14 Ways Ebook

14 SUPER SIMPLEWAYS TO ADD

MINDFULNESS TOYOUR preK-2 DAY

www.DawnSelander.com | [email protected] SELANDER

Congratulations on your commitment to adding more mindfulness activities to yourschool day. Mindfulness can help your kids calm their bodies, focus their minds, settletheir anxieties, and manage their big emotions. And, it can help foster gratitude andkindness. I know the positive impact mindfulness can have in the classroom. And, I also knowthat too many parents and teachers think it has to be hard to practice mindfulness. The good news is that sitting in silence isn’t the only way. Mindfulness is about being aware of the present moment. It isn’t about getting caughtup in the should-haves of the past or the what-ifs of the future. It's about being in thepresent moment and experiencing it fully. So, really, the possibilities for practicingmindfulness are endless. My goal here is to give you some simple ideas for incorporating mindfulness easilyinto your daily schedule. This way you get all the benefits of practicing mindfulnesswith your kids without the frustration or time wasted trying to figure it out for yourself. Keep reading and you’ll find easy ways to incorporate some mindfulness right intothings you're already doing like: circle time, lunch time, nap time, outdoor play, andcenters. Ready? Let’s go...

Let's Get Started

www.DawnSelander.com | [email protected]

14 Simple Ways to Add Mindfulness to Your School Day

Welcome

Deep breathing is one of my favorite tools for calming energy, anxiety, and bigemotions. Slow, deep belly breathing activates the relaxation response which causesbiological changes that help the body and mind relax. Circle time is a perfect time for practicing some deep breathing together at the start ofeach day. It will help your kids settle in after the morning rush and get calm andfocused so they can sit for the lesson or the story. And, you'll find that over time,anxiety and big emotions will be less frequent and less extreme. When we use our breath to invite peace and calm as we do with deep breathing, wehave to change the way we normally breathe just a bit. But, you can teach deepbreathing to your kids in three fun, easy steps.



1. DEEP BREATHING

Circle time1

1. SIT UP TALL - Have your kids imagine there is a string attachedto the top of their head. Have them pull up gently on their stringand watch as their body lifts and straightens. 2. BREATHE IN DEEPLY - "Breathing buddies" are helpful forteaching this step. Have each child lie down and place a bean baganimal on their belly. As they learn how to relax their belly andallow the in-breath to flow all the way to their belly, their breathingbuddy goes up and down for a ride. If the child is breathing onlyinto their chest, then the breathing buddy doesn't get the ride. 3. BREATHE OUT SLOWLY - Pinwheels are great tools for teachingkids how to breathe out slowly. Their lips have to tighten to get thepinwheel turn and the smaller opening lets the air out more slowly.

Learn more about the three simple steps for deep breathing.

https://dawnselander.com/peaceful-kids-naturally/




2. SET DAILY INTENTIONS

Since circle time tends to be in the morning, it's the perfect time to set intentions for theday. You can also set intentions for the week or even for the entire school year. If youset longer term intentions, be sure to revisit them often and acknowledge theirsuccesses along the way. Each child can set their own intention or you can set anintention together as a group. When a child or the group is struggling with something- set an intention. Perhaps thegroup has trouble sitting for circle time. As a group, you can set an intention like this-"For today, I will practice stillness at circle time and listen carefully." Explain to your group that setting an intention is like planting a seed. It's a quality or askill that they want to work on and grow so they will need to practice it and nurture it toget better at it. Have the group get quiet and take a deep breath to settle in. They can place a handover their heart and close their eyes if they wish. Have them sit quietly for a momentand choose an intention. Then, each child can take a turn and announce their intentionto the group. You can also place materials for writing down or drawing intentions inyour writing center. Some examples of intentions are:

using kind wordsfollowing directions the first timedoing one brave thingpicking up after yourselfsaying please and thank youtaking a deep breath when big emotions start to stir insideusing the peace center when feeling angry (more to come on the peacecenter)

"For today, I will__________________."




