As many of you know, Kidevolve is underway in designing our very own mindfulness app, built especially for kids aged 5-10 from the ground up. We're doing something new and exciting in this burgeoning area... and since we started crafting and refining our unique Creative Mind Journeys - super cool audio tracks for kids that double as guided practices - several other interesting players have entered this space (or added kid's material to adult apps). The good news? More options for kids, parents, mental health specialists and educators. The bad news? Not all of these offerings are created equal. Check out this list of 2018 apps and let us know which ones you like or don't like for the kids in your life and why... Are they practical? Is carving out a quiet space to actually use them doable for your family? How open have your kids been to these kinds of experiences? If you haven't already, delve in and test drive a few of these... your feedback will help us to bring something truly special to the marketplace that will really hit the mark with young children.
1) Breathe, Think, Do Sesame Street
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is intended for parents and caregivers to use with their young children (ages 2-5) to help teach skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning, and task persistence.
2) Calm
Calm is the perfect meditation app for beginners, but also includes hundreds of programs for intermediate and advanced users. They have a new kid's section.
Guided meditation sessions are available in lengths of 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 minutes so you can choose the perfect length to fit with your schedule.
3) DreamyKid
The DreamyKid meditation app offers meditation, guided visualization and affirmations curated just for children & teens. It uses proven techniques that teach your kids methods to guide them towards a happier life through mindfulness.
4) Headspace
Meditation made simple. Guided meditations suitable for all levels from Headspace. They have a new Kid's section.
5) Kids Yoga Deck
Children will love to move their bodies as they flip through their very own yoga deck. With clear pictures and step-by-step instructions, these yoga poses are fun, child-friendly, and great for every body!
6) Stop, Breathe, and Think Kids
As parents, we want to raise our kids to be able to handle whatever comes their way. Whether they need to mellow out before bed, develop positive relationships or simply have a peaceful moment, Stop, Breathe & Think Kids offers children a fun and easy way to identify and process their emotions. From counting breaths to friendly wishes or frog jumps, each activity brings fun rewards to keep them engaged.
7) Breathing Bubbles
Breathing Bubbles is an app that helps kids practice releasing worries and focusing on good feelings by allowing kids to select the emotion they are feeling and how strongly they are feeling it. Kids can choose to handle their emotion by releasing a worry or receiving a joy as Manny the Manatee walks them through deep breathing and visualization.
8) Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is designed to help people pressure, stress, and challenges of daily life. This app has a fantastic section on Mindfulness in the Classroom and is suited for kids ages 7-18.
9) Positive Penguins
The four positive Penguins take you on an interactive journey to help you understand that feelings arise from your thinking and if you challenge your negative thoughts successfully you may be able to see things in a more realistic and even optimistic way.
10) Calm Counter
Calm Counter is a visual and audio tool to help people calm down when they are angry or anxious. The app includes a social story about anger, and audio/visual tools for calming down.
11) emotionary
Emotionary guides users through five primary emotions to find the right category of feeling, with all definitions pared back to the essentials and displayed so they can be easily compared.
12) Take a Chill
This app is full of tools to help manage that stress and bring mindful practices into a daily routine. Using quick mindful exercises and thoughtful activities, begin to overcome those moments whether it’s studying for a test or preventing negative thoughts and patterns.
13) Chill Outz
Chill Outz® is a collection of fun animated stories teaching children proven techniques to stay mindful & relaxed anywhere, anytime.
14) Super Stretch Yoga
Super Stretch is an educational yoga tool to use and teach the fun of physical activity and breathing to children. They will use the skills of self-awareness, self-esteem and self-regulation that they learn from this app as a foundation for the rest of their lives.
15) Relax Melodies
Mix and listen to over 52 different relaxing sounds with background sound support — this app can be used while using other apps!