![]() ![]() The subsequent sections go through different activities that are differentiated versions of mindfulness tasks for older children and adults.Īlthough guided imagery is not pure mindfulness, I do feel that this is appropriate for the age of the children that this book targets. The activities that are designed to help children recognise that they are breathing are simple, easy to follow and fun and are a perfect starting point. It can be difficult for young children to notice their breathing, which is an integral part of any mindfulness course that they may embark upon when they are older. The first section is all about introducing children to their breath. The book is a complete resource and includes recorded meditations (on a cd or through a web link) and picture cards that can be copied for use within the setting. There are teaching notes that the adult can refer to that helps them guide the practice as well as how to differentiate if needed. The scripts in the book are simple and clear perfect for children under 5 and even for some children who are slightly older. I loved this feature of the book as for staff who have never experienced mindfulness themselves, this helps them to understand why they are doing it and what benefits it may bring. Each section begins with an introduction and ends with a summary that explains what the purpose of the section has been and what the aims for the children are. There are additional activities such as guided imagery that can be used with young children and suggestions on how to use mindfulness across the curriculum. The book is divided into sections that explore different areas of mindfulness including: Perhaps one of the most appealing features for education staff is that the layout is simple to understand so they do not need to spend lots of time sifting through to find what they are searching for. It is an attractive resource with mindfulness practices and pictures that will appeal to young children. This book is designed to introduce Early Years practitioners to mindfulness and provide them with practical tasks that they can share with the children in their setting. In fact other than the resources named I know of just one other course that has been designed specifically for this age group. Despite this, there is limited research and information about using mindfulness within the Early Years and with the exception of a few books aimed at parents and Goldie Hawn’s MindUp curriculum, the materials available for very young children are sparse. Neurologically speaking, the earlier that children are introduced to a topic and the more practice that they have, the better they will be and mindfulness is no exception to this. With children, there is now a small number of evidence based and effective courses that can be delivered and an increase in research that appears to show that generally, mindfulness can be used to help children develop skills to combat stress.Īs an Educational Psychologist and a mindfulness teacher, I feel very strongly that mindfulness can benefit children and adults if delivered effectively. Mindfulness has been the talk of schools, healthcare settings and even the government for many years and it does have a growing evidence base for its effectiveness in helping people experience better wellbeing and lower rates of stress. This was a very useful skill to have when humans lived in caves and frequently encountered life threatening dangers (and indeed it is still useful for us to notice threats) however in today’s modern world too much focus on the potential threats around us can lead to missing what is happening in the here and now. We have a natural negativity bias that leads us to notice potential threats and dangers in the environment and focus on those. Humans are quite good at overthinking, ruminating and worrying about the future. This is something that humans are not always very good at. ![]() In simple terms it refers to the ability to pay attention to what is happening, right now. “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). Book author: Erica Douglas-Osborn What is mindfulness?
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