Mindfulness for Kids: Simple Practices to Learn

In today's increasingly stressful world, we adults can be so egocentric sometimes; we 
tend to think that we are the only ones affected by stress. Nothing can be further from 
the truth; our precious children are more affected by stress than we would care to know 
about. While we are attempting to manage our stress, we also need to educate our kids 
on how to manage theirs. Stress is not going away; we must learn how to manage and 
deal with it so that they have the tools to navigate life in a healthy manner. Here are 
some tips for teaching our children how to be mindful: 

 
What is Mindfulness?
 
Mindfulness is the state of being present and in the moment. To practice mindfulness is 
not as easy as it seems; the more we realize that our brains are always moving, always 
thinking in fast forward. Even children are thinking about the next move, the next 
activity, the "what ifs" that are keeping them from being fully present. Being mindful is 
not an activity; it's a state of mind. Here are some tips for teaching your kids, and 
perhaps yourself, how to be mindful and stress less: 

 
Play the ‘5 Things’ Game
  
Simply noticing objects and attributes about your surroundings can be enough to bring 
you back to the present. Ask your child to focus on 5 things that they see around them, 
5 things they hear, or 5 things they notice about their environment. Shifting their 
awareness to the present moment that they are experiencing will move them from a 
place of anxiety and fear about future events to the now moment, which is a place that 
they can learn to appreciate more and more with practice. 

 
Take 10 Breaths
 
Consciously slowing down our breathing can do wonders for slowing down brain wave 
activity, which will then produce a calming effect on the entire body. Have your child sit 
or lie down on the floor, placing a hand over the belly. Have them take 10 deep breaths, 
filling in the belly completely, then exhaling slowly while eyes are closed. If 10 is too 
many to start, begin with 5 breaths and model this type of mindful breathing with them 
until they, too, begin to notice the difference in mind and body that this type of breathing 
makes. 
 
 
Drawing your emotions
 
Kids have big emotions, and sometimes these cannot be expressed with words when 
they are too powerful. In cases like this, it is helpful to be able to "draw them" out of the 
body. Explain to your child that you are going to release your emotions by drawing 
ANYTHING on paper; it could be a series of slashes, scribbles, wavy lines, or a detailed 
landscape. The point is, the child sets the intention to release any big emotion being 
experienced through the medium of a drawing. As he/she draws, invite them to breath 
deep and see if they can connect the breath to their strokes. Practice non-judgmental 
observance when noticing what they choose to express in their drawings, and praise 
them for their courage in being able to let go. 
 
Play the Silence Game
 
In a world that is increasingly stimulating to minds and bodies, it can be hard to know 
the power of "being still". Children love the silence game; it awakens the competitive 
spirit within and it also pushes the boundaries of personal limitations. In this game, a 
timer is set while children sit or lie quietly on the floor, eyes closed. They must be silent 
via mouth and with their bodies; practicing the art of being perfectly still will connect 
them to that true source of inner calm that we all have access to. 
 
Modeling these behaviors for your child is extremely powerful as well; you will create 
experiences that you can bond over, and you'll discover an awakening within yourself 
that you might not have otherwise accessed. Practice mindfulness together, and see 
what wonderful things transpire!
