Massage for Kids: Why It’s More Than Just Relaxing

Hiya! Here's what happened yesterday when I gave a massage to a 9-year-old:

I worked on her back and neck and head, slowly relaxing her grade-school athlete muscles. She took several deep, relaxing breaths and was only a tiny bit ticklish! After about 25 minutes, I asked her to turn over from her belly to her back. As she got comfortable in her new position on the massage table, she looked up at the ceiling and said:

"Wow. It feels like I'm flying!"

What is this feeling?

I call it re-inhabiting your body. When you take the time to bring your awareness into your body, instead of keeping it out in the busy world, you find an amazing amount of sensations. As your mind becomes familiar with your body again, it feels instant comfort and relief—like a young child running back to a loved one after exploring the playground. These check-ins are relaxing, soothing, and important.

Massage at bedtime can erase the day’s worries and stored tension. It can bring the body into this loving, relaxed “flying” space and send kids to sleep with ease.

Want to try it at home?

Here are three simple bedtime massage techniques you can use with your child:

1. Compression

This is a gentle squeeze you can do on the arms, legs, or back. Always check in with your child to find the pressure that feels best to them. Compression helps the body feel its own boundaries and invites awareness inward, away from external distractions. It’s incredibly grounding.

2. Walking

Use your fingers to "walk" across your child’s body, like little animals or fairies making their way to bedtime. This rhythmic, patterned touch draws your child’s attention to the present moment and encourages them to follow the sensation with their mind. Bonus: it’s a perfect opportunity for storytelling!

3. Sweeping

Gently sweep from head to toe or along each limb. This soothing stroke helps move fluid under the skin and signals to the brain, “This is where your body ends. You're safe and whole.” It’s also a great way to "clear away" any lingering stress or tension before sleep.

These gentle techniques aren't just relaxing—they're invitations back into the body, back into peace, back into connection.

Now you try.

And if you do, I’d love to hear what your child says. Maybe they’ll feel like they’re flying too.