Why Children Are True Masters of Mindfulness

Children, with their natural curiosity and instinctive trust, embody the essence of mindfulness. They remind us how to stay rooted in the present moment—a skill many adults struggle to reclaim.

A young boy stands confidently on a skateboard ramp, embodying mindfulness and focus while preparing to skate.

Whenever I am feeling complicated thoughts or emotions, I like to go for a walk. We all know walking is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Fresh air helps us clear the mind, is good for our lungs and overall sense of wellbeing. Even the crisp freezing winter air can be beneficial.

People often like to use the weather as an excuse not to get out. “Oh, but it’s raining” – All the more reason to get out! Watch the world change before your eyes as the rain washes the streets clean, while you keep yourself dry in your boots. You can even listen to the pitter-patter of droplets landing on your umbrella.

In many Scandinavian countries, it’s common practice to leave young babies and toddlers outside for their naps, even during freezing temperatures. In a dry place, wrapped up in their thermals, cozied up in their best blankets, nice and snug in their strollers.

Why not?

Afterall, the best naps are had outside. Swinging in a hammock in summer. Next to a campfire beneath the open skies on a camping trip. In a lounge chair on a mountain peak on a sunny winter day. It’s possible that, if the kids had any say in it at all, they would choose to sleep outside any chance they got.

In self-made forts and tree-houses. In their back garden, sharing a tent with their parents or siblings. In the woods, listening to the bird and animal calls.

That’s because children instinctively gravitate to what feels good – without possible consequences or past experiencing weighing in on whether or not to chase whatever it is that makes them happy.

What Happens When All You See is the Present

 The other day, as I set out for a walk, with no clear direction in mind – as per some of the Tao te Ching’s teachings – I found myself headed, once again, toward the Brooklyn Bridge. This time via a playground and skatepark.

As I walked along, enjoying the satisfying feeling of my steps having fallen into a nice rhythm, I noticed a group of skaters lining up to take their turn on a ramp. They were of mixed ages – kids younger than 10 years old, teens and young adolescents, as well as men and women who might have been their parents.

This caught my attention, so I stopped and watched.

The first to go down the ramp was a girl who couldn’t have been much older than six,  wearing a colorful helmet, knee and shoulder pads. She positioned herself on her skateboard and, without hesitation, went straight down the ramp and around a big stretch of the park.

She didn’t think. She just did.

I watched as a few more kids in her age group, along with some teens, did the same. Some of them with a bit more reservation, but all of them sharing one thing in common: trust. They all had a sense of trust – in the present moment, themselves, their surroundings. It seemed to me these children were naturally mindful.

They didn’t seem to worry about any what-ifs, and if they did, they didn’t give themselves the time to dwell on them. Their body language reflected this. They stood tall on their skateboards, eyes focused and sure.

They simply dropped into the moment. Trusting it to move them to where they needed to be, and if not, then to catch their fall.

Regaining Trust as an Adult

Watching their adult counterparts, it was evident that some of them had unlearned this ability to trust. To leave the past and the future behind, and just stay present in the here and now.

As they readied themselves on their boards, there was more than just that momentary hesitance I had seen in some of the children. It was far more physical. It was almost as if they were weighed down not only by their thoughts roaming in all directions, but that these somehow sparked a muscle memory that caused them to tighten up.

Perhaps the memory of a past fall.

The possibility of a fall.

The fear of humiliation.

I empathized with these feelings, this inability to get out of your head and into the moment.

And I smiled.

Because, without knowing, these adults had surrounded themselves with the true masters of mindfulness. Those who set the very best example of trust: the(ir) children.

I walked on, knowing they were in good hands. If anyone could help them learn to regain their trust as adults, it was the kids. The kids really are alright.

Letting Children’s Play Guide Your Own Mindfulness Practice

By observing children and their mindfulness in action, adults can learn to rebuild trust in themselves and the moment. Our tailored mentorship or one-day retreats can help you re-discover this essential skill.

Children’s natural mindfulness is a reminder to adults of the peace and joy that comes from living fully in the present. Start your journey toward mindfulness today.

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