Retreats that let tired caregivers take the kids
Because someone needs to hold space for the space-holders
If you are a parent of a small child in the U.S. like me, you are likely to spend some time tending your children during school breaks (my son was off this week). While I feel very fortunate to be a parent, I also know I need lots of quiet time to myself in order to be the best parent possible, not to mention the best activist on behalf of my child’s future. Without rest, I burn out quickly.
Fortunately, there are a few meditation centers and organizations around the U.S. that already have their kid-friendly programming posted for 2025. What I appreciate about these programs is the fact that, unlike your typical all-inclusive family resort scenario, they aren’t so much about “getting away from it all” as they are about helping attendees, both adults and children, to cultivate a deeper sense of connection to it all — to our own bodies, our communities and our earth. I think these kinds of family retreats are sorely needed right now.
Spots in some of these programs book up fast, which is why I’m stalking these websites now and sharing them with you. Below, I offer up my intel on each place and program, for others who are interested in exploring mindfulness with their families but aren’t sure how to take the first step — or would just like more help in doing so.
Two notes before we jump in:
Many of these centers value inclusivity and offer a range of payment and/or scholarship options, such as opportunities to camp on the grounds vs. staying in luxury lodging. So if you see something that appeals to you, don’t be afraid to click through and give it a look, or give the center a ring to see how you might get involved.
If you know of other family-friendly programming that is being offered at meditation centers, retreat spaces, etc. around the world, please comment below. I’d love to add to this list!
Family Retreats
Blue Cliff (Pinebush, NY)
Blue Cliff is the sister monastery to Plum Village, the home monastery of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and his influence can still be felt here, from his trademark calligraphy on the walls to the dharma talks, which are often offered in Vietnamese with English translation. It’s located in the beautiful Shawungunk region.
Blue Cliff will be hosting a Summer Family Retreat from July 16-20, 2025. Families typically camp around the grounds, which include both manicured gardens and lawns as well as more private sites in stands of trees. There are shared bathrooms/showers for campers. Details are still TBD, but you can keep a close eye on them here.
See also: Magnolia Grove, Blue Cliff’s sister monastery in Mississippi
San Francisco Zen Center/Green Gulch Farm (Sausalito, CA)
The San Francisco Zen Center is one of the oldest Zen establishments in the country, and maintains a farm called Green Gulch in Sausalito, on the way to Muir Beach. They’re hosting an upcoming two-day retreat for parents and children aged 5-13 from May 16-May 18.
Kids and caregivers will engage in “family-friendly zazen” (sitting meditation,” as well as “creative projects.” Parents get to circle together Saturday afternoon, while children “enjoy a land-based project.”
Omega Institute (Rhinebeck, NY)
Omega, in New York’s Hudson Valley, hosts all kinds of mindfulness events. The vibe is very “Dirty Dancing meets Seven Sisters college quad.” I recently did a retreat here and loved it (more about that here). It’s the easiest to reach of the centers listed here — you can catch an Amtrak from NYC, drive from Boston, or fly into Albany. For lodging, you can take your pick from campsites that ring a tranquil lake and others that are tucked up in the foothills around the grounds, or modest indoor lodgings with modern comforts like beds with mattresses and heat/AC.
Omega hosts a Family Week each year; this year it falls on July 27-Aug 1. The format allows adults to choose workshops to take on their own while kids and teens choose a camp. (Smaller kids may still need to tag along with a caregiver.) There’s family entertainment in the evenings.
Registration just opened for this, and spots will go fast.
While you need to call the reservation desk to put together the specific combo of workshops and lodging options you want, you can preview all the options here.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center (Woodacre, CA)
This Bay Area meditation center hosts their Family Week from July 30-August 3 on their scenic campus. An application process (which opens this week!) ensures that participants come from a diverse array of backgrounds, so you’re not guaranteed to get in if you sign up. The other catch is that at least one adult needs to have had prior silent meditation retreat experience — these folks are serious, y’all.
