ACTIVITY: Make Your Own Meditation Jar

Easy to Follow Directions & Templates Included to Color

 
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For Ages: 3-8 (6-8 year olds may choose to create their own affirmation cards for their jar)

Approximate completion time: 20-30 minutes or can be broken up in shorter stages

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

  • Meditation is a practice we can do to help us pay attention and focus.

  • By doing this we can help our bodies and minds feel calm as we take a break from our worries or thoughts.

  • One way to do this is by using words to help us focus. We can do this by using affirmations or positive words about ourselves to focus on for our meditation.

WHAT IS AN AFFIRMATION?

  • An affirmation is a positive statement about yourself.

  • It’s like giving a compliment to yourself, which may sound funny since usually we give compliments to other people such as, “You are so nice” or other people give us compliments like “You are really good at riding a bike.”

  • Did you know that we can also give ourselves compliments? We can do this by saying affirmations which usually start with “I am.” Examples are I am kind, I am love, I am peaceful, I am brave.

  • As humans, it’s much easier for our brains to think of something negative before we think of something positive. By saying affirmations, this reminds us of the positive and good things that each one of us has within is.

 

MATERIALS NEEDED

1)  A Plastic Jar with a Lid

(a cleaned jar from a nut butter works great or any other plastic jar)

2)  Your choice of: markers, crayons, or colored pencils

3)  Scissors

4)  Tape or Glue

5)  Print the Affirmation Template below to print out or use blank paper, if you do not have a printer

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DIRECTIONS

1) Gather all your materials

2) Print out both templates below (if you do not have a printer, skip to the next step)

3) Use the Label Template to cut out a shape(s) that best first your jar.

4) Trace the words “Meditation Jar” on the label and decorate the blank label with colors or pictures. You can also write your name on the jar or put your family’s name on the jar if everyone in your family will be using it.

5) Once finished, glue or tape your label onto your jar.

6) Next, we’ll begin to create the strips of paper to include inside the meditation jar. Get out the Affirmation Template. Trace the letters on the Affirmation Template using your choice of markers, crayons, or colored pencils. You can also color the images with each affirmation.

NOTE: If you’d like to create your own affirmation, there are two blank spots at the bottom of the Affirmation Template to do so.

No Printer? No problem: If you do not have a printer, create your own affirmations or copy those on the document from the screen. To make your own, cut a piece of paper into small strips and write your affirmations on these strips and/or decorate these strips with a picture).

 
 
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7) If using the template, follow the dotted line to cut. Once completed, each affirmation will be on a small strip of paper

8) Fold each piece of paper as many times as you’d like. Once folded, place all the folded affirmations into your jar. You can use your jar immediately and then put the lid on when you are finished!

9) Put the lid on your jar & shake up all the affirmations.

10) Pick an affirmation to read together & practice this as a meditation.

 

USING YOUR MEDITATION JAR

You can use your meditation jar anytime during the day!

It may be nice to incorporate this into a morning or evening routine.

In the morning, it can start out day on a positive note or in the evening, it can help us calm and focus our mind before bedtime.

1)  Reach into the jar and select a piece of paper with an affirmation

2)  Open up the paper and read the affirmation together

3)  Turn your affirmation into a meditation by repeating it 3 times.

You’ll say it 3 times out loud, whispering, and then with magic lips (moving your lips but thinking the words in your head) and then repeat the sequence again this time going backwards & starting with magic lips, whispering, and finishing by saying it out loud. (this takes about 1 minute but you can continue repeating this over and over to increase the time when your child is ready)

For example, if your affirmation is “I am peace,” you’ll say:

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (out-loud)

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (whisper)

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (magic lips)

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (magic lips)

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (whisper)

  • I am peace, I am peace, I am peace (out-loud)

4) You can add movement to your meditation too. Check out the Meditation Video for examples and instructions on how to do this.

5) Another member of the family could pick from the jar or you could take turns each day or throughout the day.

 

Would LOVE to see how your meditation jar turned out!

Email a picture to info@littlemountainyoga.com

 
Lindsay Paul