Children’s yoga, creativity, and media awareness: My summer vacation program at Märchenland Stierstadt
During the summer holidays, I had the opportunity to offer a small holiday program at the Märchenland childcare center in Stierstadt (Oberursel) – with children’s yoga, a mandala workshop, and a two-part workshop on the topic of “Mindfulness & Digital Media.” Three intensive days in which children could relax, give free rein to their creativity, and at the same time reflect on how they use digital media.
You can find out more about the Märchenland care center here: https://maerchenlandbz.wordpress.com/
Yoga: Finding balance – in your body and in your relationships
This time, children’s yoga focused on balance – both physical and inner. We tried out exercises that allowed the children to explore their balance in a playful way: from tree poses to courageous attempts at handstands, with some helping each other or enthusiastically showing off their progress.
One moment that particularly sticks in my mind: a child wanted to stand up from a cross-legged position—without using her hands. She kept saying, “I can’t do it.” Together, we encouraged and supported her—and she finally managed it. Experiences like this not only strengthen body awareness, but also self-confidence.
Despite all the movement and playful experimentation, there was still plenty of time for relaxation at the end. During the final relaxation session, I heard the children say things like, “I feel sleepy” and “I’m completely relaxed” – for me, this was a sign of how deeply this practice affects them on an emotional level.
Mandalas & Painting: Creativity as Meditation
The mandala workshop was both quiet and colorful. Each child had their own approach—some simply started painting, while others thought long and hard and created very detailed designs. For many children, painting was like a form of meditation. No pressure. No judgment. Just time to immerse themselves in their own colors.
This is also a form of mindfulness: being in the moment, without a goal—completely at one with yourself and what is happening right now.
Mindfulness & digital media: Understanding feelings, recognizing distractions
After yoga and mandala painting—two very mindful activities—we turned our attention to the topic of “Mindfulness & Digital Media.” At the beginning, we observed our breathing in order to calm down together and find ourselves. The conversation then turned to what mindfulness actually means—especially when dealing with media. We asked ourselves how often we use digital media, how it makes us feel, and whether we can still stay focused when we are constantly interrupted by videos, games, or news.
To make this tangible in a practical way, I incorporated a little exercise: while the children were concentrating on a picture, I suddenly played a video on my smartphone – with sound. The reactions were clear. Many children became curious, some looked over or stopped painting briefly. In the subsequent reflection, many clearly stated that they felt distracted by the video and were unable to concentrate on their task as well.
We then went on to talk about the feelings that can arise when consuming media. One child said very honestly that he gets angry when he has to stop playing—especially after playing FIFA. This openness has shown how important it is to give children space to talk about their emotions in relation to media – without judgement, but with genuine interest.
Another important topic was digital communication. We discussed what the difference is between writing something to someone and saying it directly to their face. How does it feel when you can’t see the other person? Can feelings be misunderstood? And what does that mean for how we interact with each other online? This led us to discuss cyberbullying and the question of how to remain mindful and respectful when writing in the digital space.
Because digital worlds require mindfulness: courses & questions for home
These experiences show me time and again how important it is to sensitize children early on to mindfulness and the conscious use of digital media. That’s why I regularly offer workshops and courses on the topic of “Mindfulness & Digital Media” for children – to inspire wonder, reflection, and empathy. If you want to continue the conversation at home, my book “111 Questions for Your Child – Digital Media” offers plenty of ideas for thinking together about media use, feelings, and responsibility.
This post is also available in: German
