MINDFUL KIDSin 10 Minutes A Day
MINDFULin 10 MinutesKIDS a Dayby Giselle ShardlowFour weeks of activities toeasily add mindfulness toyour school curriculum frompreschool to second grade
Copyright 2020 by Giselle ShardlowBackground and accent images/photos courtesy of Freepik.comISBN: 978-1-943648-75-7All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying,recording, or information storage and retrieval without written permission from the author. The author, illustrator, and publisher accept noresponsibility or liability for any injuries or losses that may result from practicing the yoga poses suggested in this book. Please ensure yourown safety and the safety of the children.PLEASE NOTE: These digital products are for personal use only. Please do not forward these files on to anyone else or upload them to theinternet in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Personal use means non-commercial use of the PDF downloads formaking prints or soft copy reference. The digital files may not be used in any way whatsoever in which you charge money or collect fees.Contact me directly at giselle@kidsyogastories.com for multiple-use licenses.Kids Yoga StoriesBoston, elleshardlowEmail us at info@kidsyogastories.com.What do you think? Let us know what you think of Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a Day at feedback@kidsyogastories.com.
WelcometoMindful Kids in 10 Minutes a DayThis classroom yoga resource is for kids yoga teachers, parents,caregivers, and health practitioners looking for fun, simple ways to addmindfulness to your school curriculum.To spark your imagination, there are specific sensory activities for eachday of the week, with the following RSDAYSSightFRIDAYSBreathThe mindfulness practices in this resource should take around fiveto ten minutes. Use the ideas as a springboard and feel free to addother age-appropriate theme-related yoga poses, songs, breathingtechniques, relaxation stories, meditations, art projects, and field trips.i Kids Yoga Stories
To make your classroom yoga experience as successful as possible, try these ideas:Create a ritual beforeeach mindfulness session(for example, sit in a circle, rub your handstogether, and take a silent moment).Set up the environmentbeforehand so the children knowwhat to expect during mindfulnessexercises. Slow down, capture theirattention, and help them focus.Create a safe space to trysomething new and different. Give positivefeedback to children who give it a try.Practice the activities withlarge groups, small groups, pairs, orindividuals—whatever suits you.Focus on having fun with themindfulness activity, not on getting itperfect the first time.Don’t worry if your childrendon’t respond to theactivity the first time. Thinkof this as a lifelong practice that evolvesover time. Follow their lead and enjoy theprocess.Engage the children. Followtheir passions and interests.Create authentic,meaningful experiences.Keep it light-hearted and fun.Cater to their energylevels and differentlearning styles.Be creative and enjoyyourself—the kids will notice yourenthusiasm.Encourage children to makeup their own mindfulnessactivities. Brainstorm othermindfulness activities that fit the varioussensory topics.Encourage the children toshare their mindfulnessexperiences with their familiesand friends. Or add a note in the parentcommunication about which activitiesyou’re practicing in class.Discuss the benefits ofmindfulness to their health andwell-being. Maybe talk about famouspeople who practice mindfulness and whythey do it.End each week byreflecting on their favoritemindfulness activities, meditations, andgames.Embrace the main idea that isto take a moment to pause and come tothe present moment. Feel the benefits ofslowing down and calming your mind.Get children learning, being present, and having fun in the classroom in less than ten minutesa day with these fun and easy mindfulness activities!Kids Yoga Storieswww.kidsyogastories.comii Kids Yoga Stories
AboutMindfulnessWhat is “mindfulness”?Mindfulness has become quite thecatchphrase these days, as educatorsand families are looking for ways to helpthemselves and their children release theirupset about things that have happenedin the past and anxieties about the future.Being mindful is about looking for peaceby focusing on the present.By being mindful, we can learn to livein the present moment, with curiosityrather than judgment. The grandfatherof mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn, definesmindfulness as “paying attention in aparticular way, in the present moment,and non-judgmentally.”1We can focus on being mindful whileusing our senses, so children can practicejust seeing, smelling, or hearing. Bypracticing paying attention to one thingat a time, they can feel safer and in controlof themselves and their environment.How do we teach mindfulness to children?The most important step to teachingmindfulness is to begin this lifelongpractice of mindfulness for yourselffirst. Then your own enthusiasm andunderstanding of the practice will shinethrough in your teachings.Mindfulness encourages us to:123Notice how much our thoughts areracing and when we’re not livingin the present moment. Take notethroughout the day if you are oraren’t present in the moment.Get curious about mindfulnessby using your breath to bring youto the present moment. Choosea task that you do every day, anddo it mindfully.Commit to a mindfulness practicethat works best for you, whetherit’s at a set time or throughoutthe day.Once you’re familiar with the mindfulnesspractice yourself, be confident in bringingthe joy and wonder to children. You’llbe planting seeds of self-regulation,attention skills, and happiness for life!1. Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are:Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life. New York:Hyperion, 1994.iii Kids Yoga Stories