3. READ A BOOK ABOUT MINDFULNESS

There are many great books about mindfulness for kids. Use circle time to read some.Here are some titles for you to explore:

I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by: Susan VerdeA Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles by: Thich Nhat HanhPuppy Mind by: Andrew Jordan NanceMy Magic Breath: FInding Calm Through Mindful Breathing by: Nick OrtnerPeaceful Piggy Meditation by: Kerry Lee MacLeanMoody Cow Meditates by: Kerry Lee MacLean

NOTES:




1. INVITE THE BELL

Inviting the bell is a super simple way to incorporate some mindfulness at lunch time.Focusing on the sound of the bell will provide your kids the space to sit and be still fora moment. You'll need a bell or chime that vibrates for a long time like a singing bowl.You can also download an app that will sound a bell.

While your class is sitting at the lunch table with their food in front of them, havethem relax and take a deep breath. They can close their eyes if they choose. Sound the bell. Students can focus on the sound of the bell and simply listen. Havethem focus on the sound as it gets softer and softer. The softer the sounds gets, themore they will have to focus on it. Once they can't hear the sound anymore, they canbegin eating.

You can start with sounding the bell once and work your way up to sounding it two orthree times before they begin to eat.

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STEPS:Settle in and take a deep breath.Sound the bell.Listen carefully until you can't hear anymore sound vibration.Begin to eat feeling calm and peaceful.

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2. PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve both physical and mental health,improve sleep, and make us kinder and more compassionate. As we express ourgratitude for the food we eat, we can use lunch time to add in a couple more things weare thankful for.

Here are some ideas:1. Each child has a turn to express gratitude for someone or something

2. Children can share what they are thankful for with those at their lunch table

3. Pick a category like a person, a feeling, something outside, something that's

red, etc. that they are grateful for

4. Use the fives senses- "I am grateful...when I see _____________________."

when I hear ____________________."

when I smell ___________________."

when I taste ___________________."

when I feel _____________________."

5. Use the simple poem below before lunch

I am grateful.I am thankful.

For this food and more.

So, before I eat and start to drink

What else am I grateful for?

I am grateful for _______________.

Gratitude Poem






3. MINDFUL EATING

Mindful eating allows us to pause and connect with our food. We can experience it fullywhen we take the time to focus just on the food and eating without being distracted.You can use lunch time or snack time to easily add in some mindful eating with yourkids. The instructions below are just a guide and most likely too much to start with. You'llstill get the benefits of mindfulness by adding just a minute or two. Pick and chooseparts of the instructions below based on how much time you have and how long yourkids will stay engaged.

Instruct your kids to look at the food in front of them. What do they see- the colors, the shapes, the amount?How does looking at the food and not being able to eat it yet make themfeel?Reflect on the journey of the food from its origin to the plate and thepeople involved to get it there.

2. Have them smell the food in front of them. They can close their eyes for this.What do they smell?Can they smell the different parts individually, like just the turkey and notthe bread? Do they smell something they didn't expect like cinnamon in theapplesauce?

3. Have them touch or pick up the food if appropriate. What is the texture- rough, smooth, bumpy?What is the temperature- hot, cold?

4. Guide them to put a piece in their mouth and explore the food without chewing it.What does it taste like- sweet, salty, bitter, spicy?What does it feel like- squishy, watery, soft, crunchy, smooth?How does it feel to hold the food in their mouth and not swallow it rightaway?

5. Have them chew the food and swallow it slowly.How does it feel physically in their mouth and throat? If they focus, can they feel it moving down to their stomach?How does this food make them feel emotionally?

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Start by having your kids settle in and take a deep breath together.

