App review: Headspace: Wellness app makes mediation accessible, practical, pricey
Parents need to know that Headspace is a meditation app for adults and kids. (Common Sense Media/TNS)
The wellness app Headspace: Guided Meditation and Mindfulness. (Headspace)
Parents need to know that Headspace: Guided Meditation and Mindfulness is a meditation app for adults and kids. The app’s beginner course is free, but the other content requires a paid subscription. The meditations created for kids include very brief, one- to nine-minute meditations, while longer meditations are available for teens and adults. Created by a former Buddhist monk, this app presents meditation in very straightforward ways and for specific circumstances, including walking, sleeping, kindness, and focus. It also includes reminders, rewards, and ways to connect with friends for motivation. It’s compatible with the Apple Health app and Apple Watch. Though there’s a free trial, you can’t see much without a subscription, which is $12.99/month.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
To use Headspace: Guided Meditations and Mindfulness, first create an account (using Facebook, Spotify, or email), and then watch the tutorial. The app uses common meditation techniques — such as body scans, becoming aware of environmental sounds, breath awareness, breath counting, and more — to establish a serene, aware space for the mind to rest. Watch the promos about the other meditation options, including the kids’ meditations, which are separated into age groups: 5 and under, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12. If you choose to unlock the rest of the content, sign up for the 30-day free trial (which will auto-renew unless canceled). Set reminders, share with friends, and use other settings to customize the experience.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
This app makes meditation accessible, modern, and practical. From suggestions on how to sit while meditating to specific sessions for everyday moments — getting out of bed, walking, eating — Headspace: Guided Meditations and Mindfulness takes a calm, relaxed approach to bringing calm relaxation into the lives of adults and kids. That said, for some younger kids who need visual cues, this app may not be as effective as other meditation or breathing apps that use images to slow down breathing, focus the eyes, and calm kids. Also, the one-minute meditations for kids go by so quickly that they may lose any usefulness.
The free, introductory 10-minute sessions may be a good way to test whether you and your kid like the app’s methods enough to purchase a subscription; however, the kid-focused meditations are somewhat different from the free intro meditations. Of course, how effective it is will depend solely on if and how regularly users take the time to sit and listen. The app’s creator suggests finding a specific time and place to use the app daily and setting the in-app reminders to improve chances you’ll create a habit. Also, since the price is prohibitive to many, parents could use the app for a month or two and then try to keep the habit going without the subscription.
RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 8 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Educational value: 3 out of 5
Ease of play: 5 out of 5
Violence and scariness: 0 out of 5
Sexy stuff: 0 out of 5
Language: 0 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 0 out of 5
Consumerism: 4 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
APP DETAILS
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, iPad
Price: Free to try ($12.99 per month)
Subscription price: Subscriptions from $12.99 to $399.99
Release date: March 30, 2017
Category: Health & Fitness
Size: 119.00 MB
Publisher: Headspace mediation limited
Minimum software requirements: iOS 9.0 or later; Android varies with device
