Mindfulness seems to be a buzzword in education right now, and for good reason. Practitioners are using mindfulness exercises to help kids with ADHD, anxiety, stress, depression and more. Mindfulness is easy to weave into a morning or nighttime routine at home or classroom practices to help kids, parents, and educators reap the benefits of the practice. Keep reading to find 8 awesome benefits of mindfulness for kids!
8 Benefits of Mindfulness for Kids
1 – Improved Self Regulation
Mindful practices help kids with self regulation! When kids are able to tune in to the present moment and clue into their bodies, they’re better able to handle big emotions like anger and frustration. With mindful practices, students are less emotionally reactive and better able to carefully choose appropriate actions.
2 – Increased Self Esteem
A review of the literature found that 17 studies identified a positive correlation between mindfulness and self-esteem. Why? Mindfulness is all about non-judgment and acceptance of the self, the moment, emotions, and experiences. When students learn to say, “I feel upset. I accept this feeling, and I accept myself,” they feel better about themselves!
3 – Decreased Worry
A study at Stanford University showed that an 8-week mindfulness training for 4th-6th graders decreased symptoms of anxiety. Because mindfulness teaches students to quiet the “clutter” in their minds by tuning out thoughts about the past or worries about the future, kids are better able to shift their attention to the present moment.
4 – Improvements in Social Skills
How can focusing on your own self, thoughts, emotions, and body improve interactions with others? Research says that mindful practices increase compassion and the likelihood that people will help others in need! When kids learn to accept themselves and acknowledge their own emotions, pain, or experiences, they are more attuned to others’ emotions as well.
5 – Improved Concentration
Mindfulness is all about focusing on just the present moment, so it’s no surprise that research shows that mindful practices help kids with concentration. As kids learn to shift their attention and focus to just their breathing or just the sensations in their hands, they learn how to tune in to one thing or one task, which pays dividends in the classroom.
6 – Increased Body Image
This is where students learn to harness that nonjudgment that is so key to mindfulness. Mindful practices that emphasize nonjudgment teach kids to be more accepting of their own experiences, identities, and bodies, according to a study in Australia.
7 – Better Decision Making
Research shows that those with a mindful practice are better able to consider the actual factors in the decision-making process and tune out information from past experiences. When kids learn how to focus on the present moment, they’re better able to tune in to the details of the given situation while tuning out external factors or desires, a skill that is vital at school!
8 – Better Mood
The practice of mindfulness involves the acceptance and nonjudgmental of the current moment and one’s sensations. This acceptance of the current moment and any feelings one experiences helps kids understand that all of their feelings are okay! Mindfulness also brings a powerful reminder to focus on the here and now rather than the past or future. This helps kids live in the moment and enjoy what’s happening around them!
Get Started:
Want to start a mindfulness practice with your students or kids? Try these daily mindfulness activities that will really help you harness the benefits of mindfulness for kids:
Click to find more ideas for mindfulness activities on my blog.
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