Welcome to the world of Ammi—a mindfulness adventure series for young children. Ammi is a wise and gentle child who leads the way as we explore ourselves and one another through the natural world. Each story uses guided imagery to inspire inner connection and support emotional regulation. These simple meditations recognize the importance of imagination as a foundation for conscious creation in the world. They bridge the physical, the energetic, the emotional, and all the spaces in between. Whether in the home or classroom, you can engage in these special practices with children of all ages. Read them aloud together, listen to the guided meditation, and welcome the time to process and integrate the practice.
Ammi’s Adventures: Leaves
Hi! I’m Ammi. My name means “the whole world is inside of me,” and I think it’s true: I carry the whole world in my mind and heart and body. I know you do, too! I like to play games, explore, and discover what makes me, me. I’m so glad we’re together on this journey!
Have you ever watched a leaf dancing in the wind? Swirling, floating, gliding, this way, that way, and softly landing on the grass, on a bench, or at your feet.
I love to watch leaves dance. It makes me wonder… who or what is directing the leaf? Do you think the trees and the wind, or the branches, or the people are the reasons the leaf goes where it goes? Or do you think the leaf decides how it moves and where it ends up?
I think the leaf decides.
I like to believe that a leaf woke up this morning, high on its branch in a big oak tree, and thought to itself, Today is the day I start my journey to see the ocean. And maybe another leaf woke up in a pile in the park and thought to itself, I’ve never been to the playground where children are squealing with joy—that is where I’ll go today. And another leaf woke up and noticed its tree had withered, and now it needs to find a new space where it belongs.
I imagine that once those leaves, and all the others too, make a decision, nature rises up to help them. The grass and the wind, the animals and the people, the oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams. Every single thing that exists is supporting that leaf to be who it came to be.
I like to call these leaves mighty. A mighty leaf trusts the world to hold it and be there for its growth. A mighty leaf knows that wherever it dances on any given day, it is for its good.
We are mighty too, you know, just like those leaves. We have power within that guides and directs us, and the whole world rises up to help us on our way. It isn’t always easy to trust our path, to hear our voice, or to feel the mightiness within us, but we can practice.
A 4-Minute Meditation for Kids
Ammi’s Adventures: A Leaf Meditation for Kids
- Find a cozy place to sit or lie down. When you do, take a few slow deep breaths in your nose and out your mouth. Breathe in, and out. Breathe in, and out. One more breath, in and out. Your breath is like an anchor, helping you come gently into yourself. You are slowing down, feeling calm, welcoming yourself within.
- Now, imagine yourself as a leaf. Maybe you’re a small bright green leaf in the backyard next to your treehouse. Maybe you’re a huge dark wet leaf in a rainforest jungle. Maybe you’re a colorful leaf in a pile on the ground. Whatever kind of leaf you feel like, imagine that you are still. A still leaf. There is nothing outside moving you. You are weightless in the air, floating in time. Float like a leaf.
- Now find a place within you to center. Notice the large vein that runs from the stem to the tip of your leaf body. When you feel steady, notice the rest of your leaf. Feel the energy moving through your veins. Something is stirring. Now you a