Headspace for Kids and Barbie Partner for Guided Meditation Exercises

Especially now, it's important for kids to see their favorite characters and role models take time to relieve their stress.

By Melissa Wickes November 30, 2020

Back in February, Headspace for Kids partnered with Barbie to raise awareness surrounding emotional well-being and mindfulness exercises like meditation with the Barbie Wellness Collection. The collection included a range of dolls and accessories aiming to introduce kids to the benefits of self care. The line by Mattel has garnered some controversy and split opinions on whether or not the line and the partnership with the app are really helping kids understand self care or if Barbie has gone too far.

With the increase in Pediatric anxiety as a result of Covid-19, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics, it is more important than ever to find ways to help kids relieve stress and to encourage emotional well-being in order to help them stay calm and feel at peace during this high stress, volatile time. Mindfulness sessions curated by Barbie are featured on the Headspace app with sessions ranging from morning meditation to winding down before bed. The sessions are ideal for children ages 6-8.

If you're not sure how to begin the mindfulness and meditation conversation with your kids, Headspace for Kids suggests a variety of tips on its website for encouraging your children to begin meditating and living mindfully including:

Explaining what mindfulness and meditation are
Leading by example
Starting off short and simple
Choosing a safe space
Practicing gratitude

You can also get them excited about getting started with this Meditation Routine with Headspace Barbie Vlog:

The Mindfulness exercises that Barbie curated include meditations that will help kids get ready for their day in the morning, bounce back from scary and worrisome thoughts, appreciate the world around them, settle down for bed, and simply breathe. (Good Morning, Stay Positive, Kindness, Appreciation, and Settling Down).

Headspace also recently partnered with Sesame Workshop to create Monster Meditation YouTube shorts as part of its initiative to help kids deal with Coronavirus anxiety.