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 Self-regulation, and enhance their overall academic performance.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch how this class incorporates mindfulness activities such as breathing and purposeful movement. Learners practice reflecting on what they are feeling, identifying emotions, and paying Attention to different senses.

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.

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.

Examples

Benefits to Student Learning

Summary of research and activities for introducing mindfulness to students

Examples

Energy and Calm

Brain breaks and focused attention activities

Examples

Mindfulness for Children and Teens

25 mindfulness activities for different age groups

Examples

Mindfulness in the Classroom

Practical tips for integrating mindfulness in the classroom