mindfulness

Mindfulness is a critical self-regulation strategy that can help kids and young adults feel calm and focused. Pairing mindfulness with journal writing just makes sense. Journal writing is personal and allows learners to connect with themselves. Additionally, it’s something kids can stop and do every day.

Mindfulness is an ideal practice in the morning to help kids and teens start their day off in a positive place. Practicing mindfulness can also be helpful before a big test, after a break, or when kids need strategies for self-regulation. Read up more on the 10 best times to practice mindfulness in the classroom.

There are several simple strategies to help learners practice mindfulness with journal writing. While you can read on and try any of the activities right away on your own, I also understand that it’s easy to be busy and struggle with fitting them all in. If you are needing all these and more no-prep ideas, I have put together an entire yearlong mindfulness journal that you can use right away.

Here are three simple strategies you can use right away with your learners to help them practice mindfulness:

MINDFUL FOCUS

What it is: Mindful focus is an activity where learners mindfully focus on one object for a period of time.

How to try it: Have kids choose one object in the room. Encourage them to hyperfocus on the object. Look at it and think about it for a few minutes. What does it look like? What colors does it have? Is it bumpy or smooth? How does it move? What is it used for? What makes it special? After the mindful focus activity, have students write about their object and sketch a picture.

Why it works: By focusing all of your attention on something, you are focusing only on the present moment. This can be a healthy strategy to help kids ground themselves in times of stress.

GUIDED VISUALIZATION

What it is: A guided visualization is an activity that involves picturing a calming scene, such as a beach or quiet meadow.

How to try it: Use a picture or describe a calming scene. It can be anything from a peaceful walk in the park to a calming waterfall in a forest. Have learners picture themselves in the scene. Then, allow them to write about what they see, feel, hear, smell, and taste.

Why it works: By picturing a peaceful scene, kids and young adults can clear their minds and regain a sense of calm. Visualization can be a healthy tool to use when feeling angry, sad, worried, or overwhelmed.

EMOTION CHECK-IN

What it is: An emotions check-in is a free write about how someone is feeling and thinking in the moment.

How to try it: Encourage kids to just close their eyes and think about how they feel. Consider every sensation in your body and thought that pops into your mind. Rather than judging those feelings, let them be. Notice them and recognize them. Then, have learners write about how they are feeling and thinking. As a simple alternative, you can have learners give colors to their emotions as they draw.

Why it works: Checking in with ourselves is an important strategy for improved self-awareness and mindfulness. By thinking about how we are feeling and thinking, we can make better choices about what we need in the moment.

SHAPE BREATHING

What it is: Students will draw a shape on their journal page and trace it as they breathe in and out.

How to try it: Have students draw a shape on their journal page. It can be any shape, such as a shape or a triangle. Students can even draw lines that wave up and down. Then, have students trace the lines of the shape with their finger or pencil as they breathe in and out. Afterward, students can write about the activity and describe how it made them feel. Use these free printable mindfulness breathe boards to get started.

Why it works: By focusing all of their attention on something as they breathe in and out, learners are practicing mindfulness while practicing deep breathing. This can be a helpful strategy to teach because it can be done almost anywhere.

MINDFUL COLORING

What it is: Students will color a coloring page on their own.

How to try it: Explain to students that they will be practicing mindfulness by coloring. Discuss that they will be coloring, breathing, and just letting thoughts pass through their minds. Note that you can play soothing music while students color to support a calming atmosphere. Need a head start? Use these free printable mindfulness coloring pages!

Why it works: Coloring is an active way to calm the mind. Additionally, this strategy can help learners practice just doing something in a mindful way without focusing on what is “right” or “wrong.” This is particularly beneficial for learners with perfectionistic behaviors. It is a perfect way to practice just coloring and being in the moment.

Just a reminder that you don’t need to be an expert to start a mindful practice in the classroom! Just use any of these ideas to give mindfulness a try! You might also want to read up on 5 free mindfulness activities or just grab the yearlong mindfulness journal to get started right away!

Mindful breathing is a technique that can help improve focus and restore calm into the classroom. Best of all, it’s a strategy that helps develop self-regulation skills, something that kids and teens need throughout their lives.

What is Mindful Breathing?

The idea behind mindful breathing is that if we can control our breathing, we can also calm our body and mind. With that said, it’s not just a nice theory; there is actually scientific evidence behind it. When upset or overwhelmed, our bodies invoke a stress response known as “fight or flight.” It’s an important response that helps us avoid serious danger. The trouble is that we can also have this same response during arguments, worries, or when something doesn’t go our way.

Practicing deep breathing helps to slow the heartbeat and lower blood pressure, allowing us to feel calmer, focused, and more in control.

Practicing Deep Breathing

It’s important to note that practicing deep breathing really is a practice. For many kids and young adults (and even adults), it feels silly and unnatural to breathe in a deep and controlled way. By making it a habit to practice deep breathing, though, it can become a healthy routine in our lives.

Use these mindful breathing exercises to integrate mindfulness and social emotional learning into the classroom. Mindful breathing can help kids and teens manage emotions, improve focus, and feel calm. Check out these free ideas you can use right away! #mindfulness #pathway2success

To practice deep breathing with kids and young adults, first explain mindfulness and why it is important. Discuss the benefits with them so that they can understand why they are adding this practice into their lives.

Then, choose any deep breathing strategy and give it a try together! Remember that this might feel silly to kids and young adults. That’s okay! The goal is to give it a try and keep up the practice.

Mindful Breathing Exercises to Try

By making mindful breathing fun, easy, and memorable, students are more likely to be able to use it when they really need it in the future. Below I’ve listed some breathing strategies kids and young adults can practice. If you love them, check out the Mindful Breathing Cards that you can print and use today.

Bubble breathing. Most kids know what it feels like to blow bubbles. If they don’t, you can certainly even use actual bubbles for this breathing activity. Have kids close their eyes and imagine they are blowing bubbles as they breathe in and out.

Shape breathing. Have kids draw any shape or design on a piece of paper (or on the board). Then, have them slowly breathe in and out as they trace their finger along the shape. With this breathing technique, kids are focused just on the shape, allowing them to really calm their minds in the moment.

Apple pie breathing. Have kids imagine there is a warm slice of apple pie in front of them. Have them slowly breathe in to smell the pie and then breathe out. Note that this breathing exercise really can be done with any type of food. I also like to do this with pizza or a warm cup of cocoa.

Marching band breathing. One of my favorite strategies involves kids imagining that their breath is a marching band. Students should count to the beat of four as they breathe in and out. You can incorporate movement with tapping or clapping as well.

When Should Kids Practice Deep Breathing?

There are many times when kids and young adults might want to practice deep breathing on a more regular basis. Here are a few:

In the morning to start of the day on a positive note
Before a big test or quiz
After a transition
Right before a morning meeting
At the beginning of a class
After lunch or recess
As an intervention for students struggling with tough emotions

Whether you practice mindful breathing with a whole class, small group, or with individual learners, this practice can help give kids and young adults the tools they need to be successful. Use some of these mindful breathing exercises or grab the full set to get started today.

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