One of my favorite tools for bedtime
Today I wanted to share more about something that we use as part of our bedtime routine every night! I mentioned it before in this post about tools to help with bedtime for toddlers, but I feel it deserves its own post.
It’s the Zenimal!
I had heard about the Zenimal for a while, but wasn’t sure how often we would use it so I didn’t buy one right away. I finally decided to give it a try a few months ago and I am so glad that I did! We use the Zenimal every single night and it has made our bedtime go even more smoothly!
I am an affiliate for Zenimal but this post is not sponsored. I purchased my own Zenimal and everything here is my honest opinion.
What is the Zenimal?
The Zenimal is a screen free meditation and mindfulness device. Their website says it’s designed for ages 5-12 (they have a separate one for teenagers and adults too!). I do think younger kids could enjoy the Zenimal with the help of an adult. It’s not going to be for everyone though. Zenimal has videos on their website that I recommend you check out before purchasing your own.
The Zenimal itself is a little plastic device that fits snugly in the adorable silicone case which looks like a turtle and comes in a variety of colors. It comes with a USB charging cord (though not the part needed to plug into the wall), and I’ve found its battery life to be impressive! Just watch for when the light near the charging port flashes red while in use, that’s the sign that it needs to be charged. The Zenimal is preloaded with 9 different meditations and you can purchase cards with additional options.
How does the Zenimal work?
It is really simple to use, young children could use it independently after being shown. The meditations are identified with pictures on the case so it’s perfect for kids who aren’t reading yet. There’s a power button, a button for each meditation, and volume buttons. You hold the power button down for a couple of seconds and you will hear a ‘gong’ sound and then music will start playing. You can press the power button again and the music will change to the other sleep noises.
To play a meditation, you just press the picture for the meditation you want and it will begin. When the meditation is over, the Zenimal will play some quiet music for a bit and then turn off automatically.
The Zenimal has a speaker, but it does also have a jack so if you wanted to use headphones with it you could.
How can you use the Zenimal?
There are lots of ways the Zenimal could be used. I’ve seen some people take it with them outside and do meditation with their kids in nature. The Zenimal is a nice way to introduce meditation to children and start a habit of mindfulness.
Using it as a tool for bedtime is my favorite way we have used it so far. We use it every night as part of our bedtime routine. After we’ve done our full routine and turn the lights out, we turn the Zenimal on for the sleep meditation. Nine times out of ten my daughter is asleep by the time the meditation is over.
I find it is especially helpful on nights where my daughter is having trouble settling down at bedtime or when she has a lot on her mind and is having trouble relaxing. We’ll say to just listen and focus on the Zenimal for a little bit and she can see how it goes. Within a few minutes she will be calm and relaxed.
We love the Zenimal so much that we take it with us when we travel!
Do you want your own Zenimal?
You can shop here and use the code DELIGHTFULDREAMERS for 10% off your purchase. If you decide to get a Zenimal, let me know! I would love to know your thoughts and experience and I hope that you love it just as much as we do. If you already have one and have something you’d like to add to what I’ve said here or if there are other tools for bedtime that you love, feel free to share in the comments.