MINDFUL EATING






Nap time3

Yoga has so many physical, mental, and emotional benefits and can really beincorporated into any activity of the school day. Some yoga flows are energizing, someare calming, some promote focus, and others support physical functions like balanceand digestion. You can pick and choose your yoga poses based on your needs. I find that yoga is an extremely effective way to help kids calm before bed, nap, or aquiet activity. Here's why:

Kids love yoga. Yoga is fun, so they tend to be engaged, focused, and they want to participate. They especially love yoga games and yoga stories. Some yoga poses are calming. Certain poses allow the nervous system tocalm, so the body and mind can relax. Yoga can be a tool for transitioning from lots of energy to peaceful andcalm pretty easily. Start with poses that involve some movement to meetyour kids where they are and release some energy. Then, incorporatemore relaxing poses that will leave them feeling calm and relaxed.

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HERE ARE SOME CALMING YOGA POSES TO START WITH:

TREE POSE - you can add some movement by gently swaying in the breezeSTAR POSE - you can add a gentle twisting motion from thewaist and sprinkle stardustFORWARD FOLD - slowly fold forward at the waist, breathe and relaxCAT/COW POSE - gently move between cat pose and cow poseBUTTERFLY POSE - gently flutter legs up and down like a butterfly's wingsHAPPY BABY - kids can move to their bed or cot for this poseSLEEPING POSE - also corpse pose, take three deep breaths and relax intosleep

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2. GUIDED VISUALIZATION/STORY

Guided visualizations are great tools for calming the body and mind before a nap. I liketo call them guided stories because the word story is more familiar, fun, and lessintimidating to kids than the word visualization. And, what kid doesn't love a story! Guided stories can be used for anything from inviting peace and calm to releasingstored emotions to providing the space for practicing a new skill. They can also be usedfor a little get-away when we need a break. Hint, hint ;) The more we can fully embody the guided experience, the more beneficial it will be. Wedo this by making it sensational, meaning we experience the story with all of oursenses. Just as we have five outer senses, we also have five “inner senses” in ourimagination.

Lie on your back and get comfortable. Close your eyes. Take in a deep breath and feel your legs relaxwhile you breathe out. Take another deep breath and this time feel your arms and hands relax as youbreathe out. Take a third deep breath and relax, in and out. Now, breathe normally. Imagine you are lying on a big, puffy cloud. It feels so soft and cuddly and safe. Take a moment to sinkinto the soft puffiness of your cloud bed. Your cloud can be any color you want it to be, so go ahead andmake your soft, safe cloud bed any color you imagine. You can even put some of your favorite things in your cloud with you. Maybe a blanket, a toy, orsomeone you love. Notice how you feel with all of your favorite things around you. Your cloud is floating up, up, up into the sky. You feel safe and comfortable and warm as you snuggle inyour cloud. It feels as if the cloud is giving you a hug. You can hear soothing, gentle music coming fromyour cloud. Go ahead and listen to the music for a moment. As you are floating up and up, you see the sky filled with twinkling stars, they are smiling at you. The starsare sprinkling stardust. The stardust makes you sleepy as you feel it gently land on- your face, your hair,your arms, and your legs. Your eyes feel very tired now and your body feels so relaxed and heavy as you start to fall asleep.See yourself sleeping in your big, puffy cloud as it now lowers back down, down, down and brings youright back to your own bed. Your puffy cloud leaves you feeling calm, peaceful, and sleepy. Sweetdreams.

SLEEPY STARDUST GUIDED STORY





3. PROGRSSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION

Progressive muscle relaxation is a deep relaxation technique for releasing stress,tension, and extra energy. It's a two step process where first, you tense a group ofmuscles and hold them tight and second, you release the hold. As you release themuscle, the tension flows away with it leaving the muscle group more relaxed. I like to start at my head and face and work the muscle groups down to my feet. Forme, it feels like the tension is draining down my body and out my feet. There are somewho say to start at your feet and work up to your face. Do what works for you. Adding in some imagery is helpful with children. It helps them understand what theyare supposed to be doing and feeling. You can find all kinds of scripts and videos forprogressive muscle relaxation on the internet. Start with your kids lying on their beds and have them settle in with a few deepbreaths. Then use a script or the ideas below. Have them tense and hold each musclefor a few seconds and then release the hold as they imagine and feel the tensionrelease. Relax for a few seconds. You can either repeat using the same muscle groupor move on to the next muscle group until you finish and your kids are completelyrelaxed and ready for sleep.

