If you have any examples of mindfulness activities that you have done at home that help you then please share them with us - you can email them to me psander@cc.thedcet.com

Below you will find some suggested mindfull activities to help in your every day lives to help make everything seem less chaotic.

Mrs Sander

Making Finger Puppets

These are the simplest finger puppets to make 

You will need:

• Printed card versions of the templates - or draw your own.
• Sellotape
• Glue sticks
• Scissors
• Pens and pencils
   

1. Print out the templates below.

You can draw your own pictures or if you don't want to then find some in magazines.

Most importantly - have fun...

Making/Drawing

Gratitude Journal          

5  SIMPLE STEPS TO HELP YOU START A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

1  You will need a notebook or journal

Bookstores, museum shops and art supply stores usually have great selections. You can also utilize a notebook and decorate the cover with stickers.

2 Get yourself a feel good writing utensil.

An example would be to use a metallic gel pen. A fun fancy pen helps to keep interest in the project.

3 Read a story about being thankful. (follow the link below for an audio story about an Octopus in Trouble)

4 Start out small.

Have a conversation with your parents about things they are thankful for in their lives, then give it a try to think of the things you are grateful for.

Here are a few prompts to help you get started:

I’m grateful for…
Thank you for…
I appreciate…

You might only be able to name one or two things to start with. That’s ok! The more you practice, the deeper your thoughts will be.

5 Set time to practice giving thanks each day.

I like to do it right before bed. I know others who chat at the dinner table. Find a time that works best for your family. When you're is having an “off” day, reread some of the entries in your journal.

This should give you a quick pick me up!

If you find it difficult to write what you are feeling the it is alright to draw pictures - remember it is your journal and you can decorate it how you like.

DIY Paper Spinner

Craft up a few really fun spinners–You spin them and they hum! It’s super fun and most things you probably already have around the house!

Here’s the how-to instructions.

Supplies:

• twine
• cardboard circles
• printer paper with circle template, see below
• markers
• scissors
• glue sticks

1. Make 2 circles onto your printer paper

Leaf Art

Collect leaves in various shapes and sizes, which in itself is a really lovely activity,and then get to creating. Markers work very well for this activity, beautiful patterns can be created very easily and something all the family can do together.

Whilst painting, look at how the leaf is made, the veins, colours and how fragile they become.

You can either leave them to dry or press them down on a piece of paper to transfer the colours on to the paper. 

How to make a Calm Down Box

Any box will do - even better if you have a shoe box lying around, but don't worry if you haven't, ask  ask mum or dad if they can help - you could us a Tupperware or plastic box

You will need 

• Your box
• Scissors
• Magazine / cartoon pictures / stickers to decorate your box 
• Glue stick

Decorate your box in any way that you would like - remember its YOUR calm down box

Things to put in your calm down box

• Your mind jar from last weeks "making" 
• Mindfulness wand - from 2 weeks ago
• A colouring in book and pens. Colouring is proven to be good at soothing stress, you could put some of this weeks drawing activity pages in.
• A stress ball. Squeeze all your frustration into the stress ball by tensing your hand around the ball - any soft squishy ball will do
• Bubbles. It sounds too good to be true, but blowing bubbles actually encourages deep-breathing which will help to calm you down
• Skipping rope. Physical exercise can be a great way to positively channel big emotions in a healthy way.
• Your favourite book to read - this can help you to relax your mind
• A favourite toy  - a good example is a rubix cube which will help you to forget your worries or a cuddly teddy to squeeze
• Play dough / slime - very good at helping to ease worries

How to Doodle

Mind Jar

A Mind Jar is a super fun way to try mindfulness. Imagine that the jar and glitter are your thoughts inside your head. When you shake the jar the glitter swirls around, just like your thoughts when they are sad or angry. This makes it hard to see inside the jar -your emotions take over and you cannot think clearly.

But when you place the jar down and just watch it quietly, the glitter settles to the bottom and the water becomes clear again. The same thing happens to your thoughts when you calm your body and simply notice how you are feeling. The feeling passes, and you can think clearly again.

What you’ll need:

• A jar or a bottle
• Water
• Glitter Glue
• Hot glue gun (get your parents to help with this)
• Extra glitter (optional)
   

What to do:

Fill the jar most of the way with water. Add a few spoonfuls of glitter glue, and some extra glitter if you’re using some. Place some hot glue on the inside of the lid and pop it back onto the bottle to prevent any leakage. And voila! One mind jar. These work very well in calm down spaces.

Mindfulness Wand

Focusing on the breath is a simple and quick way to introduce mindfulness. Deep breathing resets our nervous system and acts as a trigger to switch off the stress response. When we breathe slowly and deeply, we send a message to our brain that we are calm, and safe. And so our brain feels calm and safe. Pretty cool, huh?!

