26/09/2023
Practicing Mindfullness
Mindfullness is shortly, being able to Stop, live in the present moment. Essentially, it means being (intentionally) more aware and awake to each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one's surroundings – with acceptance and without judgment.
Mindfulness is a self-regulation strategy. With practice, it can help us feel calm, confident, and focused. And while it’s very helpful for us, as adults, mindfulness is a powerful skill we can teach to children and young adults.
Why teach mindfulness?
Teaching mindfulness to kids can also help shape three critical skills developed in early childhood:
Paying attention and remembering information, shifting back and forth between tasks, and behaving appropriately with others.
These abilities are known as executive functions and they are essential for more advanced tasks like planning, reasoning, problem-solving, and positive social relationships.
Benefits of Mindfulness:
1. Increased focus/memory, attention, self-control, classroom participation, compassion.
2. Improved academic performance, ability to resolve conflict, overall well-being.
3. Decreased levels of stress, depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior.
4. Increased Emotional Regulation.
5. Stronger Relationships.
Here are 12 simple ways to practice mindfulness with children and teens:
1.Practice breathing techniques.
Breathing techniques are one of the first strategies to practice and teach mindfulness. In many ways, breathing is the basis to everything else; when we can calm our breathing, we can calm our bodies and minds.
2.Mindfully listen to music. (music can be calming, energizing, make you feel sleepy and some music can improve concentration..)
3. Nature Walk
Consider what you see, hear, smell, feel, and even taste.
4. Spend time journal writing. ( a time to reflect. What are you thankful for, what are your wishes for world today)
5. Recite positive affirmations.
There is so much power in positive affirmations.
These inspiring self-talk statements remind us that we’re capable, strong, and focused on success.
Have kids choose their favorite self-talk statements, make a list, and recite those together. This can even be a daily morning ritual to start the day.
I use Lunchbox notes: Just do your best ! You are loved ! I am proud of how you handled....; I can see you are studied hard, good luck.
6. Practice stretchingor yoga
7. Check in with your emotions.
Pause and connect with your inner feelings. This mindfulness strategy can help kids and teens focus on the “right now” while also building self-awareness and self-regulation skills.
8. Take a mindful brain break.
Brain breaks give a quick pause in the day. These can be used during a transition from one subject to another, after lunch or recess, or prior to an assessment.
9. Spend extra time outside.
Even in times when you can’t walk or explore too far, try spending time outside. Sit and listen to the sounds of nature as you breathe in and out slowly
10. Draw, color, or doodle.
Play calming music and draw, color, or just doodle. Mindful coloring pages work excellent for this activity. What’s most important is to teach kids how to mindfully color. This means just coloring in the moment, and not worrying about what looks “right” or “wrong.” Just breathe, color, and be.
11. Use senses to observe an object.
Choose any object around you; this can be anything from a shoe to a water bottle or your phone.
12. Do something fun and just experience the moment like baking, dancing to your favorite song or just stare up at the clouds.
That's all from me today.
Have a super mindful good day!
