Chakras for Children
Explain the chakras to children by looking at the Sanskrit word Chakra that is translated as meaning wheel of energy. Comparing chakras to wheels helps children understand how energy is like a wheel, that can flow, go too fast, or get stuck!
Let’s look at the idea of a wheel. Where do you find a wheel? What does a wheel do? Do wheels have energy? What happens when a wheel is stuck or goes too fast? What does wheel of energy mean to you?
Then explore each chakras as a type of energy wheel.
Compare the Chakras to What Kids Already Know
Here’s the type of discussion you might have on the aspects of a wheel.
Let’s name things that have wheels. Youth will name a bicycle, a car, an airplane, a Ferris wheel, a skateboard all these things have wheels.
Let’s look at the example of a car that has wheels. The car can move forward and it can also go in reverse. The car also has a steering wheel and a gas pedal, and other parts to help it move fast or slow or to the left or right.
But without the wheels, the car can’t move very far. It is stuck.
A wheel is different when it is still or when it is spinning. Why? Because of the energy behind it.
When a wheel is moving, it does its job. But sometimes the wheel needs to be still so it can be fixed or repaired.
Wheels of Energy in Ourselves
It is the same with our bodies. Our bodies are mass. They’re solid. We have arms, we have legs, we have a torso. But without energy, for instance when we’re sleeping, the body doesn’t do much.
We use our energy when we are awake to do all the things we want to do.
When our body is filled with energy it can move in all kinds of ways.
Chakras are energy spots in the body that is moving around like a wheel.
How do you decide how to move your body? How do you decide whether you’re going to run or jump or sit at a desk and work?
We guide our energy with different tools, the same way the car has all the tools to guide the wheels. These tools are known as chakra centres in the body. We use our head, our heart, our stomach to guide us.
Lesson Plan on Wheels and Chakras
Here is a lesson plan that you can fill in depending on the age group that you are teaching to help you introduce the chakras to children.
For a Chakra warm up, you can ask the children to name things that have wheels.
Then you can do poses or movements that go with these things.
- If children name a bicycle, the children can lie on their backs and pedal their legs as if they were riding a bicycle in the air.
- If children name a car, they could come on to hands and knees as in tabletop pose and lift alternate arm and leg, pretending their car is moving forward.
- If they name a skateboard then they can pretend to skateboard in warrior two pose.
- They can jump in the air and do tricks on their skateboard, squatting down or coming into back bends as in dancer pose.
Chakra Lesson Plan Make Up a Story
For the body of your Chakra lesson plan, ask what happens when a wheel gets stuck.
- Imagine a bicycle with a flat tire, do moves to pump the tire full of air.
- Bow pose can be a spare tire to change the wheel on a bus.
- Sun salutation and make up a silly story about pulling parts off a shelf and fixing a car. Kids love making up stories.
Spinning Your Wheels in the Chakra Lesson Plan
Have you ever heard someone say they are “spinning their wheels” as another way of saying they are thinking?
Even thinking about something is moving your energy.
Sometimes we think about something too much. For instance when we’re worrying. We need to adjust that thinking energy to be able to relax.
Sometimes not thinking enough can cause problems if you can’t focus on what you need to think about. You may need to spend more time thinking about how to organize the things we need or our routine for going to school or doing homework.
Relaxation and Reflection on Chakras for Children
For the relaxation part of the lesson plan, consider using soft music and invite the class to let their mind slow down during this time.
Let the wheels in their mind stop turning for a while as they relax.
For many youth, relaxation is difficult. So I also offer them the option to draw a picture, maybe something with wheels to connect to chakra theme, or how to take care of energy, or whatever they want to draw.
- You could draw a bicycle, and equipment to check the air in the tires and the chain.
- Or draw a skateboard with tools to check that the wheels are well lubricated.
- Then add themselves and the things that help to balance their energy.
Download the Chakra Wheels Lesson Plan Template Here
Help Children Make Connections to Teach the Chakras
Connecting Chakras to Wheels is a very simple way to explain the Chakras to children. It helps children to understand a concept by connecting it to something they already know and helps you explore how wheels can be in balance and also unbalanced.
The same way our energy can be balanced and unbalanced.
Just like the Chakras.
Once you explain the concept of the Chakra, you can go onto focusing on each individual Chakra in your next classes.
Chakras for Children Certificate
Find out more about the Chakras for Children 4 Hour Certificate here.
