
Sharing Reiki With Children: A Practical Guide for Parents, Teachers & Reiki Practitioners
As we celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2025 (February 3–9), it’s the perfect time to explore how Reiki can empower children’s well-being. This year’s theme, “Know Yourself, Grow Yourself,” encourages young people to develop self-awareness, resilience, and a sense of personal growth. Reiki, with its gentle and nurturing energy, is a powerful tool to support this journey.

As both a Reiki practitioner and a parent, I have witnessed first-hand the incredible benefits of Reiki for children. With four kids of my own, Reiki became a daily practice in our home, offering comfort, balance, and support during the ups and downs of childhood.
- When they were sick 🤒 – Reiki helped ease discomfort, promote relaxation, and support their natural healing process.
- When they had a fall or hurt themselves 🤕 – Reiki worked wonders in soothing physical pain, reducing swelling, and calming their nervous system.
- When they felt worried or anxious 😟 – A few minutes of Reiki calmed their racing minds and helped them feel safe and supported.
- Before exams or big events ✏️ – Reiki boosted their confidence, focus, and inner peace before school tests or performances.
- When they had trouble sleeping 😴 – A short Reiki session at bedtime soothed their nervous system and helped them drift into restful sleep.
Reiki wasn’t just something I “did” for them—it became a way of life in our family. Over time, my children learned to recognize their own energy and even use simple self-Reiki techniques.
Now, as a grandfather, I am reminded of the power of this gentle healing practice to support a young child or family member. It’s an incredible feeling to see my grandchild experience the same soothing effects I witnessed with my own children.
Why Reiki is So Powerful for Children
Reiki can play a role in nurturing the emotional and mental well-being of young people, providing a simple tool for self-care, relaxation, and emotional regulation. Children today face unique challenges—academic pressures, social media influences, and emotional stress—but Reiki provides a gentle, non-invasive way to support their inner peace and resilience. Children are naturally open and receptive to energy healing, making them highly responsive to Reiki.
By introducing Reiki into children’s lives, we give them a powerful foundation for self-awareness, resilience, and growth—skills that will support them throughout their lives. Reiki helps children tap into their own healing abilities, teaching them that they can always return to a sense of calm and peace, no matter what life brings their way. Reiki provides children with a safe space to explore their emotions and energy without pressure or expectation.
Here’s how Reiki can help:
- 🌿 Encouraging Self-Awareness – Reiki creates a space of stillness where children can tune into their emotions, thoughts, and energy, helping them connect with their inner world.
- 💖 Supporting Emotional Balance – Many children experience anxiety, frustration, or overwhelm. Reiki helps regulate emotions, providing a sense of calm and security.
- 🧘 Building Resilience & Confidence – By restoring energetic balance, Reiki empowers children to navigate challenges with greater ease and self-trust.
- 😴 Improving Sleep & Relaxation – Many children struggle with overstimulation and restlessness. Reiki soothes their nervous system, leading to deeper sleep and relaxation.
- 🌈 Fostering Growth & Development – As children develop a stronger sense of self, Reiki helps them embrace change, adapt to challenges, and grow with confidence.
How to Introduce Reiki to Children
Reiki sessions with children should be simple, fun, and engaging. Here are a few ways to share Reiki effectively:
- ✨ Short, Gentle Sessions – Children may not need long Reiki sessions; even 5–10 minutes can be deeply beneficial.
- 👐 Hands-On or Distant Healing – Some children enjoy hands-on Reiki, while others prefer receiving energy from a short distance. Let them choose what feels right.
- 💭 Encourage Mindful Awareness – Ask children how they feel before and after a session to help them recognize energetic shifts.
- 🎨 Combine Reiki with Creative Expression – After a session, encourage drawing, journaling, or storytelling to help children process their emotions.
Considerations When Working with Children
When sharing Reiki with children, it’s important to approach sessions with care, ethics, and sensitivity. Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive practice, but it’s essential to establish clear boundaries to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for both the child and practitioner. Below are key ethical considerations to follow when offering Reiki to children. Here are some key considerations:
- 👨👩👧👦 Parental Consent & Involvement – Always obtain permission from a parent or guardian before offering Reiki to a child. Some parents may also wish to be present during the session. Parents should have the option to be present during the session if they or the child prefer.
