Mindfulness for Children

Mindfulness does not mean ‘not thinking at all’ or always being calm. Essentially, it involves directing one’s attention to the experience one is having in that moment, with as much curiosity and without judgement as possible. For a child, this might mean exploring their own experience through questions such as: ‘What is happening in my body right now?’, ‘What emotion am I feeling?’, ‘What is going through my mind?’ or ‘What do I notice around me?’ What benefits can it bring to children? When practised in a way appropriate to their age and stage of development, mindfulness activities help children to: -> Focus their attention on a single point and refocus it when necessary, -> Notice sensations in their bodies, such as tension, relaxation, warmth or movement, -> To recognise and name their emotions, -> To pause briefly rather than reacting immediately when intense emotions arise, -> To recognise their worrying thoughts, -> To focus more on the present moment, and to be more understanding and compassionate towards themselves and others. For example, rather than simply telling an angry child to ‘Calm down’, asking, ‘What’s happening in your body right now? Are you clenching your fists? How is your heart beating?’, directs the child’s attention to the experience they are having. In this way, over time, the child can learn to recognise their emotion rather than suppressing it, and to create a small space between the emotion and their behaviour. How is mindfulness practised with children? When practising mindfulness with children, short, fun and age-appropriate activities should be chosen. Rather than expecting them to sit quietly for long periods, mindfulness can be incorporated into daily life through games. 🌬️ I’m Aware of My Breath The child is asked simply to notice where they feel their breath in their body, without trying to change it. You might ask, “When you breathe in, does your tummy move, or your chest?” 👂 Sound Detective Listen to the sounds around you without speaking for one minute. The child can try to notice how many different sounds they hear and whether the sounds are near or far. 🖐️ Exploring My Senses Choose an object and examine it together. What does it look like? How does it feel when you touch it? Does it have a smell? In this way, the child practises focusing their attention on their senses. 🌊 Emotion Wave You can explain to the child that intense emotions can rise like waves and change after a while. You could ask questions such as: “How strong is your anger right now? Where in your body do you feel it? Has it changed after a few minutes?” 🐢 Turtle Break When a child becomes very angry or feels overwhelmed, they can be taught to pause briefly, become aware of their body, take a breath, and then decide what to do next. The aim here is not to eliminate the emotion, but to create space to make a choice whilst still experiencing the emotion. Key point: Mindfulness is not a ‘calming technique’ The aim of mindfulness is not for the child never to feel angry, sad or anxious. The child may experience all these emotions. The real goal is for the child to be able to say, ‘I’m angry right now’, to notice the changes in their body, and to experience that their emotion does not have to completely control them. Furthermore, children learn mindfulness best within a relationship. It is extremely valuable for the adult to stay with the child rather than trying to change their emotions immediately, to be aware of their own emotions, and to slow down together when necessary. Mindfulness teaches a child not so much to ‘be calm’ as to recognise the question: ‘What is happening inside me and around me right now?’ As this awareness develops, the child gains an important skill for understanding their own emotions, being able to stay with them, and making more choices about their behaviour.