A Meditation Cushion For Kids: The Junior Zafu

Introduce your child to the world of meditation and mindfulness with the Junior Zafu, a specially designed meditation cushion for kids. Whether your little one is just beginning their mindfulness journey or needs a cozy spot for reading and quiet time, the Junior Zafu provides a comfy seat that helps build good posture.

Crafted with durability in mind, this cushion features a soft, easy-to-clean vinyl cover that can handle the energetic nature of kids. Spills? No problem—a quick wipe, and it’s good as new! Inside, the buckwheat hull filling molds to your child’s posture, ensuring comfort and support as they sit. Zafus are also naturally ergonomic and can help cut down on slouching.

The vibrant color options make meditation fun and inviting, encouraging children to build a habit of mindfulness in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. Beyond home use, the Junior Zafu is an excellent addition to classrooms, libraries, and even outdoor spaces, helping to create a peaceful, focused environment wherever it’s needed. We originally developed these cushions for an elementary school in Seattle, where they helped kids focus and improve their posture. After seeing how popular they were, we decided to make them available to everyone!

The Junior Zafu Makes an Impact in Schools

Everyone knows it’s no fun to cram into a desk at school. Things can get even more uncomfortable for kids in spaces like libraries that may have little to no seating. 

So, when Darryn Hewson, a Teacher Librarian Technology Integration Specialist (TLTIS) now in his ninth year at Springbrook Elementary School in Seattle, wanted to improve classes held in his school’s library, he reached out to us to talk about cushions.

Lacking chairs and desks in the library, Hewson was determined to enrich student’s “floor time” and hopefully make them more comfortable and attentive. He even secured a grant for his school to go towards creating new cushions for the kids.

The project wasn’t easy: school furniture has to meet certain regulatory standards, so traditional cotton zafus wouldn’t work. They would also have to appeal to kids. We eventually settled on vinyl because it is fire resistant, easy to clean, and comes in a range of vibrant colors. 

Since introducing them at the school, other teachers began to take notice. One of Hewson’s colleagues, a music teacher, soon wanted some of the rainbow zafus for his own classroom. 

“Their posture is definitely better. And the kids stay in one place better too. I think when kids are more comfortable, they listen better. I think these are helping them be more comfortable not sitting on the super hard floor,” Hewson told Still Sitting.

Designed for high-frequency use, the Junior Zafu is a perfect meditation cushion for kids, with a rugged vinyl cover that ensures longevity even in busy environments like schools, hospitals, and therapy centers.

(If you are interested in getting zafus into a school, hospital, or other institution, please contact us to learn more about pricing and bulk discounts.)

What is a zafu?

The zafu is a traditional meditation cushion that is often, though incorrectly, said to be Japanese in origin. While the word “zafu” is in fact Japanese, the history of these cushions goes back to China, where they were called putuan. 

Zafu translates from Japanese as “sewn seat.” However, the translation could also literally mean cushion made from the cattail plant.  Originating in China, the zafu eventually migrated to Japan, as did Buddhism. In Japan, the history and cultural significance of the zafu have become deeply intertwined with Zen Buddhism.

Crafted as a supportive cushion for seated meditation, zafus are typically about 14 inches wide and 5-7 inches tall. They are circular, with sides that are steep enough to allow the legs to rest lower than the sit bones. 

The Junior Zafu is a meditation cushion for kids modeled on the traditional zafu. However, it has some important differences designed for children:

• Stuffing material: buckwheat
• Weight: 5.5 lbs.
• Circumference: 13” (compared to 14”-16” of a standard zafu)
• Height: 5.5” high (compared to 6” of a standard zafu)
• Cover material: soft vinyl cover that is tear-resistant and wipes clean

More Reading from Still Sitting:

Zafus for Better Learning
What is a Zafu?