to find.

Conclusion

Mindful play allows our toddlers not only, to freely explore but to do so in a safe and peaceful environment within a world that constantly draws us in many directions at once. The enhancement of present moment awareness, emotional states, and self-regulation, mindful play prepares our young children for future challenges in their development.

Mindful play as a parent and caregiver means that the experience can be introduced into the child’s life way, helping to support his developmental emotional needs and being the foundation towards a lifetime of regular mindfulness. With proper guidance, positive attitude towards toddlers and their choice of developmental activities, as well as positive modeling we can help the toddlers in their Emotional and Social development.

Honestly, just go through the process of the mindful play, and see your child become confident, friendly and emotionally healthy child.

Remember: Where the idea of how the mindfulness promotes the stability of emotions in toddlers originates from is not solely in the exercises that are provided to children, but in the Bases of the activity. The aim here is to give our children permission to slow down, to be in the same room as us, and to embrace the aspect of play yet again – one moment of awareness at a time.

References:– Emotional Stability in Toddlers

• Alegre, A. (2011). Parenting Styles and Children’s Emotional Intelligence: What do We Know? The Family Journal, 19(1), 56–62.
• Altenburger, L. E., Lang, S. N., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Johnson, S. (2015). Toddlers’ Differential Susceptibility to the Effects of Coparenting on Emotional Reactivity. Developmental Psychology, 51(11), 1537–1550.
• Beauchemin, J., Hutchins, T. L., & Patterson, F. (2008). Mindfulness meditation may lessen anxiety, promote social skills, and improve academic performance among adolescents with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41(4), 349-365.
• Duncan, L. G., Coatsworth, J. D., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). A model of mindful parenting: Implications for parent–child relationships and prevention research. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12(3), 255–270.
• Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., & Davidson, R. J. (2015). Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 44–51.
• Greenberg, M. T., & Harris, A. R. (2012). Nurturing mindfulness in children and youth: Current state of research. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 161–166.