About This Tool

Using playful imagery, this meditation can help children learn to relax their bodies. It’s a type of meditation called progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which simply refers to tensing muscles and then relaxing them. This meditation script was developed by the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Manchester Children’s Hospital. It is a creative approach to teaching PMR, using playful visualization and movement to help children learn to tune in to their body states.

Check out this link for a guided practice on Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/susanguttridge/guided-meditations/relaxation-story-for-children

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Why It Works

The body responds to stress with muscle tension, which can cause pain or discomfort. In turn, tense muscles relay to the body that it's stressed. That keeps the cycle of stress and muscle tension going. Progressive muscle relaxation helps break this cycle by reducing muscle tension and general mental anxiety.

MyHealthAlberta, Christine R. Maldonado PhD (2020)

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Why It Works

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