Start by just noticing and exploring your breathing. Put a hand on your belly and feel the way it goes up and down as you breathe. Do some star jumps and notice how your breathing changes, Our breathing also changes in response to our emotions – we breathe faster when we’re scared or anxious and slower and deeper when relaxed.

Little people do really well with breathing techniques when they have something to focus on and direct their breath towards. Using things like pinwheels, bubbles, or even dandelions is a super helpful (and fun!) way to help practice mindful breathing. But if you enjoy getting crafty, you can also make your own special breathing tool!

What you’ll need:

• Toilet paper or paper towel rolls
• Some streamers or ribbons (something light weight)
• Paints or other supplies to decorate your wand
   

What to do:

Cut a small strip off the top of one toilet paper roll. Stick it to the top of the other in the shape of an arch, and then attach your ribbons to the arch and decorate your wand.

When you breathe out focus on moving the ribbons on your wand. 

Next week we will make a calm down box where you can store all of your cool things that help to manage big emotions.

Mark making is a term used for the creation of different patterns, lines, textures and shapes. This may be

on a piece of paper, on the floor, outside in the garden or on an object or surface.

It could be a simple dot or a line across a paper, all of this contributes to mark making and fundamentally is the basis of developing the writing skill.

Mark-making doesn't just have to be with brushes and pens!

Don't just use normal paint brushes and acrylic paints to mark marks. You can use a huge amount of materials including:

Your hands!, Sponge, Foil, cling film, greaseproof paper, 

Feathers, leaves, sticks - anything from outside!

Felt, Pipe cleaners, Cotton Wool, String, Pens, Pencils, Crayons
Spatulas, Spoons, Forks, Whisks
Carrots, cucumber, potatoes
Toothbrushes

World in a Box

Children love working on a miniature scale where they can create worlds which they can control and oversee. 

You will need:

• Blank craft matchboxes. You can get these in two sizes; we went for the larger size (approximately 110mm, 60mm x 20mm).
• Plain white card or paper
• Coloured card
• Paper for collage (e.g. old magazines, old books, postcards, leaflets etc)
• Selection of fabric, wool, string etc
• Selection of small found objects (e.g. matchsticks, cocktail sticks, beads etc)
• Glue sticks
• Scissors
• Pens and pencils
• Printer (optional)
   

1. You should feel as if you own your world in a box – it will be yours and it can contain anything you like.
The more the children feel a sense of ownership from the beginning, the greater their creative freedom of expression.
 

2. Children might choose to create a world which:

• Depicts their bedroom (real or fantasy)
• Shares a hobby or pastime, or something they really like (pets, objects, places)
• Depicts a dream world they would love to inhabit
• Shares a happy memory (a holiday, a person, a visit…)
• Depicts friends or family
   

3. Don’t worry about designing your boxes on paper. Instead start making straight away, responding to the materials available. To help this process, make sure you have collected together a wide variety of materials to use to collage and create. The greater the variety of materials the more the youcan make thoughtful decisions about which materials to use and how to use them.
 

4. Make sure to understand that you CAN take risks in your creativity. If you don’t like something you do you can always redo it!

Continuous Line Drawing Exercise

Enjoy this short video which describes how to make a continuous line drawing, and then gives you the timed space to make your own drawing whilst listening to the audio. Perfect for all ages.

https://www.accessart.org.uk/continuous-line-drawing-exercise/

How Mindfulness Can Help 

Tips for calming anxiety during a difficult time

Take a deep breath. Literally. Feel a little better?

These are trying times, but incorporating mindful practices into your daily routine can help calm anxiety and build healthy coping skills. Here are some tips on making mindfulness work for you and your family.

It doesn’t have to be complicated

Being mindful is what it sounds like. Taking time to focus on the present, being intentional and thoughtful about where you are and how you are feeling. Trying to centre your thoughts and be in the moment. Sounds simple, but it takes work, especially now when concerns about what the future holds feel so pressing.

Make time for mindfulness – especially us adults..

Right now much of the personal time that is part of our daily routines — commutes, time alone at home, going to the shop — can seem very limiting. This means it’s extra important to be intentional about creating space to recharge. Deciding to set time aside each day to practice mindful activities is a great place to start,

“The morning, before everyone is awake, can be a great time to really ground yourself.” Morning mindfulness can help set the tone for the day. “Do deep breathing, meditate, exercise, whatever mindfulness activity works for you,” Mindfulness doesn’t have to be elaborate: “You can try mindful eating or mindful drinking with a cup of coffee. Sit there and just be in the moment. That’s mindfulness. Taking five minutes to do that before the day begins is even more important now because this is not our typical routine and we’re going to feel very, very out of sorts.”

Limit multi-tasking – again as important for us adults as it is for our children.

Right now it can feel like trying to do ten things at once is the only way anything will get done. For example, trying to fold laundry, make dinner and watch your child all while on a work call.

