Mindfulness, though often considered a buzzword, is a crucial tool for pediatric cancer patients. Let’s look and see how these concepts are ideally suited for helping kids with cancer manage their mental and emotional well-being!
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present in the moment, isn’t just for adults. Many mindfulness activities are designed with kids in mind, making them practical and effective ways to improve mental and emotional well-being.
How Can Mindfulness Help Kids with Cancer?
Children with cancer go through so much, from physical pain and emotional distress to exhaustion and uncertainty. That’s where mindfulness habits come in! They can provide powerful coping tools for:
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
- Focusing on the present rather than worrying about future treatments or outcomes.
- Lowering stress hormones (cortisol) and promoting relaxation.
Managing Pain and Discomfort
- Noticing and accepting sensations without fear.
- Providing comfort, like imagining pain floating away like a cloud.
Improving Emotional Well-being
- Encouraging self-compassion, reducing feelings of frustration, sadness, or fear.
- Helping children healthily process emotions (reducing outbursts or withdrawal).
Enhancing Sleep Quality
- Creating a sense of calm before sleep.
- Relaxing the body and easing restlessness.
Strengthening Resilience
- Teaching kids to acknowledge challenges while also celebrating moments of joy.
- Helping them develop coping strategies.
Creating a Sense of Control
- Empowering kids when they might feel helpless.
- Engaging them in their healing process.
So that’s what mindfulness can do…but how do you do it? Here are simple, kid-friendly mindfulness techniques to share with your child!
10 Mindfulness Techniques for Emotional & Mental Wellbeing
#1 – Deep Breathing Exercises
Belly Breathing – Have them place a hand on their belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, and feel their belly rise. Then, exhale slowly through the mouth. Ahhh..
Flower & Candle – Imagine holding a flower in one hand and a candle in the other. Breathe in deeply to "smell the flower" and breathe out slowly to "blow out the candle."
5-Finger Breathing – Trace a hand with the opposite finger while breathing in and out with each finger traced.
#2 – Mindful Listening
Sound Safari – Close your eyes and listen for sounds in the environment, identifying as many as possible. Hospitals are noisy, so there are plenty of sounds to find.
Bell or Chime Listening – Strike a bell or chime and have your child listen until they can no longer hear the sound. This can work with any musical instrument with reverberation, usually bells or string instruments. Piano, guitar, xylophone, etc., all work well.
#3 – Body Awareness and Relaxation
Body Scan – Have them lie down and slowly focus on each part of the body, from head to toe (or vice versa), noticing sensations.
Tense & Release – Squeeze your fists tightly, then release and notice the difference. Repeat with different body parts. You can also do progressive tensing of the whole body before one big release!
#4 – Mindful Movement
Yoga for Kids – Simple poses like tree pose, cat-cow, and downward dog can help with focus and relaxation. It’s also a low-impact, easy exercise for kids with cancer.
Slow Motion Walking – Walk in super-slow motion, paying attention to how it feels when your feet touch the ground.
Animal Stretching – Stretch and move like different animals (Stretch like a cat, hop like a frog, wiggle like an octopus, etc.).
#5 – Mindful Eating
Savor the Snack – Take small bites of a favorite food and describe its texture, taste, and smell. Some kids may experience nausea as a treatment side effect, so only choose “safe” foods for this activity.
#6 – Gratitude Practice
3 Good Things – Name three things they’re grateful for each day. They can be big or small, from big treatment milestones to pleasant weather.
Gratitude Jar – Write or draw things they appreciate and put them in a jar to review later.
#7 – Guided Imagery & Visualization
Cloud Watching – Lie down outside and describe cloud shapes. Best for spring and summer. Remember to wear sunscreen!
Magic Bubble – Imagine blowing worries into a bubble and watching them float away.
Safe Place Visualization – Have them close their eyes and imagine a peaceful, happy place. Talk through it together.
#8 – Mindful Coloring & Drawing
Coloring Books – Coloring books are available for all ages, including adults! They create a sense of focus and calm.
Draw Your Feelings – Younger children may only convey feelings with sad/happy faces or colors, whereas teens might try to communicate more abstract feelings through art. Either way, it’s a great way to work out tough emotions.
#9 – Loving-Kindness Meditation
Send Kind Thoughts – Have them close their eyes and send kind wishes to themselves and others: "May I be happy, may I be safe, may I be healthy." If religious, these may be prayers instead.
#10 – Five Senses Check-In
Ask your child to point out:
- 5 things they can see
- 4 things they can feel
- 3 things they can hear
- 2 things they can smell
- 1 thing they can taste
This can be grounding when anxiety runs high.
Learning these mindfulness techniques and practicing them together can be an anchor in the storm. Give them a try!