Face - Imagine a fly has landed on your face and you can't use your hands to shoo it away.Scrunch your face and wriggle your nose to get the fly off. Neck & Shoulders - Imagine you are a turtle hiding in its shell. Pull your shoulders up toyour ears and push your head down. Arms & Hands - Pretend you are squeezing lemons with your hand. Use your whole armand hand to get every last bit of juice out. You can do one arm at a time or both at the sametime. Stomach - Imagine a playful puppy is going to pounce on your belly. Tighten your bellymuscles to get ready before he lands on it. Legs & Feet - Pretend you are walking in the sand on the beach. Dig your feet into the sandas far as you can go. Use your legs to push down deeper and deeper into the sand.

IDEAS FOR IMAGERY





1.TAKE A SENSATIONAL WALK

A sensational walk involves the five senses. It's a version of mindful walking that placesawareness and attention on the present moment by focusing with the five senses. Your sensational walk can be a short walk around the playground or backyard or it canbe a longer walk down the street or on a trail. If you can't get outside, you can alsopractice this walk inside by walking in short line back and forth. Start by standing still with your eyes closed and take a few deep breaths to calm andcenter your body and mind. When you feel calm, open your eyes and start to walkslowly. Start by picking one of the senses and focus on one thing you notice with thatsense. So, if you choose the sense of sight, then focus on one thing you see and reallynotice it- its shape, size, color, etc. Then move on to the other senses one at a time andexplore them fully. Once you explore using all five senses, you can finish with a few deep breaths or startagain.

Outdoor Time4

Here are some more ideas:

Rainbow walk - Find objects along your walk that match the colors ofthe rainbow. Start with red and end with violet.Breath walk - The focus of a Breath Walk is your breath. Find a pacethat works for you so that you coordinate your breath with your steps.For example, you can inhale for two steps and exhale for two steps. Findthe pace that feels natural and right for you and simply focus on yourbreath, in and out.Peace walk - While you walk, find things along the walk that match theletters in the word peace. So first, find something that begins with theletter "P", then "E" and so on. Be creative and pick your own word- yourfirst name, love, kindness, focus, share, etc.






2. LABYRINTH WALK

When you walk a labyrinth, you follow a single path that leads you to the center. It'ssymbolic of taking a journey inward to find answers that are deep within our being.There are no obstacles or dead ends, but a journey that provides the time and space tobe silent and reflect. Labyrinths come in many styles and designs. Some have many intricate circuits andothers are smaller and simpler. They can be designed anywhere there is space usingany types of materials like plants and bushes, rocks, sticks, shells, rope, tape oranything else the designer wants to create with. You can find a labyrinth near you to visit or you can build your own. Find a templateonline, choose your materials, and start building. This would be a fun group project todesign and build with the kids, and then they would have the labyrinth to walkwhenever they wanted. A finger labyrinth is an option if you don't have space outdoorsto build one. The space within the labyrinth should be respected as a quiet space. Running and loudvoices should be kept outside of it allowing for quiet, peaceful thought within.

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WALKING THE LABYRINTHStand at the entrance to the labyrinth.Take a few deep breaths and settle in.Kids can choose something to reflect onlike something they are struggling with, orsetting an intention, or using the labyrinthas a way to find some peace and calm.Step into the labyrinth and walk the pathat a pace that feels comfortable.Walk to the center where you can takesome time to sit and be still and then walkthe path back out of the labyrinth.

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3. GROUNDING TREE

I think the best way to describe being grounded is to use the tree. The tree is groundedin the earth with its roots. The roots feed the tree and keep it from falling over. When astorm comes and the wind blows, the tree stays tall and strong because of its roots.We, too, can make it through our own storms and difficult times much easier when weare grounded. Balancing, activities that focus on your feet, and connecting with nature are a few waysto get grounded. Perfect for kids, right?

