Treatments for Tots? Why Luxury Resorts Are Unveiling a Range of Wellness Offerings Just for Kids
Guided meditation, breathwork, and nature walks—that’s all standard resort wellness fair. But increasingly, these woo-woo offerings are for the wee ones, too.
Rather than sit around in kids clubs stocked with weathered coloring books, today’s tots want to namaste just like mommy—and top resorts are taking note.
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“Some examples we have seen offered for various ages range from musical meditation, active cooking classes, painting, hiking, water biking, as well as yoga and dance classes that enable young children and teenagers to be their best selves, inside and out,” said Bridget Lackie, general manager of luxury travel tour operator Scott Dunn.
Over in the Maldives, the adults-only Joali recently announced the Joy of Being—a week-long wellness retreat that will open to children for a limited time this spring and summer. The immersive retreat designed for children ages 6 to 12 is crafted around the four main pillars of the resort: mind, skin, microbiome, and energy. Children are encouraged to disconnect from Wi-Fi (only available in the villas) and connect with nature, themselves, and others through a variety of classes, including herbology, soap-making, kombucha-tasting, nutritional workshops, stargazing, and sea gardening. Rates for the Joy of Being retreat are $210 per night per child, in addition to the room and board.
And last year, the Four Seasons Punta Mita in Nayarit, Mexico, rolled out a KidsWell program for children ages 5 to 12 that has become increasingly popular. Through bubble-blowing breathwork, gratitude journaling, guided meditation, and rainbow relaxation watercolor classes, kids learn techniques to relax their mind and body as well as ways to develop a wellness practice at an early age.
Erika Ibarra Zepeda—the Kids for All Seasons Manager who has a background in psychology and children’s studies—oversees the program.
”We wanted to further elevate our existing programming to provide kids with practices to improve their overall wellbeing and equip them with tools they can use after their vacation ends and they return home,” said Zepeda. “For example, Finding Positive Energy, a KidsWell activity, helps little ones source positivity within themselves in times of doubt, a skill they can utilize when in school or playing team sports.”
At the all new 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai (formerly the St. Regis Princeville Resort), adults and children can choose from a laundry list of daily classes centered around wellness and sustainability. The Seedlings Basecamp is a complimentary program designed for children to promote mindfulness, spark creativity, and bring kids closer to nature.
In the hour-long Green Thumbs workshop, little ones can learn how to plant and grow vegetables and flowers or learn about marine life and conservation in the Marine Life Magic class.
This summer, the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay will be launching the Aloha Camp, a full day camp for children ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 12 that introduces the meaning of the aloha spirit through activities such as lei making, hula classes, and canoe building. For teens, the camp will also include guided bike tours, plant-based cooking, and sustainability tours.
“The core of the Seedlings program is rooted in the belief that when you learn habits and values as a child, you carry them with you for a lifetime,” said Raul Leal, CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts.
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