8 Child-friendly Essential Oils for Back-to-School Support

Essential oils don’t just add aroma to a room, they also provide numerous health benefits for all at home.

Going back to school can be challenging and at times stressful for children, even if they’re excited about it. While younger children might experience separation anxiety, older children can also find this time stressful. Adjusting to a new environment, a change in their schedule, being surrounded by familiar and new people (and germs), more responsibilities like homework can all be overwhelming, no matter the age. This is why it’s important to make sure you’re there to support them and help them feel centred, calm and healthy.

One of the ways to provide children with emotional support is through the use of essential oils. Essential oils can be a great way to help both yourself and your child prepare for and navigate the challenging yet exciting weeks to come, ensuring they stay calm, relaxed and focused during this transition.

In this article, we'll be covering eight essential oils with their benefits that are safe to use on children. You'll also find essential oil blends and recipes for inhalers and diffusers that you can create to help support your child on their journey back to school.

Let’s dive in!

8 Essential Oils and Their Benefits for Back-to-School Support —

1. Bergamot:

Uplifting, refreshing and stimulating, Bergamot (citrus bergamia) essential oil can help relieve feelings of anxiety and stress, regulate the mood and balance energy levels.

2. Chamomile Roman:

Chamomile Roman (anthemis nobilis) is one of the gentlest essential oils. It helps reduce fevers, calm and soothe anxious children and promote sleep.

3. Frankincense:

The sedative, earthy scent of Frankincense (boswellia carteri) essential oil helps reduce anxiety, combat stress and enhance the mood. It also helps relieve respiratory symptoms like coughs, catarrh and asthma.

4. Grapefruit:

Grapefruit (citrus paradisi) essential oil is soothing, uplifting and clarifying. It can help improve focus and concentration, calm the mind and promote relaxation.

5. Lavender:

The calming and sedative effects of Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) essential oil can help calm anxious children, soothe nervous tension, promote relaxation and encourage sleep.

6. Lemon:

The citrus notes in Lemon (citrus limonum) essential oil are known to significantly lower anxiety in children, enhance mental clarity and energy levels, and bring a sense of calm, especially during bedtime.

7. Mandarin:

Mandarin (citrus reticulata) is one of the most soothing essential oils that can help calm hyperactive children, moderate the nervous system, relieve stress and reduce insomnia.

8. Rose:

Rose (rosa damascena) essential oil can help calm the mind, relax the body, reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep quality. It can also boost self-confidence and inspire feelings of happiness.

Child-friendly Inhaler and Diffuser Blends for Emotional Support —

How To Prepare —

For Inhalers

• You’ll need 1 blank inhaler.

• Remove the end cap and drop the essential oils onto the cotton wick of the inhaler.

• Place the wick back inside the inhaler and snap on the end cap.

• Unscrew the cover and inhale as often as needed.

For Diffusers

• Drop the recommended dose of essential oils into your diffuser.

• 6 drops will be sufficient for a 100ml capacity diffuser, or follow the instructions for your diffuser.

• Diffuse essential oils 2-3 times per day for no longer than 30 minutes at a time.

Useful and Important Points to Note —

• The essential oils and their blends are safe for children aged 5 years and over.

• You can adjust the number of drops per essential oil but;

• Do not exceed the total of 6 drops recommended dose, as essential oils are highly volatile and can be very strong for a child’s olfactory senses.

• The inhaler blend should last approximately 2-3 months, depending on usage.

• If the aroma starts to lessen, you can add the same blend of essential oils to the cotton wick, or use a new cotton wick for a different blend.

• It is recommended to switch out the inhaler for a new one after 12 months.

Safety and Cautions —

• Do not ingest, inhale neat or apply essential oils undiluted on the skin.

• If your child has an underlying medical condition, seek the advice of your medical practitioner or a qualified professional aromatherapist before using essential oils.

• If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have an underlying medical condition, seek the advice of your medical practitioner or a qualified professional aromatherapist before using or diffusing essential oils.

• It is important to choose high-quality essential oils and follow proper usage guidelines.

• Pay close attention to the botanical names listed on the bottle to ensure you’re using the correct essential oil.

Disclaimer —

The use of aromatherapy and essential oils are not a substitute for traditional medicine. Essential oils are generally considered safe to use for mild symptoms. If symptoms persist or get worse, seek medical attention immediately.

If you are unsure of creating your own blends for your child or if there’s a specific concern you would like to discuss, we also offer consultations for bespoke essential oil blends that are tailored to your child’s and/or your specific health and wellness needs at the time.

To book your bespoke product consultation, visit our treatments and consultations page via the button below.