Where to Start12Print out (or use a device to view)the Weekly Schedule on thefollowing pages.Print out (or view) each week’spacket to familiarize yourself withactivities and the resources, whichinclude: A list of the daily activities Printables of the daily activities34Celebrate the miracles alongthe way. Allow space to talkabout what they like aboutthe mindfulness activities andreflect on what’s working and how youcould improve the experiences. Honorthe process, not the end result.5If you miss a day, don’t worry.Just pick up where you leftoff, then use the activities youmissed later in the day or doubleup on some days. The schedule is meantto be flexible to suit your needs.Extend any activity that thechildren are particularly interestedin or do it again on another day.iv Kids Yoga Stories
Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a DayPreschool to 2nd GradeWeekly ScheduleWEEK okingThursdayBreathingFridayThe SoundCountMysterySmellsBodyMassageI Spy withMy Little EyeBeeBreathWEEK okingThursdayBreathingFridayWeatherReporterThe SmellyFeelsMyHandsThe CloudShowCandleBreathWEEK LookingThursdayBreathingFridayStop & Listen What Do YouHear?The GreatOutdoorsMysteryBoxThe RainbowGameTake 5BreathWEEK ger HuntThe BodyTapWatch ItDropPompomBreath Kids Yoga Stories
Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a DayWeek OneLISTENINGMONDAYThe Sound CountClose your eyes and count the sounds you hear faraway, nearby, and inside yourself. Notice how muchmore aware and present you are after doing the activity.SMELLYTUESDAYMystery SmellsPresent a variety of hidden smelly items (pleasant andunpleasant) and see if children can guess what they are.Use this activity to activate their senses and heightentheir awareness of the smells around them.TOUCHINGWEDNESDAYBody MassageMoving from your head to your feet, take time tomassage your body gently and slowly. Do what feelsgood to both awaken and calm your body.LOOKINGTHURSDAYI Spy with My Little EyePlay I Spy to help everybody focus together. You couldpick items by color, size, shapes, texture, or distancefrom you. Practice giving helpful hints and askingthoughtful questions.BREATHINGFRIDAYBee BreathPractice this humming breath to encourage children tobe aware of the sound of their breath inside their head.Cupping both ears at the same time helps to intensifythe sound, helping them to focus.1 Kids Yoga Stories
Week OneLISTENING MONDAYThe Sound CountCome to a comfortable seated or standing position.Close your eyes, if that’s comfortable. Hold up onehand with your hand in a fist. With each differentsound that you hear (for example, a car beepingoutside, the fish tank inside the room, or your bellygrowling), raise one finger to count that sound.After a few moments, ask the children to open theireyes and take turns talking about the sounds theyheard. This exercise helps to build their focus andincrease their awareness of their environment. Asa variation, you could do the activity for a longertime and have them count using their second hand,as well.2kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week OneSMELLY TUESDAYMystery SmellsBring in a few wrapped mystery bottles containingdifferent smelling items (for example, it could besomething natural like a citrus fruit, a fragrant flower,or aromatic herbs). Ask the children to take turnssmelling the bottles to see if they can guess what’sinside. You could ask questions like: What does thatsmell remind you of? How does it make you feel?Do you like it or not? If you don’t have time to wrapbottles, be creative and put a few items in boxesinstead, or blindfold the children and bring out theitems one at a time.3kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week OneTOUCHING WEDNESDAYBody MassageStart by coming to a comfortable seated position.Take a few moments to settle into the space and takea few deep breaths. Begin by giving your head alittle massage, then move down to your earlobes. Begentle, and not rough, with your touch. Do what feelsgood. Move down to your shoulders, followed by yourarms and your hands, continuing to gently massageyour body. Rub your chest, then your belly, in circles.Lastly, massage your legs and your feet. When you’redone, take a moment in a seated position to noticehow different you feel after your body massage.4kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week OneLOOKING THURSDAYI Spy with My Little EyePlay I Spy to help everybody focus together. Theleader picks something they “spy,” and the otherplayers take turns guessing what it is. The chosenitems could be picked by color, size, shapes, texture,or distance from you. Practice giving helpful hints andasking thoughtful questions. This exercise is a greatway for children to come into the space and into thepresent moment.5kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week OneBREATHING FRIDAYBee BreathAs you exhale, keep your mouth closed and makea long “mmm” sound, pretending to buzz like abee around the garden. Then inhale through yournose, keeping your mouth closed. Repeat the beehumming sound as you exhale. Close your eyes andcontinue in this way for a few minutes or as long asit feels comfortable. You could also cup your handsover your ears to intensify the “mmm” sound. As avariation, you could