5 Quick & Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness in the Classroom

“Mindfulness” is a huge buzz word in the education community right now, but what is it really? Positive Psychology Program gives more than twenty definitions of mindfulness. Holy. Moly. I’m drawn to the definitions that are simple and to the point. I’ve sifted through the definitions and chosen a few that I think really hit the nail on the head.

Mindful.org defines mindfulness as:

“…the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

Psychology Today says:

“Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present.”

And The Mayo Clinic says:

“Mindfulness is the act of being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling at every moment – without interpretation or judgment.”

No matter how you define it, I think its easy to see why it’s so difficult to achieve in a world that has us rushing from place to place, activity to activity. My students routinely struggle with the feeling of needing to jump to the next thing without truly appreciating the moment they are in. And, it’s not their fault! Almost every adult in their life has trained them to be this way - from the constant use of technology that removes us from the present, to the go-go-go of our schedules, it’s rare that we have a time to calm our bodies and minds to appreciate what’s happening at any given moment.

It’s no different at school. We jump right in every morning to a day jam packed with activities, learning objectives, specials, and so much to do - again, it’s go-go-go and there’s never enough time to fit it all in. Even though it feels like there’s not enough time, I’d like to argue that making time for mindfulness is one of the most important things we can do for our students’ mental health. Mindfulness has been shown to lower stress, help manage anxiety, increase attention and focus, and even improve academic performance.

Our school schedule isn’t going to change. We’ll always have jam packed days, but I think we can find some creative ways to squeeze in mindfulness practice - even if it’s only 5 minutes a day. First thing in the morning, directly after lunch or recess, and the end of the day are all great times to squeeze in a few minutes of mindfulness practice. Here are some resources to get you started:

1. SAFE & CALM MEDITATION

This video is one of my students’ very favorites. It starts with students laying on the ground in their own space, and talks them through relaxing and releasing each section of their muscles. This is a great video to use after recess to help students wind down and get ready for learning again.

2. MINDFUL BREATHING ACTIVITIES

These Mindful Morning Activity Cards are a great way to fit in mindful breathing activities no matter how much time you have to work with. You can do these activities in just 30 seconds to a minute! I like to put them on a loose ring and hang them by my desk for easy access.

3. GO NOODLE!

Most of us love Go Noodle for Koo Koo Kangaroo, Kidz Bop, and Blazer Fresh - but did you know they have an entire section of videos just for mindful breathing and yoga? These videos are short (usually 3-4 minutes) and are perfect for working a little mindfulness practice into the day.

4. COSMIC KIDS ZEN DEN

Cosmic Kids Yoga on Youtube has a great playlist full of mindfulness exercises. Click below to check it out!

5. YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM

Yoga and mindfulness go hand in hand. These yoga pose cards are a great way to reference easy poses for the classroom. Included with each pose is a mantra or positive affirmation for students to think of as they practice each pose. Mantra bracelets are also included to remind students of the poses they practiced, so they can even practice mindfulness at home!

BONUS! HEADSPACE APP

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this, but - teaching is stressful. Like the most stressful. If you’re looking for a resource for mindfulness in your own life, I recommend the Headspace App! Check it out below.

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