Mindfulness is a powerful practice for adults, and it is a great tool that we can share with children to teach them strategies for calming down and paying attention.
I am super excited that my son has joined me once again to help you teach mindfulness to your children! In the video below, watch Liam and I demonstrate Mindful Listening, Sending Kind Thoughts, and Cone Breathing. Liam also talks about his favorite website that his teachers use to teach mindfulness in class.
You can learn more about these practices below:
Mindful Listening (at 1:01 in the video)
You can learn more about this practice and why it is so helpful for kids here. (Hint: it helps us build focus and concentration!)
Sending Kind Thoughts (at 2:27 in the video)
Sending king thoughts, or “heartfulness,” is a lovely practice that helps us incline our hearts and minds toward happiness and joy. For this practice, invite your child (or students) to think of someone very special to them, and get a picture of them in their mind (see their face, what they’re wearing, etc.) Imagine them being totally happy and doing something they love. Then you can say each of the phrases below, inviting your child(ren) to silently repeat the phrase in their head, imagining that they are sending this wish to their special person. The traditional kind thoughts that we send are:
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be loved.
When you finish the practice, ask your child what he or she noticed. What did it feel like to send these kind wishes?
While this practice can feel somewhat contrived at first, I find that many kids really enjoy it. They often report feeling happy and relaxed after doing it. If your child experiences this when you try the practice, point out how cool it is that just spending a few minutes focusing our attention on kindness made us feel better. How amazing is it that where we place our attention has such a profound impact on how we feel?!
Cone Breathing (at 3:45 in the video)
This practice looks a lot like child’s pose (if you’re a yoga type), and it is very soothing. The pressure of the fists on the forehead has a calming effect on the mind, the pose allows a stretching of the neck and shoulder muscles. The posture is quieting and simply invites rest.
Go Noodle (at 4:20 in the video)
Go Noodle is a great resource for parents and teachers. Many of the elementary teachers that I work with use the videos and exercises on the website for those times when kids need to get their wiggles out, or when they are getting ready to transition to a new activity. You can create an account for free as a parent or as a teacher. To access the Meditation with Maximo video that my son recommended, you need a PLUS account, but you can get a 30-day free trial of PLUS without having to enter your credit card information. You can access the Maximo video here.
Want to learn more about practicing mindfulness with your child? I’ve got you covered! Check out the links below!
- A Mindful Approach to New Year’s Resolutions - January 13, 2020
- Just This Next Step - December 16, 2019
- WAIT: A Mindfulness Practice for Waiting in Line - December 9, 2019
