Introducing Mindfulness

Ready to start teaching mindfulness to your little ones? Watch this video of me and my son demonstrating some of the ways we practice mindfulness together!

(Note: This video is a little rough — my son was VERY eager to share so there are lots of interruptions! Also, please excuse him wiping his nose on his shirt all the time, LOL. ?)

Ideas for Introducing Mindfulness to Your Children

• Define mindfulness: mindfulness is a big concept for adults, let alone our kids! When I first introduce it to kids, I usually just use the word “noticing.” I also love Carla Naumburg’s definition in Ready, Set, Breathe: “Mindfulness is about noticing what is happening right here and now, in a friendly and curious way, and then choosing what to do next.”
• Mindful listening: ring a bell (use a singing bowl, tingshas, or download a free singing bowl app) and listen (eyes open or closed) until you can no longer hear the sound of the bell
  • You can ask your child if he or she noticed any thoughts during mindful listening
  • Was this easy or hard? What can make it hard to listen? (other sounds, getting distracted…)
• Mindful breathing:
  • Use a Hoberman sphere, or use the techniques shown in the video (star breathing with hands on belly, breathing with finger under nose or chin)
  • See Daniel Goleman’s video about breathing buddies here.
  • You can find another video of my son demonstrating the breathing strategies he’s learning in Kindergarten (!) here.
• Calm-Down Space
• Mind Jars
• Pocket Hearts
  • In the video, my son shows you his “golden Buddha.” I got this idea from Megan Cowan of Mindful Schools; at the end of each session she teaches to students, she gives each child a pocket heart to carry with them. When they need a reminder to calm down, they can hold their pocket heart (or whatever object you wish to use — you could get gems or stones at a craft store, for example). The little Buddha my son uses can be found here.
• Emotional Awareness
  • Talk to your child about their emotions (see the handouts in the next lesson). You can encourage them to see their emotions as weather patterns, and ask them to give a “personal weather report” to check in with how they are feeling.