I was first introduced to mindfulness about three years ago. Someone suggested that I enroll in mindfulness classes as a way to deal with the constant anxiety I was experiencing trying to keep up with all the responsibilities I had on my shoulders during a particularly difficult time in my life.
Of course, I was too busy and overwhelmed to really think about the suggestion, but when I started having sporadic panic attacks, I realized I had to do something. So I started researching, and the more I read, the more I realized that mindfulness goes way beyond just meditation.
There are so many other ways to practice it, and with more and more children being diagnosed with anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, and developmental delays, mindfulness is gaining popularity among therapists, teachers, and parents as a way to improve children’s focus, self-regulation, and social relationships while helping them manage feelings of anxiety and depression.
What is Mindfulness?
Many people find the idea of mindfulness to be somewhat enigmatic and difficult to explain, but if I had to sum it up in a single sentence, I would describe it as our innate capacity to be fully present in the moment – to concentrate on where we are and what we’re doing without allowing other, obtrusive thoughts, worries, or fears to permeate our minds. When we are practicing mindfulness, we are unbiased and non-judgmental toward what is taking place around us, and when our thoughts stray, we bring them back to the present.
In theory, mindfulness seems like a pretty simple concept, but because we are constantly encouraged to overbook our lives and the lives of our children, it can be surprising challenging to concentrate on the present moment without letting other demands for our attention take over and put us in a stressed-out state. Discover best tips and mindfulness activities for kids.
Why Teaching Mindfulness To Children is Important ?
Our children are never given the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of boredom. They lack the opportunity to unplug, tune out the outside world, and unleash their inner creativity as we did as children.
It makes sense that mental health issues like sadness and anxiety are becoming more prevalent.The good news is that mindfulness is becoming more and more popular among instructors, and it has a host of impressive advantages. Children’s mindfulness instruction can:
- decrease feelings of stress and anxiety
- improve focus and concentration
- help with impulsivity
- improve self-regulation
- develop empathy
- reduce aggression
- improve sleep
- …and a lot more!
Best Tips For Teaching Mindfulness Activities To Kids
1. Start small
Keep in mind that practicing mindfulness doesn’t have to take up much time or be complicated; if you start off simple, your child is more likely to continue showing interest. Take your child’s clues into consideration and proceed from there.
2. Get moving
Contrary to common assumption, practicing mindfulness doesn’t only include lying still and closing your eyes. If your child has trouble staying still, one of the many movement-based mindfulness activities for kids could be a better choice for her.
3. Practice mindfulness yourself
We must have a practical comprehension of the topic ourselves before we can properly teach it to our kids. Make sure your child is aware of your efforts to assist her develop an interest by taking the time to understand the fundamentals beforehand. Kids pick up on what their parents do, so the more you show them the benefits mindfulness has on you and your wellbeing, the more likely it is that they will be curious and willing to give it a try.
4. Make it a habit
Set aside time every day for your family to practice mindfulness, and be sure to pick a time that fits your schedule the best – in the morning, after school, before supper, or before night – before making it a habit. You’ll experience more advantages the more consistent you are!
5. Be patient
Also, don’t look for a miracle. Although it may be very good to teach mindfulness to children, keep in mind that change takes time, so don’t expect to see a dramatic improvement in your child right away. Consistency is important in most areas, as well!
Fun Mindfulness Activities For Kids
1.Taste testing
Kids can benefit greatly from this mindfulness exercise since it keeps them in touch with their senses. Ask your child to guess what she is eating using just her senses of touch, taste, and smell while she closes her eyes or covers them with a piece of cloth during the game. This can be made as simple or challenging as you desire, and it’s a great way to encourage youngsters to try new foods!
2. Guess what’s in the bag
Ask your youngster to put her hands inside a paper bag filled with various items and try to identify each one just by touch. As it compels children to concentrate solely on the work at hand, this is a fantastic sensory exercise and can be quite relaxing. If your kid has sensory issues, you should exercise caution since adding materials that make her anxious will have the opposite impact.
3. Straw painting
The finest mindfulness exercises for children teach them to concentrate on their breathing. A youngster naturally brings themselves back to a state of peace by taking long, deep breaths. Painting masterpieces with straws is a fantastic method to accomplish this with your children. Put some watered-down watercolor paints on some paper, and then have your child use a drinking straw to blow air through it to distribute the paint throughout. It’s easy, enjoyable, and successful at helping youngsters focus and de-stress.
4. Make your own zen garden
When I was a child, a friend of mine had a zen garden on her dining room table, and I adored it. I really like ‘raking’ the sand, especially while we were both preparing for an exam. When your child has difficulties unwinding and concentrating (for example, when working on schoolwork), you can buy a zen garden for kids, but you can also construct your own (a fantastic mindfulness practice for kids!) using a small cookie sheet, sand, stones, and a fork.
5. Guided meditation
The scripts for guided meditation are a necessary addition to any list of kid-friendly mindfulness exercises! There are a lot of options available online, but I prefer this set of 30 guide meditation scripts I discovered on Teachers Pay Teachers since they can be used at home and in the classroom to assist children find their way to a state of calm, aid in their attention, and increase their productivity.
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