We all know that it’s sometimes hard to be grounded. We’ll rush through things without ever pausing to take it all in. It can be a real challenge to stay present in this fast-paced world, where we’re constantly responding to new sensory input and emotional cues. But one of the best things about potion play is that it encourages both you and your child to slow down. To unplug. To focus on what’s happening in the moment.

Potion play has the power to be a very creative and engaging process for your child. It can light up all of their senses. It can get them thinking about their emotions. It can spark imagination. But it can be difficult for children to make these connections on their own. Here are some ways you can use questions to prompt your child through fully experiencing their potion-brewing adventure.

Engage their Senses

What does it look like?

Ask your child to tell you how their potion looks at the current stage of brewing. This is a good one to use repeatedly throughout the brewing process, as our potions change appearance as they’re mixed! Invite your child to use colour words and texture words to describe the potion they’re making. Is it pink? Green? Blue? Is it bubbly? Is it sparkly? Swirl it in the container and see how it moves.

How does it smell?

Our sense of smell is the most visceral of all our senses. Did you know that the olfactory receptors in our nose transmit signals directly to the emotional centres of the brain? Unlike other senses that travel more scenic routes, our sense of smell connects us with an emotional response right away. Ask your child if the potion has a smell. If so, what is it like? How does it make them feel? If it doesn’t have a smell, what do they think it should smell like? Do they have a favourite smell? If the affirmation was a smell, what would it be?

What colour is it turning?

Some of our potion kits - such as our Colour Mood mini magic kit - change colors several times throughout the brewing process. Draw your child’s attention to the colour changes as they brew. What colour is it now? What colour does it look like it’s about to become? What feelings do they associate with that colour? Do they have a favourite colour? What is it? Is the potion their favourite colour right now?

Does it have a sound?

Ask your child to open their ears. Have them listen to the sounds of potion-making. The splashes of liquid, the bubbling of fizzing, the clink of the spoon as they stir. Ask them what sounds they can hear. Does the potion have a sound? What would the potion sound like if it had a sound? What song does their potion remind them of? Can they sing it? How does each ingredient sound as they stir it? Do the sounds remind them of any musical instruments?

How does this potion make you want to move?

Sometimes, it helps to associate sensory experiences with movements. Potion-brewing is the perfect time for a silly dance break together with your child! Or if your child isn’t much of a dancer, try making different facial expressions or hand gestures. How do they want to move, when they see their potion? If they give it a stir, do they want to spin? If it’s fizzing, do they want to jump up and down? Does this potion make them feel wiggly? 

Check in with Their Heart

How do you feel about it? Do you like it?

Inviting children to check in with their bodies is fun and necessary! But so is inviting them to check in with their minds and hearts. Ask them if they like how the potion looks. How it smells. How it feels. Ask them what their favourite ingredient is and why. Do they like the liquid ingredients or the powders better? Do they enjoy watching the potion come together? Is there anything they don’t like? How does the affirmation feel to them? Does the potion make them feel more in touch with the affirmation? How does the brewing process make their heart feel?

What does this potion remind you of?

Associations are a vital part of childhood learning. Helping your child make connections can give them a good groundwork for incorporating the principles of potion-making elsewhere in their life. Ask them if brewing the potion makes them think of anything else. What can they think of that’s similar to what they’re doing now? Is there a place in life where they can see these skills being useful again? Does making this potion bring back any memories? Is there a person that this reminds them of?

Encourage imagination

If they had an animal helper, what would it be?

In stories, mages often have animal friends who help them make their magic. If your child had an animal companion, what sort of animal would they have? Ask them to tell you about this animal. What would be their name? What colour would they be? How big would they be? Can they talk like people, or not?

What would their magical home look like?

Ask your child where they would live if they were a storybook potion-maker. Would they live in a big castle with a dragon outside? A tall tower surrounded by clouds? Perhaps a cottage in the woods with lots of plants? How would they decorate their space? Would they live alone or with friends and family? What color would they paint the walls? Do they like getting visitors?

If they could have any magical power, what would they choose?

Much like superpowers, what sort of magic a child would want can say a lot about them and encourage them to get creative. Would they want to fly? Read minds? What about breathing underwater? Would they want to shoot lightning from their hands? Or would they rather be able to change their appearance? Or even shift into an animal? Would they want to be able to heal others? Climb walls? Talk to animals?

Get Brewing!

Guiding your child through their potion making with mindfulness questions like these can help to make the experience a positive one. It can also help enhance the effects of the affirmations, because now the memory of this experience will shine brighter in their minds. Don’t be afraid to get your child talking as you brew. Pick out a potion kit and let them send their hearts, minds, and bodies on a magical adventure! You’ll both feel much more grounded after.