Being mindful is an important skill for children to learn at an early age. Being mindful not only helps with emotional regulation but is also related to improved mental health and less instances of being anxious. Research has shown that mindful skills help to cope with stress and anxiety, while helping children feel more connected, express compassion and show gratitude towards others. Additionally, mindful children are often better able to focus and concentrate when making decisions which helps to improve their academic performance. Overall, mindfulness practices can support youth in sustaining long-term healthy behaviors.
Similarly, physical activity is an important aspect of health that helps with improved mood, as well as reduced instances of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity. According to the CDC, children who are regularly active have improved academic performance, brain health, muscular fitness, heart and lung health as well as long-term health outcomes such as improved bone strength.
There are many ways in which we can incorporate mindfulness and physical activity at the same time for our children! Use some of these examples below to practice mindfulness and physical activity together with your child:
- Take a walk and play the five senses game. While walking in your favorite spot, look for five things you can see, four things you can smell, three things you can touch, two things you can hear and one thing you can taste.
- Do you and your child like to dance? Do the “Feelings Freeze Dance” found on YouTube (https://youtu.be/yuo5UuN8fgQ).
- Ask your child what their favorite fruit is. Play a game where you imagine picking that fruit and acting out the motions. For example, if your child says apples, pretend to climb a ladder, use your tippy toes to reach for a high-up apple, and then pretend to climb back down to put your apple in a basket. Once your basket is ‘full’, run in place to bring that basket to the farmer’s market counter.
- If your child likes animals, do some animal yoga poses! If your child enjoys these, encourage them to practice at a quiet place at home. (https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/extension/uploads/sites/44/2020/04/WY-Quality-Counts-Kid-Yoga-Card-Deck.pdf)
- Help your child to prepare their bodies for rest. Some stretches could include reaching up, to each side, and touching toes. Then have them sit on their bottoms and do the butterfly pose. Consider playing a guided meditation for your child; you can find these online or in the (free!) Insight Timer app.
Not only do these exercises help your child to promote mindfulness but doing them together is a great way to get the whole family moving!
References:
Broderick, P.C. & Frank, J.L,. (2014). Learning to BREATHE: An intervention to foster mindfulness in adolescence. New Directions for Youth Development, 142. doi: 10.1002/yd.20095
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Health benefits of physical activity for children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/children.h…
Garey, J. (2017) The Power of Mindfulness: How meditation practice can help kids become less anxious, more focused. Retrieved from: https://childmind.org/article/the-power-of-mindfulness/
Kuo, F., & Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence from a national study. American Journal Of Public Health, 94(9), 1580-1586. doi:10.2105/AJPH.94.9.1580
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Lawlor, M. S. (2010). The effects of a mindfulness‐based education programon pre-‐and early adolescents’ well-‐being and social and emotional competence. Mindfulness, 1, 137-‐151. doi: 10.1007/s12671-010-0011-8
Taren, A. A., Gianaros, P. J., Greco, C. M., Lindsay, E. K., Fairgrieve, A., Brown, K. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2015). Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial. Social Cognitive And Affective Neuroscience, 10, 1758- 1768. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsv066
Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-‐based interventions in schools–A systematic review and meta-‐analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1-20. doi.org/10.3389/ fpsyg.2014.00603
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