Health & Wellness Week Three: Let's Take a Moment
1/29/2023 3:47 pm
What is mindfulness?
Simply put, mindfulness is an awareness of the present moment - awareness of our feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.
Mindfulness has been practiced for thousands of years by different religions, many of which originated in the east, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. It became popular in the west with the development of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which treats depression, and with the foundation of the Insight Meditation Society. (positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness)
What are the benefits of mindfulness?
From www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids:
- Increased focus, attention, self-control, classroom participation, compassion.
- Improved academic performance, ability to resolve conflict, overall well-being.
- Decreased levels of stress, depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior.
let's get started!
1. Download these printable breathing cards to learn some easy breathing exercises. Your kid can't sit still? No problem, start with 10 breaths and build up from there.
2. Take a walk. Breathe in the air, pay attention to sights, sounds and smells.
3. Use all your senses for mindful eating. Pay attention to the look, the texture, the smell and taste of your food. Take longer to chew before swallowing.
4. Institute a mindful bedtime routine with a body scan or a gratitude exercise.
5. Try a meditation - find one on Youtube, mindful.org or use the free Insight Timer app (or any of the apps below).
mindfulness apps for kids
Smiling Mind - www.smilingmind.com.au
Free Australian app with great body scan meditations to develop awareness
Headspace (for kids) - www.headspace.com/meditation/kids
Mindfulness activities for different age levels.
Insight Timer - insighttimer.com
Free app with meditations for parents and kids focusing on relaxation, stress management, concentration and sleep.
