Top Five Mindfulness Ideas: For Kids

Kids often practice mindfulness intuitively. They notice the little things and can find beauty in almost anything! But living in the present moment is competing with electronics more and more each year and this is why it’s so important to teach our kids the value of mindfulness and how it helps us be better. Here are ten ideas on getting kids to practice mindfulness:

1. Take nature walks – This is one of the easiest and most fun ways to get a child to be present. Point out what you see and ask your child to describe the nature around them. Look for birds and point out sounds as well.
2. Play with Playdough – This squishy creative outlet toy is still popular all of these years later for good reason. Playdough gets a kid to focus on using their hands in a creative way. Ask your child how it feels and how it smells. Some kids may even have an idea how it tastes!
3. Sort laundry – Even if your child is only ready to sort socks this can be incredibly calming for them. Especially if the laundry is warm and has a fresh scent right out of the dryer! Have them notice how each item has different textures and feels. This can also be very helpful for mom and dad too!
4. Coloring books – This may seem obvious but it’s astounding how many kids no longer color on a regular basis as coloring books compete with screens. Getting a new book with fresh crayons can be a relaxing activity as the child focuses on the task at hand. Have them focus on the sounds the crayon makes and the way it smells and feels. The smell of a fresh box of crayons is hard to beat!
5. Yoga for kids – It’s exciting to see how yoga is making it’s way into more school and after-school programs. The peaceful music, deliberate stretching, and soothing instruction can be very powerful for some of the most stressed out children. Have your child pay attention to how they feel before, during and after their yoga practice. Here’s a short and easy yoga video for kids.

These are just a few of our favorite mindfulness activities that can be done with children of all ages. They are inexpensive, timeless and effective! Let us know how your child responds to each of these activities and how well they were able to appreciate the present moment. Happy Minding!