The early years are the most crucial years of a child’s psychological development. This is the stage when they are learning social and emotional skills that define their interactions with themselves as well as with others. It is important to remember that even young children get anxious and stressed. If they are not taught healthy coping skills, these emotions can have a negative impact on their adolescence and adulthood. But the good news is that you can teach children how to manage their emotions and help them grow into resilient adults through mindfulness.
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner. Teaching mindfulness in the classroom really helps since children learn best when they are relaxed and comfortable and in turn, teachers will also reap the benefits of mindfulness as we all know that a happy teacher leads to a happy classroom. Furthermore, each one of us can learn how to live in the present moment to enjoy and truly experience what’s in front of us.
Why should we use mindfulness in school?
Needless to say, mindfulness is an excellent tool for teaching young children important emotional and social skills that will help them live a happy life. Additionally, simple mindfulness activities with children can help them build significant long-term benefits such as:
Children can participate in a variety of mindfulness and meditation activities. Here are four ways to incorporate it into your classroom:
When we are anxious or stressed, we take shallow breaths. By taking a deep breath, you can calm both your body and mind. In order to establish a mindful classroom, spend a few minutes each day sitting quietly and concentrating on your breathing.
Additionally, making space for children to breathe peacefully might help to create a comfortable learning environment for them in a classroom. For mindful breathing practice, ask the children to place their right hand on their belly and their left hand on their chest. As they inhale, count to three, then count to three again as they exhale. If they feel comfortable, you can encourage them to close their eyes to feel the gentle rise and fall of your breath. Try leading these deep-breathing exercises in your classroom with your students to help them deal with transitions, during difficult situations, or before assessments.
Sensory experiences are another way to introduce children to mindfulness. For example, you can create mind jars, with a plastic or glass jar, some water, glycerin, and glitter or glitter glue. You can compare the jars to their feelings as follows:
Consider how the glitter represents your stressed, angry, or upset thoughts. Notice how they twirl about, making it difficult to see clearly? That’s why, when you’re unhappy, it’s so easy to make rash decisions because you’re not thinking clearly. Don’t worry, this is quite normal and happens to everyone. Now place the jar in front of them and see what happens if you remain stationary for a few moments? Take a look at how the glitter settles and the water clears. In the same way, your mind works. After a short period of peace, your mind begins to settle and you begin to see things more clearly.
The lovely thing about this activity is that, while they’re learning about their emotional self, they’re also practicing mindfulness as they watch the glitter sink to the jar’s bottom.
Sitting in solitude and deep breathing aren’t the only ways to develop mindfulness. For young minds, “somatic” may be the best method to connect with their inner selves. It defines the way we perceive our body from within, as well as how we reflect on our inner selves and internal experiences. A somatic activity can be games like dancing, acting out your feelings, yoga, and stretching which will help children connect with their emotions.
Gratitude practice allows us to embody the emotions and sensations associated with a positive experience. It can help us achieve equanimity by balancing our overall view of what happened during a specific time period, such as outdoor activities, the whole day, or a specific occurrence at home.
It is a simple way to share and remind children about the things that matter. One way to promote gratitude is by asking children in a classroom to sit in a circle and each share something they are grateful for. This can be a beautiful way to end the day. This practice is also a great way to incorporate mindfulness into your curriculum.
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