Mindful Kids

by | Oct 29, 2019

I talked about mindful parenting awhile back, but that post focused more on self-awareness for the parent, rather than on techniques parents can teach their children about mindfulness. Today I want to highlight a few easy ways you can teach kids to be mindful of the present moment, whether you are a parent, teacher, or other youth leader.

  • Mindfulness Corner: A mindfulness corner is a quiet space where children (or teens) can get away when they feel overwhelmed, tired, or cranky. Designate a quiet area in your home or classroom, and ask your child(ren) to help you create a space where they can just be. Fill it with all sorts of comfort items–blankets, pillows, books, pictures, special toys. Remember: this is NOT a time out corner. Even though it might be a space for a children to go when they are feeling upset, it is NOT to be used as punishment. It’s a place to be alone, reflect, and reset.
  • Using the Senses: Helping children become aware of their senses can be an excellent lesson in mindfulness. During any activity, ask children to notice what they see, feel, hear, taste, smell. For example, let’s say you are playing in the sand. Ask them how the sand feels between their fingers? Help them to find vocabulary to describe it. Does it feel gritty? Rough? Soft? Cool? Warm? Continue with questions about what they see, hear, and smell.
  • Mindful Eating as a Family:  Mealtime is a great place for families to practice mindfulness together. Eating mindfully can help you slow down, appreciate, and truly taste your food. Plus, it has added health benefits like improved digestion and awareness of being full. Teach your children to chew slowly, becoming fully aware of the color, taste, and textures of their food. Model mindful statements, such as, “These carrots are so pretty and orange. And they taste sweet to me. What do you think?” This is also a great idea for teachers during lunch or snack time.
  • Mindful walks: Spend some time outside walking together as a family (or as a class). Take in everything you see, hear, smell as you walk. Pay attention to how your feet feel against the ground as you take each step. Feel the breeze on your face. As you walk, model sensory statements: “I can feel and hear the leaves crunch under my feet. Can you?”
  • Body Scan: It’s important for children and teens to be able to recognize where they feel tension, pain, or stress in the body. In this way, they are learning to hear what their bodies are trying to tell them. Starting from the top of the head, work your way down–neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, arms, hands, legs, feet. Guide children to check in with how each part feels. For younger children, you may need to model how you feel yourself: “I’m checking in on my tummy. It feels rumbly. I must be hungry.”
  • Breathing: Learning to take deep, mindful breaths is one of the first keys to stress management and relaxation. Younger children find it helpful to imagine something as they breathe. For example, you can ask them to breathe in slowly through their nose, and breathe out to cool off a cup of hot cocoa or to blow an imaginary bubble in the air. Start with 3 deep breaths and work your way up from there.

Hopefully these techniques will help you and your kiddos to take a break and notice your own bodies and the world around you. Stay mindful!

What kind of high-achiever are you? Take the quiz to find out!

High Achievers can be broken down into different archetypes, each with their own strengths and vulnerabilities. Find out your High Achiever archetype and which coaching program might be the most beneficial for you!

Recent Posts

Lessons within the Hermit’s Cave (or why I’m going to start shining my lantern brightly)

Lessons within the Hermit’s Cave (or why I’m going to start shining my lantern brightly)

I've been on a journey for a long time now. It's been an imaginative journey filled with red tailed hawks, dragons, and even muppet guides--I'll tell you all about that one day. But the most ...

Intuition: Your internal navigation system in the unknown

Intuition: Your internal navigation system in the unknown

Your internal navigation system operates from a gentle strength. Sometimes it seems so quiet, but it's actually you who are creating the interference. 

The Intersection between Academics, Entrepreneurs, and Innovation

The Intersection between Academics, Entrepreneurs, and Innovation

I was recently asked to be on a panel about the intersection between academics, entrepreneurs, and innovation as it applies to the coaching industry, specifically family life coaching. To help ...

Talking to Children about Violence

Talking to Children about Violence

When violence happens, especially in a school shooting situation, children and parents can feel fearful and at risk. Knowing how to talk to a child can help ease their fear, give them a sense of ...

The Ventral Vagal System

The Ventral Vagal System

The ventral vagus helps us to feel connected, safe, and able to access our prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that can think clearly and make decisions)

The Dorsal Vagal System

The Dorsal Vagal System

The dorsal vagus is a nerve that is common in all mammals. Normally, it's helpful in regulating between your arousal and relaxation. When stress is unrelenting, however, the dorsal vagus kicks ...

The Sympathetic System

The Sympathetic System

The sympathetic nervous system has a bad rep, but we really do need it. Think of it as the system that helps move you to action.

The Vagus Nerve and Stress

The Vagus Nerve and Stress

It's a fallacy to think we can stay in regulation all the time. Life is a series of ups and downs. Normalcy is moving between all of these states and the first step is knowing how our vagus ...