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Teaching children to be mindful
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I’m frequently asked whether it’s okay to teach mindfulness to children and, if so, how to go about it. My answer: Yes, fostering mindfulness in your kids is a fantastic idea! Mindfulness is a coping skill that builds resilience. Everyone, young and old, can benefit from the practice, and the earlier you learn it, the better.
Science backs me up, although it’s important to note that research in this area is in its infancy and most findings need to be replicated. In their review of the current state of research, Greenberg and Harris (1) wrote, “Interventions that nurture mindfulness in children and youth may be a feasible and effective method of building resilience in universal populations and in the treatment of disorders in clinical populations.” The studies they reviewed found benefits such as improved attention span, reduced behavioural problems, reduced anxiety, and better grades and attendance among other things.
How to teach children to be mindful
Be aware that younger children won’t have the attention span necessary to sit in meditation. For preschool children, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a few minutes of mindfulness activities per day (2). For children in grade school, they recommend 3 – 10 minutes twice per day, and for teens, 5 to 45 minutes per day. Not only does the Academy encourage parents to do mindfulness exercises with their children, it also recommends that teachers incorporate mindfulness into their lesson plans.
As you introduce mindfulness activities, be mindful of your own attitude. If you invite children to play mindfulness games, you’ll get more interest and cooperation than if you force their participation. Don’t be discouraged if they walk away from an activity or refuse to do it. Try again another day, or try a different activity. And, don’t strive for specific results. Remember, mindfulness practice evolves over time – for adults as well as children. Focusing on any kind of goal is contrary to the practice of meeting whatever comes up in the present with openness and without judgement.
Older children and teens may be able to practice meditation. As always, I recommend starting slowly. Our Meditation Action Plan (which you get free when you sign up for our newsletter), outlines a step-by-step program that begins with just three mindful breaths every day and helps the practitioner create a meditation habit. A child or teenager may not want to read the entire e-book, but you can use the step-by-step plan to coach them to create a practice.
Some mindfulness activities for children of all ages!
These activities are suitable for young children, but you might like to try them yourself! I personally use all but the balloon breathing myself.
Finger counting
This activity is described fully in Episode 86 which you can find at https://www.mindful15.com/finger. Basically, have the child use the right index finger to trace the outline of the fingers on the left hand as she breathes. As she inhales, she traces up from the outside base of the little finger to the tip of the little finger. As she exhales, she traced down to the inside base of the little finger. Inhale, trace up to the tip of the ring finger. Exhale, trace down to the base of the ring finger, and so on until she reaches the outside of the thumb. That may be enough for a small child. Older children can continue by reversing the trace, moving up from the base to the top of the thumb. You can coach your child to use this method whenever they feel upset or anxious to focus and calm their breathing. Don’t be concerned if they time the tracing incorrectly.
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Listen:
Watch:
Read:
I’m frequently asked whether it’s okay to teach mindfulness to children and, if so, how to go about it. My answer: Yes, fostering mindfulness in your kids is a fantastic idea! Mindfulness is a coping skill that builds resilience. Everyone, young and old, can benefit from the practice, and the earlier you learn it, the better.
Science backs me up, although it’s important to note that research in this area is in its infancy and most findings need to be replicated. In their review of the current state of research, Greenberg and Harris (1) wrote, “Interventions that nurture mindfulness in children and youth may be a feasible and effective method of building resilience in universal populations and in the treatment of disorders in clinical populations.” The studies they reviewed found benefits such as improved attention span, reduced behavioural problems, reduced anxiety, and better grades and attendance among other things.
How to teach children to be mindful
Be aware that younger children won’t have the attention span necessary to sit in meditation. For preschool children, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a few minutes of mindfulness activities per day (2). For children in grade school, they recommend 3 – 10 minutes twice per day, and for teens, 5 to 45 minutes per day. Not only does the Academy encourage parents to do mindfulness exercises with their children, it also recommends that teachers incorporate mindfulness into their lesson plans.
As you introduce mindfulness activities, be mindful of your own attitude. If you invite children to play mindfulness games, you’ll get more interest and cooperation than if you force their participation. Don’t be discouraged if they walk away from an activity or refuse to do it. Try again another day, or try a different activity. And, don’t strive for specific results. Remember, mindfulness practice evolves over time – for adults as well as children. Focusing on any kind of goal is contrary to the practice of meeting whatever comes up in the present with openness and without judgement.
Older children and teens may be able to practice meditation. As always, I recommend starting slowly. Our Meditation Action Plan (which you get free when you sign up for our newsletter), outlines a step-by-step program that begins with just three mindful breaths every day and helps the practitioner create a meditation habit. A child or teenager may not want to read the entire e-book, but you can use the step-by-step plan to coach them to create a practice.
Some mindfulness activities for children of all ages!
These activities are suitable for young children, but you might like to try them yourself! I personally use all but the balloon breathing myself.
Finger counting
This activity is described fully in Episode 86 which you can find at https://www.mindful15.com/finger. Basically, have the child use the right index finger to trace the outline of the fingers on the left hand as she breathes. As she inhales, she traces up from the outside base of the little finger to the tip of the little finger. As she exhales, she traced down to the inside base of the little finger. Inhale, trace up to the tip of the ring finger. Exhale, trace down to the base of the ring finger, and so on until she reaches the outside of the thumb. That may be enough for a small child. Older children can continue by reversing the trace, moving up from the base to the top of the thumb. You can coach your child to use this method whenever they feel upset or anxious to focus and calm their breathing. Don’t be concerned if they time the tracing incorrectly.