Tip Tapping: A Meditation For Kids

You’ve probably heard of tapping.

Well this isn’t that.

It’s something my son and I came up with called tip-tapping.

It’s a story we tell when my son can’t sleep at night, if he’s scared or anxious or just has an abundance of maniacal energy.

So I thought I’d share, in case it’s useful.

There’s a lot of room for improvisation but I’ve shared the framework along with a recording, in case you’d like to try it out.

Basically, a grown-up tip-taps their fingers as if they’re little legs, on all the parts of the child’s body that the story mentions.

It can be silly and a lot of fun and it also helps to call my son’s attention back from all his video games and friends and other worldly stuff and back into his body, where he can feel like he’s home, safe and comfortable.

So Little Johnny moved into a new house. A much bigger house.

He liked his new house but it was a lot different than what he was used to.

And one day, Little Johnny got lost!

He couldn’t find his room!

This was no good, because Little Johnny was really tired and he wanted to rest!

But Little Johnny couldn’t rest. He had no other choice than to find his room.

First he headed down to the right leg of the house. He started at the right thigh, but no luck. His room wasn’t there. So he walked further down to the knee of the house, but his room wasn’t there either!

He checked the ankle of his house. Nothing.

The foot of the house, and all the way down to the toes of the house.

Was his room was in the big toe? No.

What about the others? Nope.

Then he hopped over to the left leg of his house and he tried there.

Was his room in the right thigh of the house? Sadly, no.

The right knee? Nooo.

The right calf? No!

He checked the right ankle and then headed all the way down to the right foot, with its big toe and all the littler toes—but nothing!

Will I ever find my room? he cried.

Little Johnny started to get worried.

And so he began to run!

Up the left leg. And up toward the right arm of his house. And straight up to the right shoulder.

He looked around.

Maybe his room was in there!

No.

He ran down his right arm to the right wrist of his house. Still nothing. Then he checked each finger of the house. Not a thing.

Oh, he was sure getting tired! But he couldn’t give up! No way!

So he hopped over to the belly of the house. And he checked everywhere. Up and down and all around. But his room was still nowhere to be found.

He hopped over to the left shoulder and then down its long arm and to the left wrist and all its fingers. But his room wasn’t there either!!

So up to the tippy top of the house he went. Right up to the head of the house.

Nope. Wasn’t there.

Not in the eyelids of the house.

Or the nose of the house.

Or the throat of his house.

But just then, right as he was getting really out of breath and really worried that he’d never ever find his place, he felt something familiar!

Something that made him feel happy and calm!

And he knew he was getting closer!

And finally, after all that searching, he found his room!

His perfect beautiful room!

Of course! It was right here all along!

Right in the heart of his house!!!

And so he curled right up and he fell fast asleep.

The end.

-JLK