Mindfulness is something our society at large is lacking and the best way to combat that is to start with our kids’ mindfulness. This blog will give you some tools to help your children and yourself be more mindful including:
Kids mindfulness coloring
Kids mindfulness music
Kids mindfulness activities
Kids mindfulness meditation
And finally kids mindfulness videos
When asked what’s the one thing I wish people would be more of, my instant answer is always, “more mindful and more self-aware.” If there’s anything I’ve learned in this life so far it is the importance of self-awareness so that we can be more mindful of how our actions impact not only ourselves, but those around us, and if we want to get really philosophical the communities we are apart of and the world at large. The world does not revolve around us but we do have the ability to cast wide ripples that affect many.
So let’s start with answering how do we create a more mindful society? It starts with our littles (aka children). In full transparency, I am not a parent myself by choice. I do however have the opportunity to teach children about themselves and the world they live in every day as a school social worker. Thankfully I work in a district that allows social workers to teach mindfulness practices.
The biggest downfall I see in our society that is perpetuated by the glorification of busyness is the inability to slow down. So often we are doing multiple tasks and thinking about something else and not even enjoying the moment we are in. I feel like people don’t even stop to take a breath anymore. This is trickling down to our kiddos who are in need of constant attention and activity. Kids no longer know how to be bored and this is such a shame because boredom is where some of the greatest creativity has had a space to come forth.
In the remainder of this blog, you will find ways to help your children and perhaps yourself (these activities can be used for adults as well). As a mindset coach, one of the core concepts I always share with my clients is “slow is smooth and smooth is fast”. Sometimes we fear slowing down because we think we will run out of time or be less productive when in fact slowing down can allow us to be more present and more effective in whatever task we are doing.
Kids Mindfulness Coloring
Mindfulness coloring is a quick and easily accessible tool for both adults and kids. The act of coloring itself can be a mindfulness practice. Have you ever noticed how sometimes you will doodle while on a long phone call or meeting to help you stay focused? Any coloring will do, but mandal patterns and coloring with positive affirmations add to the overall effectiveness of the mindfulness coloring process. Here are some free resources for mindfulness coloring.
Music is so healing on so many different levels. Using music to help kids create mindfulness practices can be as simple as quiet time that involves listening to music or it can involve them making their own sounds or perhaps playing a game. Music for mindfulness doesn’t always have to be calm and meditative, it can be anything that allows the child or adult to come into the present moment.
Blisfulkids.com is a wonderful resource for activities to help kids thrive in more creative ways. Here is one of their activities that specifically involves music.
Mindfulness Game for Teens and Kids: Liking the Music
Purpose: Sensory awareness, Mindfulness of sounds, and Focus
Best for: Ages 5+, groups or one-on-one
What you need: A selection of music
This activity helps kids learn mindful listening skills while enjoying music. The idea is to teach kids to focus on sounds and to notice a range of detail.
Pick a mix of music that fits the age of your child or group of children. With adolescents, you might want to first ask them what they’d like to listen to. Trying out different genres from country to rock, classical to jazz, is a fun way to identify differences in the styles and how they affect their feelings. Be sure to listen to the music beforehand so that you can plan what you want them to notice.
The game is simple. You play a song and ask them to pay attention to the song. Here are a few different ideas you might want to try out:
Ask them to listen to the song and give a thumbs up (likes) when they …
You can also ask them to listen and pay attention to their feelings. After the music stops, ask them how the music made them feel. This is a great way to learn how to notice and talk about emotions.
When you are done listening to music, ask them if it was easy to stay focused. Were they able to bring their attention back to the music if their minds wandered? Were they able to notice whatever it was you chose to have them pay attention to?
Activities for Improving Mindfulness in Kids
There are so many activities that are simple and can help create mindfulness for kids. As mentioned before, blissfulkids.com is a great resource In addition please see the following below.
Positive Psychology has great mindfulness activities as well as these 6 tips for teaching mindfulness to kids. When you are trying to teach your kids or young clients about mindfulness and its benefit, they recommend you begin with a few guidelines:
Make sure they are ready to give mindfulness a try; if they are full of energy and itching to run and play, it may not be the best time for practicing mindfulness for the first time.
Explain what mindfulness is and what it is not; give examples of what seems similar to mindfulness but is not (i.e., introspection or chasing thoughts down the “rabbit hole” versus listening to our bodies).
Say it in an age-appropriate way, with words they will understand.
Offer to practice mindfulness with them; sometimes having a model makes all the difference.
Assure them that it’s okay to get off track, and how to gently guide themselves back to mindfulness when they realize they lost focus.
Finish the practice by doing something they enjoy with them to ensure they have a positive experience.
Kids Meditation for Mindfulness
There are various meditation exercises that are helpful for kids. Most importantly setting kids up and letting them know that they may not be completely thoughtless is helpful. Letting them know they can’t do it wrong is even better. Meditation may not look how we traditionally think such as it may involve movement and sometimes not even complete silence. The Positive Psychology link above also includes a meditation video, but here are a few more.
Kids mindfulness meditation and kids mindfulness video resources:
When searching for tools for yourself the videos may not be as juvenile, but you can practice all of these with your kiddos to bring calm and presence to you both. ENJOY!
If you feel like you are wanting more recipes, tips, and tricks on mental belays, relationships, and a roadmap to living your healthiest life, I have lots more tips and tools for your toolbox where those came from. All of my meal plans include access to hundreds of recipes and short, easy, all levels workouts. If you have any specific recipes you would like or fitness program questions, always feel free to reach out to me. My mindset work is all-encompassing and can help you release trauma abs roadblocks to ensure a more balanced and joyful life.
Love and Light Always
Sarah
“Sarah Savino is my recommended Wellness and Nutrition Coach who resides in Colorado but has a community of clients she guides and manages nationally. She has her frequent retreats that her clients are encouraged but not required to attend and someone who knows first hand how it is to be overworked and overweight. She is a living truth that once within the right community and with the right guide, everything is possible. She can be reached thefitphilanthropist@gmail.com and facebook.com/sarah.savino IG- the_fit_philanthropist ”- Dr. Shakib, your Irvine Posture Chiropractor