Multitasking rarely works, and can actually increase stress. Instead try achievable goals for the day, trying to focus on one thing at a time. For example, scheduling work calls during the day, allowing children to have a little extra screen time while you make dinner, or asking older children to help fold the laundry while you finish cleaning up.

Practice mindfulness as a family

Mindfulness, explains David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, is “Anything that helps everyone take a moment to slow down, stay present, and come together.” Designating time to practice mindful activities as a family will help everyone feel less anxious.

It could be a daily family yoga session, or a quiet walk in the woods as a group, taking time to focus on the way the air feels, the sound of the birds and the smell of the trees. Another good family mindfulness idea is asking everyone to mention one good thing they did,heard or saw that day over dinner.

Make peace with uncertainty

Situations sometimes cause extreme uncertainty. We don’t know what will happen, how long it will last or what things will be like when it’s over. One thing we do know, however, is that worrying about it won’t change the outcome. Learning how to tolerate the uncertainty is a huge part of building healthy coping skills for ourselves, which we then want to model for our children. It’s very easy to let your brain spin out with the frightening possibilities. “Practicing mindfulness helps bring us back to the present, and away from the brink.”

There are plenty of free mindfulness exercises to be explored online. The ones selected here are just a few of the many that can help to ease stress and anxiety and increase your sense of peace, calm, and contentment.

1. Belly Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing (or belly breathing) helps to initiate the body’s relaxation response. This worksheet guides us through a simple belly breathing practice that we can use at any point when stress or anxiety begins to rise.

2. Body Scan Meditation

At a time when most of us are caught up in the movements of the mind, coming back to the body is a powerful practice for restoring our sense of peace and presence. Sean Fargo leads this eight-minute meditation.

3. Gladdening the Mind

In these challenging and uncertain times, softly and subtly envisioning an inner smile spreading through the entire body can help us to rest and reset. This gentle meditation is guided by Tara Brach.

4. Relaxing Sleep Music

Music has a profound impact on our sense of peace and calm. This track is one of the many that can help to ease any stress we might be carrying, whether before bed, during meditation, or at any other time.

5. Equanimity: Finding Balance in Difficult Times

This talk by James Baraz addresses the fear and insecurity we experience during challenging times. Towards the end of the recording, he offers a heartfelt meditation to help us explore the topic on a visceral level.

6. How to Feel Balanced

Another talk to increase mindfulness of what’s happening in mind, body, and the world, Sharon Salzberg explores the notion of balance. This talk encourages a compassionate and curious self-inquiry as we gain insights into how we might gently find greater balance and peace of mind.

7. Mindfulness of Emotions

Becoming more curious about our emotions helps to deepen our awareness while decreasing our attachment to whatever moves within. This resource takes a closer look at a range of universal emotions, offering steps as to how we might mindfully navigate whatever is present for us.

8. Loving Kindness Meditation

Last but certainly not least, our embodiment of peace is strengthened when we explore loving kindness for ourselves and everyone that inhabits this earth. Sean Fargo leads this fifteen-minute meditation to deepen our sense of compassion, kindness, and interconnectedness.

Help Our Children Develop Mindfulness

Individuals of all ages benefit greatly from developing Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a wonderful quality to evoke in children as well, and can reduce behavioural issues by teaching young ones how to be more considerate. However, given the active nature and shorter attention spans of children, some accommodations must be made. Carefully designed mindfulness exercises for children take into account their developmental stage while promoting the same essence of mindfulness that experienced adults strive to achieve.

1. Glitter Jar. A glitter jar is a great way to get easily stimulated children to focus on one thing only. Fill a clear jar with shiny glitter and sit with your child as you shake and spin it. Encourage the child to observe the glitter by following individual pieces as well as taking in the whole picture. Watch as your child is fascinated by a simple device and practice deep breathing as the two of you watch the glitter slowly settle back to the bottom.
    
2. Rethink Mealtime. Turn mealtime from a chaotic free for all, to a slower-paced, thoughtful experience. Ask your child to think about everything they are eating, and to chew each bite at least 10 times. Discuss the origin of each food item, and use the 5 senses to understand what is being eaten.
    
3. Nature walks. Take your child outside for a walk in a quiet area, and encourage them to be as silent as possible, almost as if you were on a hunt. If the terrain is clear enough, take off your child’s shoes and discuss the sensation of grass and dirt on bare feet.
    
4. Raisin Exercise. For this task, choose a raisin (or other piece of produce) and hand it your child. Tell them to touch every part of the surface and to imagine the life cycle of a grape. Ask questions about the colour, texture, size, smell etc. Getting your child to appreciate the many aspects of an item as a simple as a raisin is an easy step towards mindfulness.
    
5. Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it
   tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
    
6. Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
    
7. Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking.
    
8. Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
    
9. Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colours.
    
10. Colouring: Colour something. Focus on the colours and designs.
     
11. Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.