Ammi’s Adventures: An Earth, Air, Fire, Water Meditation for Kids

This engaging meditation uses the energy and imagery of the four elements to foster inner connection and emotional regulation. Follow the guided practice and join your child on a mindful adventure.

By Heather Hawk Feinberg May 4, 2022 Kids

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: Earth, Air, Fire, Water

Listen to the Story:

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! 

A long time ago, people discovered that the whole universe was made up of four necessary things. They called them elements. They are air, water, fire, and earth. Air like breath and wind. Water like rain, oceans, or snow.  Fire like candles, forest fires, or lava from a volcano. Earth like dirt, rocks, or even glass. All of these elements have a special relationship with each other. Water can put out a fire and air can spark a flame. The earth needs water so things can grow. These elements work in harmony together to create all that we see. 

Because we are a part of nature too, we are made of the same elements. Our bodies need all the elements for life. Air brings us breath, water is what keeps us growing, fire is what keeps us going, and earth grounds and nourishes us. Air is like our thoughts, water is like our feelings, fire is like our strength, and earth is like our actions. Just like in nature, all these elements have a special connection with one another and create balance inside and outside of us. 

Do you want to explore the elements with me? Let’s go on an adventure and imagine together! 

An Earth, Air, Fire, Water Meditation for Kids

Let’s begin by feeling the space around us. We often forget that air is there, but we need it. It creates space around us and keeps us grounded on the planet. Reach your hands out and touch the air around you…above you, in front of you, beneath you, on either side of you, and even behind you. Imagine stretching the air around you so you have more space for yourself. Now find a place to sit or lie down and take some deep breaths of that air. In and out, in and out. Is your air a color? Let it swirl around you gently. Ahhh, air. Now that we have set the space around us, let’s bring our focus into our bodies. Let’s find the water in our bellies. Close your eyes and imagine an ocean in your belly. Is the water calm or is it wavy? Is it deep or shallow? What color blue do you see? Now, follow the water as it travels from your belly through your body. You might be in a boat, floatie, or a raft, just allow yourself to relax and feel the sensation of water that is always moving through you. Water is life giving, it helps us grow. Ohhh, water. Now let’s find fire. Moving very slowly, place your whole hand gently above your belly button. Rest one hand on top of the other and notice the warmth there in your core, coming from deep inside you. This is where your fire lives. Look inside, what colors do you see? Is it a sun or a volcano, a birthday candle or a campfire? Is it flickering lightly or burning brightly? Does it feel too hot, not hot enough, or just right? You can turn it up or down if you want to. It’s your fire, use loving words, and watch how it responds. Our fire moves us, excites us, gives us strength. It can rise from our core into our heart and radiate warmth to all. Oooh, fire. The last element is earth, our solid ground. Bring your focus down and feel the bottoms of your feet on the ground. Imagine roots coming out from your feet and making their way into the earth. Through those roots bring a feeling of calm up into your body. What color are you imagining? Green, brown, or something else? Let that energy flow onto every surface of your skin. Go around your whole body; your legs, your belly and chest, your back, your arms and hands, your face and head. Once all your skin is covered in earth colors, bring it into the inside of your body, your muscles and organs. Find the calm that earth carries alive in you. Yaaa, earth. All of life is within us. A special balance of air, water, fire and earth that is ours alone. You have everything you need in every cell, in every breath, in all your feelings, in all you do. Keep going, keep growing, keep grounding, keep flowing. 

Love from your friend, Ammi. 

Try This:

Have you ever gotten really angry? We all get angry, it’s a natural part of being human. When we get angry, our face can get red, we can feel hot. That is our fire burning big. Sometimes our fire is burning so big it feels out of control. We need our fire, and we can learn to stoke our fire so we can take good care of ourselves. 

Do you know what happens if you put water onto fire? It can put it out quickly. What about adding air to a fire? Air makes the fire grow. It’s helpful to know what things make our fires bigger, like air, and what can turn them down, like water.

Spend some time wondering about your fire. What are the things that excite you, that light you up? Next, think about what things frustrate you, make you want to shout out loud? Now, what things bring you calm? What soothes or relaxes you?

Please share those with someone you love, or write them down if you are able. Getting to know ourselves is a practice. Just like we did in the meditation, we can speak to our fire and turn it up and down, but sometimes that’s hard in the middle of the heat. So practice connecting to your fire whenever you’re feeling like your light is low, spark your own flame!