- 🧒 Child-Led Approach – Children should feel safe, comfortable, and in control. Let them choose whether they prefer hands-on Reiki, distant healing, or even just sitting together in a Reiki-infused space.
- 👕Ensure the Child is Always Fully Clothed – Reiki is performed over clothing, and the child should remain fully dressed at all times. Loose, comfortable clothing is ideal.
- 🛑 Reiki should never involve touch on private areas – focus on safe placements such as: Head, shoulders, back, and feet, Stomach (with the child’s permission), Hands and arms and feet.
- 💡 Respect Boundaries & Comfort Levels – If a child is unsure or hesitant, don’t force Reiki. Allow them to move, talk, or play during the session—Reiki should feel natural and relaxed.
- 🎭 Every Child is Unique – Some children may be more sensitive to energy than others. Be open to their responses and adapt accordingly.
- ⚖️ Professionalism & Ethics – If you’re a Reiki practitioner working with children, always obtain the relevant training, insurance, and background checks to ensure you’re meeting ethical, legal and professional standards to work professionally with children. Obtain DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) or background checks (if required in your country). Maintain professionalism at all times—avoid being alone with a child in a closed space without parental supervision. For group Reiki (in schools or wellness centres), ensure another responsible adult is always present.
- 💖Be Mindful of Emotional Sensitivity – Reiki can sometimes bring up emotions in children, especially if they have experienced trauma, anxiety, or stress. If a child becomes upset or distressed, pause the session and contact the parent. If emotional issues arise, encourage the parent to seek additional professional support (counsellors, therapists) if needed.
- 🌟Do not diagnose or make medical claims—Reiki is a complementary practice, not a replacement for professional medical care.
- 🔒 Any information shared by the child or parent should be kept private. However, if a child shares something that suggests harm or abuse, you are ethically and legally required to report it to the proper authorities. Consult the helplines and advice available in your area.

How to Run a Reiki Session with a Child
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about running a Reiki session with a child, from preparation to techniques and ethical considerations. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or Reiki practitioner, working with children requires a unique approach that ensures they feel safe, comfortable, and engaged.
1. Preparing for the Reiki Session
Before beginning, it’s important to set the stage for a positive and relaxed experience.
- 🌿 Obtain Parental Consent: If you are not the child’s parent or guardian, always get written permission before offering Reiki. You may also want to explain the process to the parent so they understand what to expect. The parent should read and sign a disclaimer to be fully aware of what the session entails, how Reiki works and explain that the child is always in control and can stop the session at any time.
- 🌟 Create a Child-Friendly Space: Children are highly sensitive to their environment. Choose a quiet, cozy, and welcoming space with soft lighting, comforting objects (stuffed animals, pillows, or blankets), and gentle music if they enjoy it.
- 💕 Explain Reiki in Simple Terms: Children may not understand Reiki the way adults do, so describe it in a way they can relate to:
- “Reiki is like a warm, gentle hug for your energy.”
- “It’s like a little sunshine for your heart.”
- “Reiki helps you feel calm and happy inside.”
- Encourage them to ask questions and express how they feel.
- 🧒 Let the Child Lead: Ask them how they’d like to receive Reiki—some children may prefer hands-on, while others like a no-touch approach where Reiki is sent from a short distance. Always respect their comfort level.
2. Running the Reiki Session with a child💆 Step-by-Step Guide
A Reiki session for a child can be short and flexible, typically 10-30 minutes, depending on their age and attention span.
- 1️⃣ Start with a Grounding Activity
- Begin by having the child take a few deep breaths or do a gentle wiggle to shake off stress.
- You can also place your hands on their shoulders (if they’re comfortable) to help them feel grounded.
- 2️⃣ Invite the Child to Relax
- If they want to lie down, let them do so. If they prefer to sit or play while receiving Reiki, that’s okay too!
- Encourage them to close their eyes, but it’s not required.
- 3️⃣ Use Gentle Hand Positions:
- If the child is comfortable with touch and the parent is happy with hands-on Reiki, you can use light hand placements on areas such as:
- Crown (top of the head) – for relaxation and peace.
- Shoulders & Heart – for comfort and emotional balance.
- Stomach – for easing tension and stress.
- Back (if lying down) – for grounding and support.
- If the child prefers no touch, you can hover your hands a few inches above them and send Reiki that way.
