Mindfulness Activities

Overview

Through short but regular mindfulness activities, students develop their awareness and ability to focus. Mindfulness activities support learners' Physical Well-being and mental health, increase their Attention and Inhibition & Self-regulation, and enhance their overall academic performance.

Use It in the Classroom

Learn how Mindful Schools incorporates mindfulness activities into their classrooms in several ways. By integrating mindfulness with written as well as oral reflections, students have the opportunity to identify their emotions and think before they act, which builds their skills in Inhibition & Self-regulation and Metacognition.

Teachers can bring mindfulness into the classroom by introducing mindful practices as a part of their daily routine. Some potential activities that are age-appropriate include physical relaxation techniques, mindful eating exercises, active listening exercises, and emotional awareness exercises. Activities like mindful walk-abouts, written reflections after these exercises, and visualizations can also be helpful in teaching literacy and other academic skills.

Design It into Your Product

Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.

From 0:40, watch how Headspace for Kids designs simple mindfulness activities. By having clear prompts along with colorful visuals as guides, learners practice mindfulness while being engaged in a game environment.

Developers can integrate mindfulness not just through guided meditations but also by introducing games and activities that help learners understand the basic principles of mindfulness. Prompts to focus on their breathing and five senses and actively listen and reflect can engage learners in mindful ways and help strengthen Metacognition.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Benefits to Student Learning

Summary of research and activities for introducing mindfulness to students

Energy and Calm

Brain breaks and focused attention activities

Mindfulness Resources

Resources and videos for introducing mindfulness in schools

Mindfulness for Children and Teens

25 mindfulness activities for different age groups

Mindfulness in the Classroom

Practical tips for integrating mindfulness in the classroom

Self-Regulation

Subtopic that explores children's developing ability to regulate their behavior on Digital Promise's Research Map