The Magic of Mindfulness

A growing body of scientific research shows the many positive effects mindfulness has on the mental health and well-being of young children. Practicing mindfulness ​has been shown to improve attention and reduce stress as well as increase one's ability to regulate emotions and feel compassion and empathy. Habits formed early in life provide the foundation for behaviors in adulthood, and with mindfulness, we have the opportunity to give our children the habit of being peaceful, kind and accepting with themselves and others.

Have a look at the benefits of a mindfulness practice for children researched by the Mindfulness In Schools Program:

​Wellbeing and Mental Health:
As well as helping them to recognize worry, manage difficulties and cope with stress, developing a more mindful awareness also helps children and young people to appreciate what is going well and to flourish.


Concentration and Cognition:
Mindfulness trains us to understand and direct our attention with greater awareness and skill. This may improve the capacity of children to concentrate and be less distracted, as well as their working memory and ability to plan.


Social and Emotional Learning:
Mindfulness helps to develop a greater awareness of relationships and how to manage them, as well as offering a richer understanding of things like self-esteem and optimism.


Behavior:
Mindfulness helps young children to self-regulate more effectively, manage impulsivity and reduce conflict. 

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At Austin Children's Garden we weave in mindfulness practices into our daily curriculum.  Here are some of our favorite mindfulness practices  - we hope you are inspired to try some at home:

Mindful Meditations

Be Like Nature

This approach to sharing mindfulness draws on the elements of nature. Often, we reflect on the beauty and serenity of the natural world out there, and overlook our own beautiful nature. This exercise introduces children to ways of seeing the strength and beauty of nature within themselves, offering a short practice to help relax and observe their experience.

​This Nature Meditation is from Mindful.org and the kids loved imagining themselves as the tree, wind, and sun. They especially loved being the sun and sending out love to their family. 

"When we go outside we can see and feel so many wonderful things. Things like trees, and the wind, and the clouds, and the sun.

In many ways we are like these beautiful parts of nature, and for this exercise we’ll be like the tree and the wind and the sun.

Our body is like a tree. It grows and it is strong.
Our breath is like the wind. It flows in and out.
And the sun is like the part of us that is warm and kind.

So let’s lower or close our eyes and sit tall like a tree. We extend our hands way out and stretch our fingers, like branches and leaves. Let’s squeeze our fingers together and then let go and feel them wiggle, like they are blowing in the wind.

And now, with the wind blowing, let’s be like the wind and take a two big, slow breaths. Breathing in . . . and breathing out, blowing out the wind. Breathing in . . .  and breathing out, blowing out the wind.

And now the sun comes out and warms the tree and the wind. As it shines on the tree, we feel our body. Can you feel fingers and feel your toes? What else can you feel—just by noticing?

And as the sun shines on the wind, we feel our body breathing. Can you feel your belly moving up and down? Can you feel the air flowing in and out of your beautiful body?

And with the sun up high in the sky, brightening and warming the whole world, you too can warm the world—with your kindness!

Think of someone who can use a little kindness—like your sister or brother, or a friend, or your teacher. And as you think of them, wish for them, “May you be happy,” imagining them smiling like the sun.

You deserve happiness too. So now wish for yourself, “May I be happy,” and smile like the sun.

And as you smile like the sun, feel your body sitting tall like a tree and feel your breath blowing like the wind.
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And then gently open your eyes and look around. You are amazing!"

Pebble Meditation

Another great nature-based meditation is this one outlined in the book 'A Handful of Quiet'. For this meditation the kids created their own meditation cards, corresponding meditation pebbles, and designed a bag to hold their pebbles. When children are engaged in the creative process they are much more willing and invested to engage with the practice!

To make the pebbles we used paint markers on these beautiful jade pebbles. Each child designed four pebbles to symbolize the flower, water, sky, and mountain.

We also decorated our bags for the pebbles to give them a more personal touch.

To practice with our pebbles, we pulled a pebble from the bag, matched it with the corresponding card, and then followed the breathing and affirmations on the card. The surprise of pulling a different pebble out of the bag really helps to engage the interest of a young child!

To access more cards to make at home see the blog Keepers of the Future.

Mindful Movement

When we move our bodies with an awareness of our breath, our senses, our thoughts, and our feelings we are cultivating a mindfulness practice and focusing on the present moment.  In our children's yoga classes this month we focused on the poses that the reflected the nature elements from our Pebble Meditation.