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Here are some activities that will help your kids with grounding:balance beam (you can draw a line with sidewalk chalk)hop scotchwalking barefoot and noticing what your feet are feelingpicking up stones with your toespainting or drawing with your feetrolling in the grassplanting a gardenplaying in the mudsmelling nature- dirt, grass, flowerstree rubbings

One of the best activities to help kids with grounding is to pretend to be a tree. Treesare real and familiar to kids, so when you ask them to pretend to be a tree, theyunderstand easily. So much better than trying to explain what grounding means. Have your kids walk the balance beam and notice how balanced or unbalanced theyare. Then, do tree pose or just stand still and instruct your kids to pretend to be a tree.Guide them to imagine roots growing out of their feet. And, make it sensational, sothey use their imagination to see the roots, smell the roots, hear the roots, and feel theroots as if they were real. When they feel balanced and strong, try the balance beam again. Is there a difference?Do they feel more balanced and grounded? Use tree pose anytime to groundphysically, mentally, or emotionally.






1.PEACE CENTER - INDOORS

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Preschool classrooms are filled with centers of all types, but rarely do I see a peacecenter or a space with mind-body tools to help kids find peace and calm. Here is a listof ideas for creating an indoor peace center:

Centers5

A small tent, covering, or some other way to separate the spacePillowsBlanketPeace Basket

THE SPACE

THE PEACE BASKET - Choose some items from each category.

Visual items:books about mindfulnesscalming bottle, mind jarpictures of naturemandala coloring page

Auditory items:bellssinging bowlschimesrain stickmusic

Aromatic items:scented candles, not litaromatherapy braceletcotton balls with essential oils in a jarscratch and sniff stickers

Tactile items:stress ballssmooth stonessand/rice trayfinger labyrinthmala beadsmandala with loose pieces

Physical/Movement items:pinwheels for deep breathingbean bag animals for deep breathingHoberman sphere for deep breathingyoga cards












2. PEACE CENTER - OUTDOORS

Why not designate a space outdoors for a peace center, too? Prepare a quiet space topractice stillness outside in nature. A space for reflecting, meditating, practicinggratitude, and finding peace and calm.

Tips:Make one peace center basket filled with mind-body tools and move it between theindoor and outdoor centers during the day.

Change up the mind-body tools in the peace basket to keep it engaging for the kids.

Choose a "peace teacher" like you would a line leader to fill the peace basket withnew tools each week/day.

Choose a quiet space away from busy activity, maybe a nice shady spotunder a tree. Create a space for sitting- a bench, blanket, or yoga mat. Or, it can beas simple as sitting in the grass. Add accessories that appeal to the senses to create a calm,comfortable, and safe space.

sight - bird bath, plants, flowers, bird feeders, decorativestonessound - wind chimes, fountaintouch - blanket, pillow, bench, small stone gardensmell - fragrant flowers, herbs taste - herb plants, berry plants, vegetable plants

Fill a basket with mind-body tools for the outdoor peace center. Thenit's simple and easy to grab the basket and place it in the peace centerany time you go outdoors with your kids.

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Looking for more simple ways to addmindfulness to your school day?

The BlogCheck out the blog at www.dawnselander.com/blog/ for even more ideas anduseful info about about using mind-body tools at home and in your classroom.You'll find posts and resources about deep breathing, guided stories, fun,mindful activities, and more.

The Mindfulness LibraryThe Mindfulness Library is filled with meditation scripts, deep breathingprintables, activity planners, and project instructions for all kinds of mind-bodytools. Head over to www.dawnselander.com/resources/ for FREE & INSTANTaccess to all of the goodies.

The Deep Breathing Lesson PlanYou can find a whole week of deep breathing activities for your home orclassroom at www.dawnselander.com/deep-breathing-lesson-plan-info/. Thelesson plan comes complete with circle time discussions, book suggestions,mindful movement activities, creative projects, center ideas, and more. You'llfind everything you need to teach deep breathing to your kids, as well as theactivities you need to practice. Your kids will become calm, cool, deep breathingmasters in no time.


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14 Ways Ebook