- If the child is comfortable with touch and the parent is happy with hands-on Reiki, you can use light hand placements on areas such as:
- 4️⃣ Observe & Adjust as Needed
- Children may talk, move, giggle, or fidget during Reiki, and that’s completely fine!
- Be adaptable—if they want to switch positions or take a break, allow it.
- Keep Sessions Short – Children don’t need long sessions; 10-20 minutes can often be enough.
- Make it fun—you can turn Reiki into a game, like pretending your hands are filled with magic energy!
- 5️⃣ Closing the Session
- Gently let them know the Reiki session is coming to an end.
- Ask how they feel in simple, open-ended questions like:
- “What did you notice?”
- “Did you feel warm, tingly, or relaxed?”
- “Do you feel different now than before?”
- Offer them water and a grounding activity (stretching, drawing, or cuddling a stuffed animal).
- Encourage Expression After Reiki: Some children may want to express what they felt through drawing, storytelling, or movement. Let them share in their own way!
How to Run a Reiki Workshop with Kids and Young Children
Reiki Healing Association Members Rickie Meryl Freedman shared how she runs Reiki Sessions with kids in the last issue of our magazine Universal Life Magazine.
“I have been teaching Reiki to kids five and up for many years. Children are very sensitive – they “tune in” and pick up the energy of their parents, families, and their world. Sharing Reiki with children allows them to learn how to manage their energy so that they can stay heart-centered and connected without taking on anyone else’s energy or becoming drained of their own. They learn to LIVE Reiki and BE their True Selves in the world. They learn about living mindfully, sharing peace, compassion, and gratitude – and most of all about letting their inner lights shine. Reiki is so natural for children – they feel their energy easily, and they haven’t developed the filters, blocks and resistances that many adults do through the course of their life experiences and messages they may have received.
When teaching Reiki to children, they still learn everything adults do, but in child-friendly language. So sharing a Reiki Class with kids does end up looking very different to a class designed for adults. It is rewarding, challenging and surprising. And it certainly does require a lot of energy to coordinate and run! I recommend that at least one parent also be attuned to Reiki so that they can practice together, and the parent can answer questions etc. My class is about five hours long including breaks, snacks, and lunch. We start with a tour of my Reiki space and several “getting to know you” questions to help them feel comfortable.
Flexibility and patience are essential for wandering discussions. Movement, art, music, and sound (all vibration!) are helpful too. Kids need to stay active to hold their attention. I have a parent helper as I attune each child in another room, just like I do with the adults. The waiting children are practicing self-Reiki and listening to a guided meditation. I personally recommend one adult for every four children. I have created a kid’s version of the Reiki Healing Principles in the form of a song with movements, so it becomes more meaningful and memorable for them.
At the end of the class, the kids draw/create what their energy looks and feels like to them. These drawings are amazing and sometimes include the energy colours they perceive, as well as angels etc.
For homework, each child receives a pack of flower or vegetable seeds with the instruction to divide the seeds in two halves. All the seeds receive water and sunshine, and half the seeds also get Reiki so that they can compare the difference in growth. In addition to providing the kids with Reiki Manuals and Colouring Activity Manuals I’ve created, they get to go home with a stone representing one of the 21 stones Mikao Usui used to keep track of his days while meditating on Mount Kurama, and a healing crystal to hold and feel the vibration. They all receive a Certificate at the end which says “Congratulations! You are a ReikiKid! Let your Love and Light SHINE!”
Final Thoughts
From infancy through adolescence, Reiki can be adapted to suit the needs of children at any stage of development. For babies, gentle touch can promote relaxation and soothe colic or discomfort. For older children, Reiki can help them navigate school pressures, peer relationships, and emotional growing pains. As a parent, I’ve seen how Reiki can grow with a child, offering them support and guidance at every phase of their journey.
Reiki is certainly a beautiful gift for children, offering them a sense of peace, comfort, and self-awareness in a busy world. By keeping sessions light, flexible, and child-led, you can create a powerful and positive experience that nurtures their well-being. Start small, keep it fun, and enjoy the journey of bringing light and healing to young hearts. Wishing you and the children in your life love, light, and healing energy! ✨
Have you shared Reiki with children in your life? What changes have you noticed? Share your experiences in the comments below!
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