A child-friendly progressive muscle relaxation: starting at the feet, slowly travel up the body checking each part for heaviness and warmth. The slow, systematic attention often leads back to sleep. When it doesn't, it settles the body before getting up which changes the quality of the whole morning.

How to do it

1"Let's check your whole body from the bottom up. Eyes closed."
2"Start at your feet. Are they heavy? Warm?" Move upward. Take your time.
3Feet, legs, tummy, arms, shoulders, face. Slower than you think is right.
4"Your whole body is checked. Rest." Many fall back asleep before you reach the shoulders.

Variations

**Korb-Tür:** If they won't close their eyes or won't listen: "Okay, eyes open check." Keep going. The pace matters more than the eyes.
**Ausstieg:** "Your whole body is checked. Rest." Many fall asleep before you reach the shoulders.

💡 Parent tip

Speak slower than you think you should. Then slower still. The pace of your voice is the regulator. A body scan at conversation speed does nothing.

What your child develops

Body awareness and interoception — systematic attention to physical sensation
Parasympathetic activation — slow deliberate attention to the body lowers arousal
An independent calming tool — children can guide themselves through it by around age 6