How 5-Minute Meditations Help with Transitions
Transitions are known to be challenging for young children — but let’s be honest, they’re hard for everyone. I’ve noticed lately that we’ve been struggling with group dysregulation around 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM each day. These are natural transition times in our rhythm, but we have been operating on a much less structured daily routine for the summer. Without that built-in structure, the group sometimes ends up feeling scattered and emotionally ungrounded.
Since we know that co-regulation is essential — especially for young children who are still developing the tools for self-regulation — we try to support it in both one-on-one interactions and as a whole group. In an effort to ease some of the dysregulation we were seeing during these mid-morning and mid-afternoon transitions, we introduced a simple practice: a 5-minute group meditation.
What started as a small experiment to help us move through difficult moments with more ease ended up having a big impact. Not only did we see fewer challenging behaviors, but our transitions became noticeably smoother. The children became more centered, more connected, and more able to move into the next part of their day with calm intention.
Why Meditation Supports Regulation
Meditation gives children (and adults) a moment to pause, breathe, and come back to their bodies. It gently activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of the nervous system that calms us down and restores balance after stress. Even just a few minutes of stillness and breath awareness can help children shift out of fight-or-flight mode and into a more grounded, regulated state.
This isn’t about expecting children to be perfectly still or silent. We invite children to participate in a way that works for them. We set an expectation to turn their voices to silent and their listening ears up, but they are not expected to stop what they’re doing, discontinue play, sit still, or even close their eyes. Our goal is simply to return to our center — together.
We’ve been listening to a great podcast that features 5-minute meditations for kids (linked below). They are simple, upbeat, and the kids love them.
Why Regulation Supports Transitions
When children feel emotionally regulated, they are better able to handle the uncertainty, change, and social negotiation that transitions require. Transitions aren’t just logistical — they’re emotional. They involve leaving something behind and stepping into something new.
By building in a practice that helps children settle and regroup, we create a bridge between activities. It’s not just about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s about making space to carry our whole selves along the way.
What This Means for Long-Term Mental Health and Joyful Living
At Riverside Forest School, our ultimate goal is to help children build a foundation for lifelong joy, connection, and emotional well-being. Practices like group meditation aren’t just tools for the moment — they’re seeds we’re planting for the future.
When children learn that it’s okay to slow down, to feel their feelings, and to breathe through the hard parts, they begin to trust their own internal compass. They learn how to come back to themselves, even when life feels messy or uncertain. That’s the kind of resilience that lasts.
And maybe most importantly, they learn that they don’t have to do it alone.
Try it at home
Interested in trying 5-minute meditations with your kids at home? Check out this podcast we’ve been enjoying:
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