imagine making the sound of atrain whistle.6kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a DayWeek TwoLISTENINGMONDAYWeather ReporterUse your senses to be weather reporters. Go outside(or look through a window), close your eyes, and listenfor the different kinds of weather where you are.SMELLYTUESDAYThe Smelly FeelsMake a list of smells that fit under the two categoriesof “Happy” and “Mad.” Notice how smells can triggeryour feelings in unexpected ways.TOUCHINGWEDNESDAYMy HandsExplore your hands with a number of activities thatinclude massaging your palms, tracing your hand, andcreating a pattern inside the handprint. Get curiousabout your hands.LOOKINGTHURSDAYThe Cloud ShowWatch clouds in the sky. Observe the clouds as theypass by and notice the various shapes. Talk about howyour feelings drift by just like clouds do in the sky.BREATHINGFRIDAYCandle BreathBring your pointer finger in front of your mouth andblow on it, pretending that it’s a candle, flower, orpinwheel. This breathing exercise helps children focuson their breath in a light-hearted way.7 Kids Yoga Stories
Week TwoLISTENING MONDAYWeather ReporterAsk the children to use their senses to report theweather. What sounds do they hear? Is it raining? Isit windy? Or maybe it’s snowing? Do they hear thechirps of birds or other animals outside? Ideally,it would be great to go outside to experience theweather. However, if that’s not possible, they couldview the outdoors through a window.Build their vocabulary by helping them to describethe different kinds of weather in their area. You mighteven try repeating this activity throughout the day tosee if the weather changes. They could discuss whatthey hear or paint a picture of the weather they canhear, see, and smell.8kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week TwoSMELLY TUESDAYThe Smelly FeelsTalk about how we can associate different feelingsto various smells. For example, the smell of cookiesmight remind you of your grandmother bakingcookies at her house. Or the smell of diapers mightremind you of your annoying younger brother.On a paper, draw two columns: one for “Calm andHappy” and another for “Mad and Frustrated” (orchoose other feelings you would like to target). Makea list of smells under each column that you associatewith the column heading. Notice how smells cantrigger your feelings in unexpected ways, sometimescausing you to have big emotions without realizingwhere they’re coming from. Acknowledging thesefeelings and understanding the source can help youcome back to the present moment.9kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week TwoTOUCHING WEDNESDAYMy HandsLet’s get curious about our hands. First, look at themfor a few moments, noticing what they look like.Now, stretch your fingers out wide and then makeyour hands into fists. Tense your hands really tightlyand then relax them. Try this a few times, tensing andrelaxing. How do your hands feel now?Now give your hands a massage, one at a time, rubbingyour palms in a circle. Then gently pinch and pull yourfingers. Lastly, trace your hand on a paper and outlineit in a black marker. With a pencil, spend a few minutescreating intricate patterns inside your handprint. Youcould show the students sample mandala or zentangledesigns for inspiration. Finish up by coloring in thepatterns with colored pencils or crayons. Try addinggentle background music during the coloring time.10kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week TwoLOOKING THURSDAYThe Cloud ShowWatch clouds in the sky. Either lie on your backoutdoors or pick a spot indoors where you can gazeat the clouds. Observe the clouds as they pass byand notice the various shapes. Talk about how yourfeelings drift by just like clouds do in the sky. Discusshow emotions are a part of being human and that weall have them. Sometimes big emotions can take overour minds, and we need to find ways to let them driftby so we can make good choices and keep ourselveshealthy.11kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week TwoBREATHING FRIDAYCandle BreathPretending it’s a candle, bring your pointer finger infront of your mouth. Take a deep breath in throughyour nose then pretend to blow out your candle.Close your eyes, if that’s comfortable. Repeat a fewtimes. The idea here is to take extended exhales tocalm the nervous system. You could also imagine thatyou’re blowing a flower or pinwheel.12kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a DayWeek ThreeLISTENINGMONDAYStop and Listen What Do You Hear?SMELLYTUESDAYThe Great OutdoorsStop for a moment, close your eyes, and listen for thesounds around you. Listen for two faraway sounds,two nearby sounds, then two sounds right beside orinside you.Go outside in nature to awaken your senses. What doyou smell? What things have the strongest smell innature? What doesn’t give off a lot of smell at all?TOUCHINGWEDNESDAYMystery BoxPresent a variety of hidden items and see if the childrencan guess what they are. Use this activity to activatetheir senses and heighten their awareness of objectsaround them.LOOKINGTHURSDAYThe Rainbow GameLook around the space for colored items in the order ofthe rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,and violet. This activity helps children to sharpen theirfocus.BREATHINGFRIDAYTake 5 BreathWhen you need to calm yourself, take a moment toinhale and exhale while tracing your pointer fingeraround the fingers of the other hand.13 Kids Yoga Stories
