Mindfulness for Children

In the hectic world we live in, we often find that we have to remind ourselves to take a breather, and finding time to do so can be challenging.

From all of the regular challenges we’ve always taken on to the challenges the pandemic has brought us, it might feel like you’re constantly wanting to take a break, and your child might feel this way too. From “regular” challenges like working to improve academic performance or decrease anxiety to pandemic-related challenges, like school transitions, children can feel more overwhelmed than ever. 

So how can we help our children take on these challenges without feeling quite as overwhelmed? 

We can teach them mindfulness. Mindfulness has many benefits, such as decreasing stress, improving academic performance, and increasing focus. 

So what is mindfulness? 

There are three components that are at the core of mindfulness: 

1. Awareness

2. Attention 

3. Acceptance 

Mindfulness is a mental state where you are paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations, while accepting them and also being aware of what is happening in the present moment. Accepting the thoughts, feelings, and sensations you’re experiencing is an important step in being able to move on from them.

“The more you try to push a child's unhappy feelings away, the more he becomes stuck in them. The more comfortably you can accept the bad feelings, the easier it is for kids to let go of them."

– Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Achieving mindfulness can be tricky because you’re trying to find a balance between focusing on what’s going on inside of you and focusing on what’s going on in your environment. Here are some ways you can know you’re practicing mindfulness:

• You have achieved a state of alert, focused relaxation.

• You’re focused on the current moment, but you’re not overwhelmed by it.

• The thoughts and feelings that are coming into your awareness are acknowledged without judgment. 

• You’re focused on your senses.

• You’re not trying to clear your mind to be blank, but rather honestly trying to recognize what you’re experiencing in that moment. 

Aside from helping kids feel less overwhelmed when dealing with daily challenges, there are many other benefits of mindfulness, such as the following: 

1. Increased focus, attention, and self-control (this is true for all children, including children who have been diagnosed with ADHD). 

2. Improved ability to resolve conflicts.

3. Improved academic performance and classroom participation.

4. Increased compassion and improved overall well-being.

5. Decrease in stress, depression, anxiety, and disruptive behavior. 

6. Ability to overcome negative self-talk.

7. Transition from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset (this means they feel empowered and know how to handle anxiety better). 

So now you know what mindfulness is and how it can be beneficial for your child, but how do you teach it to them? It can be a difficult concept to grasp, even for adults. 

Here are some activities to do with your child that will improve their mindfulness: 

Blowing Bubbles

This activity has children focus on their breathing in a fun way!

5 Senses Activity

Have your child notice 5 things they can see, 4 things they can feel, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste. For younger children, you can modify this activity to find just one thing for each sense.

Pinwheel

Blow on a pinwheel with long, deep breaths. Notice how your mind and body feel.

Blindfolded Taste Test

Choose a few different foods and have your child guess what they are eating. This activity helps children analyze their sensations.

Expandable Breathing Ball

Have your child slowly expand and collapse the ball. Have them match their breath to the ball's movement.

Raisin Exercise

Pay close attention to each of your 5 senses as you eat the raisin. Notice the urge to swallow and how it feels to do so as well.

Balloon Breathing

Instruct your child to breathe in and imagine their lungs are balloons filling up. Then, when they exhale, imagine they are slowly letting the air out of the balloons. 

Rainbow Walk

Go on a walk and find objects that are the colors of the rainbow. For a rainy day, find these objects inside!

Coloring

Coloring is a great quiet activity to relax and focus on the present. 

Cool as a Cucumber

This Cool Down Kit can be found here and is focused on breathing which is a great way to work on mindfulness. 

How else can I help my child take on the challenges they’re dealing with? 

While mindfulness is a mental state that may take a while to be learned, there are other ways you can help your child so they’re not so overwhelmed with the challenges they’re facing.

• Check out Natalie’s blog on self care for you and your child here.

• Click here to learn about how you can help your whole family in adjusting to the new normal of the pandemic.

• Read Dakota’s blog here to learn about how to support your child through the pandemic depending on their age.

Interested in booking a session with us?

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WRITTEN BY RACHEL ESPARZA, LPC ASSOCIATE (SHE/HER/HERS)

Rachel Esparza is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate supervised by Jaclyn N. Sepp, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S™, NCC, RYT® 200. Rachel is also working towards her Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™) credential. At Texas State University, Rachel earned her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling (CACREP Accredited Program) and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She has experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families in community counseling settings.