Objectives
- Describe ways to be mindful at home.
Lesson Plan
This unit helps a child to understand and practice mindfulness. To practice mindfulness is to purposefully pay attention to your breathing, feelings, senses, or actions in the present moment. When a child is mindful, they increase their ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, and self-motivate. Print the Mindful Moments cards and fitFlow yoga cards to practice mindfulness with your students.
Set The Stage
Explain to students that they can use their breath to overcome frustration. Model the figure-8 breathing. Trace a figure-8 in the air, inhaling on one side, then exhaling as you move to the other side. Repeat several times.
To use this with your students click here.
Captivate
Mindful at Home
Use the slideshow to guide a class discussion about times students feel frustrated, both at school and at home.
At school it may be trying to do something new and not succeeding. At home it might be when they are told it’s their bedtime and they want to finish what they are doing.
Educate
How to Be Mindful at Home
Explain to students that they can be mindful at school—and when they are at home too! For example, they can use their senses when trying a new food, doing mindful breathing to relax or calm down, or doing a body scan when they can’t fall asleep.
Check for Understanding: What can you do to be mindful at home? (Students give examples of purposefully paying attention to breathing, feelings, senses, or actions in the present moment.)
Activate
What mindful choices can kids make at home?
Encourage students to take a set of Mindful Moments cards home and practice mindful activities.
Close the Lesson
Students turn to a partner and talk about when and where they will choose a Mindful Moment card.
Grade: K-2
Time: 20 Minutes
What You'll Need
Resources
Materials
- Markers
- Poster Board or White Board
- Slideshow
Health Education Standards
- Standard 1: Core Concepts -Promote Mental and Emotional Health
- Standard 4: Interpersonal Communication
- Standard 5: Decision-Making
- Standard 7: Practice Health-Enhancing Behaviors
Social and Emotional Learning Competencies
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Responsible Decision-Making
Extend the Lesson
- Listen to the fit song, Taking Care of My Mood, to help yourself to be mindful of your mood and choices
- Play Greetings from the fitGames series for kids to practice ways to be mindful when greeting one another.
- Read about Breathing Techniques to help your students relax and become more mindful of their choices.
- Read about how you can help kids be more mindful of their choices with the cue "Think fit. Be fit!"