Ayurveda Morning Routine for Children

Waking up early, rushing to brush teeth, gobbling down breakfast and running to catch the school bus – does this sound familiar? While the mad morning rush is a reality for many families, starting the day according to Ayurvedic principles can set children on a path of health and wellbeing.

Ayurveda provides guidelines for starting children’s days in a more conscious, nurturing way. This establishes routines that ground kids, set positive intentions, foster growth and glowing wellbeing. In this blog, we’ll explore how to create an Ayurvedic morning routine that grounds, energizes and uplifts your kids.

1. Rise and Shine

Ayurveda emphasizes waking up naturally with the sunrise, when our bodies are best aligned to the natural cycles of light and dark. While early school hours may not permit sleeping in, try to avoid jarring alarm clocks. Gentle options like dawn-simulating lights and peaceful music ease the transition from sleep to wakefulness. Once awake, a big stretch overhead gets energy flowing. Ayurveda recommends saying a prayer or short inspirational quote first thing to start the day centred around gratitude, wisdom and purposeful intention. 

2. Clean Up

Before breakfast or other activities, Ayurveda prescribes cleansing to remove impurities both inside and out. Have your little ones brush their teeth and scrape their tongues, which stimulates digestion and flushes bacteria from the mouth. A quick dry brush exfoliation using a natural bristle brush to rub over the skin kicks circulation into gear. Splash cool or lukewarm water on the face to further awaken the senses. Avoid ice cold water which can be too harsh first thing. 

3. Set Intentions

Take a moment of mindfulness to set intentions. Having children reflect on how they would like their day to go or a positive quality they’d like to carry primes them consciously. Intention-setting also builds self-awareness. Try tying the intention to a theme of the week, like self-confidence, cooperation or compassion. Write it down and decorate with stickers or art supplies if they like. 

4. Move It Out

Yoga postures, brief meditation and breathing practices help kids stretch out from sleep, realign their bodies, set the tone for their day and cultivate stillness of mind. Five minutes is sufficient time for children to flow through a short sequence. Great beginner poses include mountain, tree, butterfly and bridge. Let the child select 1-2 poses to practice daily. Follow movement with 2-5 minutes of belly breathing, by having kids place a favourite stuffed toy on their stomachs and watch it rise up and down with long, slow inhales and exhales. 

What should children eat and drink in the morning

5. Hydrate and Nourish 

Hydration is the key, so have your child drink a full glass of room temperature water (add lemon if they can handle sour flavours, which aids digestion). Before eating breakfast, Ayurveda recommends taking Triphala churna, a supplement blend to cleanse the digestive tract. Check with an Ayurvedic practitioner on appropriate child dosing. Warm, freshly made foods reign supreme for breakfast, such as stone-ground oatmeal or quinoa porridge sweetened lightly with grated apple and cinnamon. A small side of seasonal fruit adds extra support. To keep the internal fire stoked until lunchtime (important for balancing energy), incorporate good fats and protein like almond butter and flaxseed.

6. Personal Care

Ayurveda rituals for kids extend beyond diet and movement. Tend to personal care next—hair brushing, skin oiling and possibly self-massage. Using a natural soft bristle brush, make gentle strokes from scalp to ends of the hair to smooth flyaways, generate circulation to follicles and evenly distribute the natural oils along the strands. Massage nourishing oil into the scalp and ears as well. For the skin, sesame, almond or coconut oil lubricates from head to toe, while grounding the senses. Along with fostering bodily awareness, massage relaxes the nervous system to ease any worries headed out the door. 

7. Get Ready 

With inner balance established through morning movement, nourishment and care, it’s now time for outer preparations. Have kids lay out clothes, pack backpacks and take care of other tasks so they feel organized and ready for their day. Maintaining tidy routines where items have designated places also develops mental keenness. Display a checklist if it’s helpful. Prepare and lay out after-school snacks too. In cooler months, specific diet modifications apply, namely increasing warmer foods like soups and stews to provide comfort. See an Ayurvedic practitioner for personalized nutritional guidance.

8. Walk Out Happy 

In the last five minutes before heading out, Ayurveda recommends taking a moment for joy. This anchors the child’s state of being in upliftment. Let them savour something small but special before walking out the door, like final sips of hot chocolate or a couple pages of a book. Share smiles, give hugs and say loving goodbyes. Affirm how wonderful it will be for them to share their unique gifts with the world today!

 

Conclusion

While getting tiny tots out the door rarely goes perfectly smoothly, incorporating Ayurvedic wisdom around waking intervals, self-care routines, nourishment and emotional wellbeing largely nurtures natural balance from the inside out. When children feel centered in all aspects of themselves, they grow as steady, confident and vibrant beings. Through modeling awareness ourselves plus guiding kids consciously, an Ayurvedic start leads to more easeful days encountering life’s adventures ahead!

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FAQs

1. Why is it important for children to have an morning routine?

Ans. An morning routine helps ground children, set positive intentions for their day, promote healthy routines, and foster growth and wellbeing. It's a nourishing start that benefits them physically and emotionally.

2. What time should children wake up? 

Ans. Ideally, children should wake up naturally with the sunrise when possible. This aligns their bodies with natural cycles. If early school hours don't permit sleeping in, use gentle options like dawn-simulating lights and peaceful music to transition from sleep.

3. What practices promote cleansing and stimulation first thing in the morning?

Ans. Brushing teeth, tongue scraping, dry brush exfoliation of skin, and splashing cool or lukewarm water on the face helps cleanse and stimulate the body.  These practices flush bacteria and get circulation going.  

4. What type of movement is recommended? 

Ans. Brief yoga flows, meditation, and pranayama breathing reset the body after sleep. Great beginner poses for children include mountain, tree, butterfly and bridge held for 5 breaths.  

5. What should children eat and drink in the morning?  

Ans. Room temperature water with lemon to hydrate, Triphala supplement to cleanse digestive tract, and a small warm breakfast with whole grains, fruit, healthy fats and protein.  

6. What diet changes support cold weather mornings? 

Ans. In colder months, warm breakfasts like porridges and soups better stoke agni digestion, along with warming spices and cooked fruits/ veggies at all meals.

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