If you get in, families can expect to experience “age-appropriate meditation and Dharma teachings, games, arts and crafts, nature time, and more. Kids and teens will have organized time each day to be with same-age peers, fully supervised by our outstanding mindful leaders. Adults will also have their own time to practice, relax, and receive Dharma from the teachers.” Dreamy.
For more info/to apply, click here.
See also: The Insight Meditation Center’s Teen Retreat in Barre, MA
“Come for the Day” Programming
Blue Cliff (Pinebush, NY)
If you can’t make the weeklong retreat mentioned above, you can also just opt for Blue Cliff’s Come for the Day program offered every Sunday, which is a half-day, all-ages affair. There’s no childcare per se, but well-behaved kids and teens can easily move along with the program if they’re able to participate in sitting meditation and walking meditation; the latter takes place along a beautiful woodland trail in nice weather. The program ends with some of the best Vietnamese home cooking I’ve ever had.
You can find more info here.
Providence Zen Center (Cumberland, RI)
The PZC, located in the Providence suburbs, is affiliated with the Kwan Um School of Zen, for which I have a soft spot given my connection to Korean Buddhism (see this post). The vibe is mellow and casual — which is notable, given that some Zen centers, particularly those in the Soto and Rinzai traditions, can feel quite formal.
PZC offers an every-other-Sunday morning program (9:30am-11:30am) for kids ages 6-12, where “children can engage with the teachings of Zen Buddhism through a blend of education, meditation, creativity, play, and togetherness.” Parents can stay with their kids (recommended for young ones), go downstairs to join the regular Sunday dharma program for adults (which involves instruction for beginners, sitting and walking meditation, and a short dharma talk and Q&A), or explore the trails around the lovely grounds.
You can find more info here.
Bonus: the center is a short drive away from An Unlikely Story, the famed Plainville, MA bookstore run by Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney and his wife, so you can really make a day of it.
San Francisco Zen Center/Green Gulch Farm (Sausalito, CA)
In addition to the retreat mentioned above, Green Gulch farm hosts a semi-regular children’s program for Bay Area parents, caregivers, and children (ages 3–12). Upcoming dates include Jul 27, Sept 28, Nov 2, and Nov 23.
During this daylong program (10am-4pm), kids enjoy “nature, creative projects, play, and stories, as well as “time outside on the farm and in the gardens.”
For more info, search “Family and Children’s Events” at this link.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
If you can’t commit to a full week at Spirit Rock, you can come for Spring Family Day on April 13, for families of children aged 4-12. It begins with an all-ages morning itinerary, then kids head off with Spirit Rock staff to “play, make art, sing songs, and practice mindfulness together” while parents get to attend an adults-only talk related to parenting as practice, with opportunities for group discussion.
This program is already waitlisted (as many are at Spirit Rock), but getting off the list is not impossible; sign up here.
Zen Mountain Monastery (Woodstock, NY)
Zen Mountain Monastery is located in the Catskill mountains outside Woodstock, NY, not far from the well-loved Phoenicia Diner on Rte 28 (for my fellow NYC hipsters).
ZMM, as it’s often known, hosts regular kids programming on Sunday mornings (check the calendar for which age groups). Parents have to stay with their kids for this one, but given that ZMM’s adult in-person programming can feel fairly formal, taking the kids’ class is not a bad way to experience Japanese-style Zen monastery life for the first time if you’ve never done so. The mornings-only format also leaves you with plenty of free time in the afternoon for hiking or hopping into a swimming hole nearby.
More info here.
NOTE: A previous version of this post listed Karmê Chöling, a Vermont-based retreat center affiliated with Tibetan Buddhism, as a potential summer retreat option for families. I can no longer recommend this venue without strong reservations. Please click here for further information. Thank you to the reader who brought this to my attention!
Great list! Just a note of caution—I’d be mindful about sending kids unattended to Karme Choling, given its past involvement in SA-related inquiries. Always good to do a bit of research and make sure the environment feels safe and appropriate.
thanks for this very cool list!