​Flower Pose

Bring the soles of your feet together and imagine you are a beautiful flower.  What color are you? What do you smell like? What is your flower feeling in this moment?

Now grow your flower by lifting your feet wide in your hands.  How big can you make your flower?

Take 3 deep breaths.  Breathe from your roots to your petals.  Feel the sunshine and the wind.

Breathing in: I see myself as a flower
​Breathing out: I am beautiful, just as I am

​Water Pose

With your legs out in front of you touch your toes in a forward bend. Imagine you are a calm clear lake. Can you see the sky and trees in the reflection of your lake? What does the sky look like? Take 3 deep breaths here.

Breathing in: Still water
​Breathing out: Reflecting

Mountain Pose

Stand with your legs hip width apart and bring your palms together on top of your head like a mountain top. Imagine you are a mountain - solid, strong, and confident.

Breathing in: Mountain
​Breathing out: Solid

Sky Pose

Step your legs wide and stretch your arms out like a star. Imagine you are the big blue sky with lots of space in and around you. Take 3 deep breaths here.

Breathing in: I see myself as the big blue sky
Breathing out: I feel very free and at ease

Mindful Artwork

To deepen our connection to our pebble meditation our art projects focused on the themes and qualities of the flower, water, mountain, and sky.

​Flower Still Life

Water Reflection Paintings

Playdough Mountain

Sky Collage

And Sky Mandalas!

Mindful Breathing

To help young children focus on their breath the kids love this Breathing Buddy exercise where you place a small stuffed animal on your belly and take a deep breath in so you can see your animal rise and fall with your breath.

Mindful Glitter Bottles

This is one of the best tools we use in our calming basket if kids are feeling big emotions like anger, overwhelm, or fear.  To read more about how to make and use them check out our previous blog.

Mindful Listening

We love to use the Mindfulness Bell to begin our circle times and yoga/mindfulness classes. Check out these ​5 Ways to Practice Mindful Listening with a Bell by HeartMindKids.

Mindful Cards

A dear friend heard we were having an extra focus on mindfulness this month and created these beautiful handmade cards for the kids to learn and play with! Thank you Cory!!

Mindful Mazes

Another great tool in our calming basket is this simple finger maze.  The kids are so focused as they follow the lines to the center with their fingertip.

"Part of the reason why mindfulness is so effective for children can be explained by the way the brain develops. While our brains are constantly developing throughout our lives, connections in the prefrontal circuits are created at their fastest rate during childhood. Mindfulness, which promotes skills that are controlled in the prefrontal cortex, like focus and cognitive control, can therefore have a particular impact on the development of skills including self-regulation, judgment and patience during childhood."

The New York Times

Mindful Mandalas

The word "mandala" is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "circle". Creating mandalas is a mindfulness tool that kids love as they explore circles, patterns and radial symmetry.

Mandala Circles

Nature Mandalas

Shell Mandalas

Pasta Mandalas

​Sand Mandalas

Circle Treasure Hunt

The mandalas had us noticing circle everywhere so went on a hunt for circles all over the garden!

Mindful Gardening

Gardening is a wonderful way to practice mindfulness as we focus on our senses and the present moment while connecting to nature and the world around us.

We found a snail on the lettuce leaves and noticed that the snail was a spiral which is a type of mandala! Then we found more spirals on the nature table.

Mindful Reading

These were a few of our favorite story time books this month!

Mindful Eating

We loved reading this fun book that inspired us to try foods with a deeper awareness as we compared raisins to grapes, pickles to cucumbers, and cabbage to saurkraut while focusing on all our senses.

Mindful Cooking

Cooking is a natural mindful activity as we explored the tastes, textures, colors, scents, and sounds of the cooking process.

​Mindful Macaroons

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 TBS coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 TBS coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener
• 1/4 cup chocolate chunks (freshly hammered!)

Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients then add the dry to the wet while stirring. Scoop spoonfuls onto parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Happy Birthday Mr. Ben!

​Mindful Muffins

These chocolate muffins were even more delicious when we appreciated each ingredient and really noticed the sounds of the cracking egg, the scent of the cocoa powder and the change in texture before and after baking.

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup Cocoyo coconut yogurt
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1.5 tsp baking powder

Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients then add the dry to the wet while stirring. Carefully spoon into muffin pan, then bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Sweet friends!

​See you next time!