Activities for kids to practice mindfulness

Activities for kids to practice mindfulness

In an increasingly busy world, it’s important to allow kids to engage in fun activities that help promote a healthy mind and body like scavenger hunt, sport or crafts activities.
Getting kids to realise the value and benefits of useful practices such as mindfulness while they are still growing means that it is much more likely that they will take that mindset into later life. This will be a great help to them with managing stress and anxiety; it can also help with social interaction and even the immune system.
Here are some fun activities for kids to help promote mindfulness and general wellbeing:

Breathing exercises

This one of the easiest and most useful exercises you can do with kids. Get them to sit down in a quiet place and practice taking deep breaths to a count of 8-10 before focusing on a long exhale. To highlight the importance of this, ask them to put their hands in front of their chests and bring their palms together with each inhale. Then ask them to move their hands apart on each exhale, and see if they can end each exhale with their hands wider apart. This technique will help them to control their breathing better, making them feel calm and relaxed.

Exercise the senses

Another part of practicing mindfulness with your child is finding fun activities for kids that show them new ways to engage with the world around them. This exercise is a good one for helping your kids begin to recognise and become more aware of their senses. Start by blindfolding your child and giving them food items one by one. This could include fruits or yoghurts that have varying textures, scents and tastes. First they will need to smell it and describe what they experience. Then they will need to touch the food to get familiar with the texture and consistency. Finally, they will need to taste it and describe elements such as flavour – whether it is sweet, savoury, sour or bitter. This exercise will ensure that they fully engage with all their senses by focusing on one at a time.

Painting

Art therapy is just one of the fun activities for kids, that can help them to maintain a healthy mind. It can be a helpful activity for children (and adults) with learning disabilities; it’s also useful for those dealing with loss or trauma, difficulty expressing and processing difficult emotions and many other mental health problems. A good exercise is to get your child to paint a self-portrait - this not only promotes a good sense of self-awareness but also helps them to build a healthy and connected relationship with themselves.

Going on walks

Walking is not only a great form of physical exercise but is also great for clearing the mind and helping you to gather your thoughts. Tell your child to be conscious of the motions they’re using while they walk, concentrating on how they move their feet, legs and arms. You can get them to adjust their pace while focusing on how this affects their body. This exercise has valuable meditative qualities all of its own, helping children to sync their minds with the movement of their bodies.
 

Image by Jennifer Bradford