Week ThreeLISTENING MONDAYStop and Listen . . .What Do You Hear?Stop for a moment, come to a comfortable seatedposition, and close your eyes. Take a few deepbreaths and come to the present moment. Thenbegin to listen for the sounds around you. Listen forfaraway sounds for a few moments and then shift tolistening for nearby sounds. Lastly, pay attention forsounds right beside or inside you. Once you’re done,open your eyes. Talk as a group about what soundsyou heard. Where there any different sounds that youheard from the others? Which sounds were similar?14kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week ThreeSMELLY TUESDAYThe Great OutdoorsGo outside in nature to awaken your senses. Close youreyes, if that’s comfortable, and notice what you smell.Open your eyes and see if you can locate what gaveoff the different smells. If your learning environmentisn’t near nature, then bring nature items into theclassroom to smell. Transform your space into natureindoors. Notice if the different seasons bring aboutdifferent smells in nature.15kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week ThreeTOUCHING WEDNESDAYMystery BoxBring in a wrapped mystery box containing differenttextured items (for example, it could includesomething rough, smooth, soft, or pointy). Ask thechildren to take turns putting their hands inside thebox to see if they can guess what’s inside. You couldask questions like: What does it feel like? What doesit remind you of? Do you see something else in theroom that might be the similar texture?If you don’t have time to wrap a box, be creative. Forexample, put a few items in basket with a blanket overthe top or blindfold the children and bring out theitems one at a time. Have the children pay attentionto how objects feel and bring them to the presentmoment.16kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week ThreeLOOKING THURSDAYThe Rainbow GamePlay the Rainbow Game by looking around the roomas a group for something red. Once someone haslocated something red, then move on to findingsomething orange. Continue to play until you findthings that are yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.The key is to find the items in the rainbow order, andmake sure that everyone gets a chance to participate.Use the game to sharpen their focus and spark theirattention in a fun, cooperative way.17kidsyogastories.com Kids Yoga Stories
Week ThreeBREATHING FRIDAYTake 5 BreathTake your right hand and spread your fingers likea star. Place your left pointer finger at the base ofyour right pinky finger. As you take a deep inhale,slide your pointer finger up your pinky finger. Pausebriefly at the top of the finger. Then exhale fully whiletracing the inside of your pinky finger. Repeat theinhale up your ring finger and exhale down your ringfinger. Continue tracing your fingers and matchingto your breath until you come to the outside of yourthumb after five deep inhales and exhales. You canalso trace your left hand if that’s more comfortable.You could imagine that your pointer finger is goingup and down a rollercoaster ride at a fun park.18kidsy
Mindful Kids in 10 Minutes a Day This classroom yoga resource is for kids yoga teachers, parents, caregivers, and health practitioners looking for fun, simple ways to add mindfulness to your school curriculum. To spark your imagination, there are specific sensory activities for each day of the week, with the following themes: MONDAYS Sound TUESDAYS
Warm-Up Task 3 minutes 5 minutes Game Procedures Review 5 minutes 5 minutes Research and Argument Building 5 minutes 15 minutes Round 1 (eight contenders) 15 minutes 25 minutes Round 2 (four contenders) 10 minutes 20 minutes Round 3 (two contenders) 7 minutes 15 minutes Reflection and Assessment 5 minutes 5 minutes Total 50 minutes 90 minutes
Dear Parent, Mindful Schools Lesson 1 Today was our first mindfulness lesson! We learned about Mindful Bodies and Mindful Listening. Mindful Bodies is a way of preparing to practice mindfulness by bringing the body to be very still and r
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Mindful Moments: Mindful Eating Lead this “raisin meditation” exercise to encourage mindful eating. This script adapted from mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn*, who explains, “When we taste with attention, even the
School. He co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program with Kristin Neff in 2010 and they wrote two books, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. MSC has been taught to over 150,000 people worldwide. Dr. Germer is also the author of The Mindful Path to
School. He co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program with Kristin Neff in 2010 and they wrote two books, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. MSC has been taught to over 150,000 people worldwide. Dr. Germer is also the author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion; he co-edited two
Highland Elementary School 10:20 11:00 45 minutes Science/Social 50 inutes 12:25 Science/Social 50 minutes Science/Social 10:15 Third Grade Science/Social Lunch/Recess 154 minutes 155 minutes 70 minutes Lunch/Recess 60 minutes 45 minutes 100 minutes 11:25 30 minutes 45 minutes 2:20 Master Schedule – Reading/Writing 8:50 – 9:50 Reading .
2.1 ASTM Standards: C 230 Specification for Flow Table for Use in Tests of Hydraulic Cement3 C 305 Practice for Mechanical Mixing of Hydraulic Cement Pastes and Mortars of Plastic Consistency3 C 349 Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using Portions of Prisms Broken in Flexure)3 C 511 Specification for Moist Cabinets, Moist Rooms and Water Storage Tanks Used in .
