Many of us can find peace in the unpredictability of life by focusing on what we can control. One great way to cultivate this sense of peace is through mindfulness—the ability to be present and find joy in small moments.
Teaching children to appreciate simplicity is important in a fast-paced world where happiness is often linked with material possessions and digital devices. By observing the world around them, children can learn mindfulness, connect with their surroundings, and develop their inner peace.
These mindfulness activities can help children and adults revive their spirits and embrace nature. Read on to learn how to incorporate the following activities into your and your family’s daily life.
Mindful Breathing
Guide the children to focus on their breathing. Ask them to imagine they are blowing up a balloon. Breathe deep through the nose and blow out slowly through the mouth. Teach them to understand the process of inhaling and exhaling and learn how they feel through each of these steps.
Breathing exercises calm the mind and body, reducing stress and anxiety. It also improves focus, attention and emotional regulation, leading to better behavior and academic performance.
Mindful Listening
Mindful listening helps children improve their concentration, attention span and emotional regulation. It also promotes empathy and understanding as they learn to truly listen and connect with others and the world.
Play nature sounds or soft music and ask children to listen carefully to identify different sounds. Then, have them
( Source: Edufrienz Social-Emotional Learning Lesson Plan – Mindfulness Digital Printable)
listen to different types of music and ask them to share their feelings about each one and how they might like or prefer some of them.
Five Senses Exercise
Get children to notice what they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in their environment. Take them for a walk in nature to notice the different sights, sounds, and smells they can experience. Encourage them to focus on the present to cultivate their observation and concentration.
By using their senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, children learn to focus on the present moment,
( Source: Mindfulness Printable Worksheet)
reducing stress and anxiety. This activity also develops their powers of observation, creativity and appreciation of the natural world. It also promotes a deeper connection with their surroundings and a sense of calm and center.
Encourage Gratitude Journals
Teach children to keep their own gratitude journals or send gratitude letters to those around them. By focusing on positive experiences, children can cultivate a grateful heart, improve their mood and develop a lifelong habit of appreciating the simple joys of life.
Mindful Coloring
Mindful coloring helps children develop focus, concentration and fine motor skills. It also promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety and encourages creativity. By engaging in the process of coloring, children learn to appreciate the beauty of detail and the satisfaction of completing a task.
Provide coloring sheets and encourage children to focus on the colors and patterns, staying present as they color. They pay attention to the different words and objects and focus on how every completed line creates a strong awareness of each step they have taken.
Mindful Eating:
Have children eat a small snack slowly, focusing on the taste, texture, and aroma. Guide them to understand the health effects of different types of food and the importance of a balanced diet, which can influence them to develop better eating habits and select what is best for them.
Mindful eating fosters a healthy relationship with food. By savoring flavors, textures and aromas, children develop a better appreciation for food. This practice helps them listen to their body’s cues about hunger and satiety, preventing overeating and encouraging balanced choices
Practicing Yoga
Yoga for children fosters body awareness, balance, and flexibility. Through mindful movement and breathing, they can improve their coordination and self-esteem. Introduce simple yoga poses and encourage children to focus on their breathing and movements. They can experience the sensation of their body movements and feel how they create different feelings.
Mindfulness practices are surprisingly simple, yet profoundly powerful. Even short bursts of mindful activities such as deep breathing, focusing on the senses, or gratitude journaling can yield significant benefits. These practices require minimal effort and can be seamlessly integrated into daily life. Whether you’re an adult or a child, consistent mindfulness cultivates inner peace, reduces stress, improves concentration and promotes emotional well-being.
We can easily incorporate the above practices into our children’s lives. Children’s ability to practice mindfulness can lead to many meaningful benefits such as better emotional management, increased self-awareness leading to better health, and improved relationships with others.
Children with better mindfulness can be more socially connected. Find out how children can learn and adopt more of these good practices from learning through social-emotional learning (SEL).
Edufrienz has a wide range of engaging SEL resources to help you get started on your child’s social and emotional learning journey. Check out their SEL Program today!
