A New Qigong Adventure for Kids

I’m very happy to finally be able to share an incredibly fun and meaningful project I’ve been working on since May—a joyful six-minute animated qigong video created especially for young children: Qigong for Kids with Lee and Friends. It features my qigong teacher—world-renowned qigong master Lee Holden—happily teaching six different fundamental qigong movements alongside his adorable “animal friends” in a jungle setting.

This endeavor came about after Lee and I worked together to create a qigong program for  patients and staff at Ohana—a large, hospital-run teen mental health center in Monterey, California. Once that project was launched, Lee told me that he really wanted to bring the many benefits of qigong to even younger children. As soon as he spoke those words, a clear vision for this video popped into my mind, and I immediately set out to bring it to life.

Producing the video was a delightful creative challenge, made even more special when our families became part of the process. My five-year-old grandson—who is in our target age group and knows an astounding amount about wild animals—was my much-appreciated consultant. My very talented sister Ruthie and niece Nina created the fantastic soundtrack and sound effects. And the adorable child’s voice speaking the title belongs to Lee’s five-year-old daughter, Harper. I’m thrilled about how well it turned out.

When you see the video, it’s hard to believe that we filmed Lee all alone in front of a green screen. With only the power of his imagination, a photo of the characters, and the outline of a script for guidance, Lee did an amazingly jovial and convincing job interacting with his animal friends while leading a qigong routine.

The first four movements in the video help kids release excess energy and move through big emotions. The last two are meditative exercises that cultivate calm and focus. Newly released on Holden QiGong’s YouTube channel, we’re thrilled that Qigong for Kids with Lee and Friends has already been embraced by kindergarten and first-grade teachers. They are finding that it’s a wonderful way to start the day, or to get kids refocused and ready to learn after lunch or recess.  

We’ve been especially gratified to hear how much adults have been enjoying the video, and what a great physical and emotional reset they get in just six-minutes. 

I hope many of you will give it a try, and help spread the word about this new free resource. If you know anyone that might be interested—teachers, parents, grandparents, therapists, or anyone else who cares for young children—please share the video with them. We’ve also created a Family Guide that explains the many benefits of qigong for kids and how to get the most out of the video. 

We’re already starting to dream up a second Qigong for Kids with Lee and Friends, and we welcome your feedback. Please share your thoughts by replying to this email. We hope you enjoy the video, and that it supports the well-being of your entire family!