Mindfulness Activities for Children
If you are in the mental health field you undoubtedly know about the concept of mindfulness. The idea seems to be popping up everywhere especially over the last decade and interest in the practice of mindfulness continues to grow within popular culture.
What Is Mindfulness, Exactly?
To review the concept, mindfulness is essentially focusing on the present moment instead of thinking about or being distracted by thoughts of the past or the future (America Psychological Association).
I like to think of mindfulness as somewhat different but related to meditation. In both meditation and mindfulness the focus is on "being in the moment" or deeply attending to a given moment without judgement. These practices have roots in ancient spiritual traditions of which Buddhism might be the most familiar.
With meditation focusing on the moment typically involves the practice of clearing the mind, focusing on the breath and not chasing every thought that enters your mind. However, mindfulness is more specific in that when you focus your attention on the present you do so through noticing various aspects of your present experience. A common mindfulness strategy you've probably used with clients is noticing 5 things surrounding you right now.
Why Practice Meditation and Mindfulness?
If you work in the mental health field, you already know that the value in meditation and mindfulness is in the act of slowing down, noticing the moment without judgement, and practicing regulation of the body, mind and emotions. You also can appreciate that this last piece of regulation is important because slowing down and attending to the moment may be distressing for some individuals (Rice 2022). Ideally, mindfulness practices incorporate aspects of emotional and physical regulation for full benefit.
In my private practice, I have incorporated mindfulness in my work with youth. For a typical child, teaching them the basics of mindfulness is where I usually start and then move onto incorporating more specific regulation strategies.
What Does Research Say About Practicing Mindfulness?
Besides the fact that the benefit of slowing down and noticing just makes sense, we know that there is plenty of peer reviewed research supporting the benefits of practicing mindfulness.
An article published by the American Psychological Association and written by Davis and Hayes (2012) provides an overview of peer-reviewed research and lists some benefits of mindfulness including reduced rumination, stress reduction, a boost in working memory, improved focus, less emotional reactivity, more cognitive flexibility, relationships satisfaction and even some health benefits such as improved immune functioning.
Similarly, in another review article on mindfulness by Keng, Smoski and Robinsa (2011), consistency was found across studies with varying methodologies which supports the connection between mindfulness and psychological health, specifically increased subjective well-being, reduced undesirable psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity, and improved behavior regulation.
Why Teach Mindfulness to Children?
Research also points to the value of teaching children mindfulness practices. The Boston Charter Research Collaborative conducted research using an eight week mindfulness program with young students (Gutierrez, et. Al. 2019) . Less stress and improved self-control were reported by the students who participated in the mindfulness group. Brain scans were conducted on half of the students showing positive effects on the amygdala which were less sensitive to fearful stimuli compared to the control group of students.
Almost every child I see in my practice could use some help with emotional regulation, whether it's specifically related to regulating anxiety or all emotions. So, teaching children mindfulness strategies are a great pathway to improving their emotional regulation and it can be fun. Below I share several of my favorite mindfulness activities for children.
Mindfulness Exercise for Children
Mindfulmazing: Social Emotional Tools for Kids at Mindfulmazing.com provides "The Ultimate Guide to Mindfulness for Kids". This article offers mindfulness exercises suitable for any age group as well as exercises suitable for specific age groups, 3-10 years and 11 years and up. Additionally "5 Magical Mindfulness Books" are listed with a short description. https://www.mindfulmazing.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-mindfulness-for-kids/
Keri Powers, MA EdHD, MEd, NCC from counselorkeri.com provides 10 grounding techniques to help children manage worry by mindfully connecting to the here and now. Free downloadable grounding strategy picture cards are also available on this site. https://www.counselorkeri.com/2019/04/02/help-kids-manage-worry/
Renee Jain from themighty.com provides mindfulness techniques for managing uncomfortable feelings inspired by the Star Wars movies. She incorporates the concepts of "the force" or the powerful messages we gain from our emotions and being mindful like a "Jedi" who learns to be still, feel their emotions and move beyond them. This resource is great for Star Wars fans. https://themighty.com/topic/anxiety/star-wars-mindfulness-tips-to-help-an-anxious-child
Additionally, a great companion resource is this visual worksheet which include a drawing of Yoda, a very wise, beloved master Jedi. The worksheet includes steps for a mindfulness breathing exercise. The worksheet can be colored to for additional fun.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398287160765993529/
Kristina from thepathway2success.com has many mindfulness articles and activities on her site. She provides mindfulness activities filled with lessons, task cards, breathe boards, and crafts centered around helping kids become more mindful. Below are links to two lists for free mindfulness activities suitable for all ages. 1) https://www.thepathway2success.com/5-free-mindfulness-activities/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=732017366_29634366_115008
2) https://www.thepathway2success.com/10-mindfulness-activities-you-can-try-today/
References
American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness
Davis, D. M. & Hayes, J. A. (2012) What Are The Benefits of Mindfulness. July/August 2012, Vol 43, No. 7 Print version: page 64. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner#:~:text=Researchers%20theorize%20that%20mindfulness%20meditation,to%20effective%20emotion%2Dregulation%20strategies.
Keng, S., Smoski, M. J. & Robinsa, C. J. (2011). Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies. Clinical Psychology Review. Aug; 31(6): 1041-1056.
Gutierrez, Akira S.; Krachman, Sara B.; Scherer, Ethan; West, Martin R.; Gabrieli, John D. (2019).
Mindfulness in the Classroom: Learning from a School-Based Mindfulness Intervention through the Boston Charter Research Collaborative. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED601227.pdf
Rice, A. (2022). Trauma-Informed Mindfulness: A Guide, medically reviewed by Lori Lawrenz, PsyD. Psychcentral.com. https://psychcentral.com/health/trauma-informed-mindfulness