Mindfulness for Children and Youth

From school, to homework, to hockey practice, life can be pretty demanding for a child in our modern world. The fast paced nature of our current age, means that children often have less time and opportunities to just be children. Mindfulness for children and youth can help with all of the added stresses of life that our modern world has brought. Due to fast paced lifestyles, it is not unusual for children to experience feelings such as anxiety and stress.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the deliberate act of paying attention to the present moment, without judgement. Practicing mindfulness can help with a variety of mental health and behavioural concerns, as children learn to slow down and become more attuned to their thoughts and feelings, and how these relate to their present moment experience.

Mindfulness Activity to Try Today

Here is a simple mindfulness technique that you can practice with your children today.

Eating with our 5 senses:

Start by picking any food item. For demonstration purposes, we will use an apple.
Place the apple in front of you and observe it visually. Notice the colour, size and texture.
Next place the apple in your hand. Feel the apple with your hands and fingers. Notice the textures and temperature.
Bring the apple up to your nose and smell the apple. Notice if different parts of the apple smell differently.
Bring the apple up to your mouth and take a bite. Notice the sound it makes as you take a bite, as you continue to chew the apple. Notice the feeling of the juices running into your mouth. Notice the taste of the apple. Notice if the apple smells differently now that you’ve taken a bite. Continue to chew the apple and notice how this feels.
Swallow your bite and notice how it feels now. Can you still taste the apple in your mouth?

This exercise can be practiced for one bite, or even for a whole meal, but like any skill, the more you practice mindfulness techniques, the easier it becomes.