Ask any psychotherapist, and they’ll tell you: there’s something to be said for the practice of “mindfulness.” Defined as purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment, mindfulness—which is rooted in ancient practices of Buddhism—has been proven to reduce stress, increase happiness, improve physical and mental well-being, and as a result, curb a number of ailments: like heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic pain, a lack of sleep, gastrointestinal issues and more.
And with benefits like these, it’s never too early to start implementing these practices into our everyday life… even in the classroom. If you’re a teacher who works with young learners, you can teach the principles of mindfulness with “MindFul KIDS,” an educational tool for teachers from Miniland Educational. Designed for children between the ages of two and seven, this group classroom activity promotes self-awareness, concentration, empathy, emotional and psychological balance, patience, respect and more in a fun, educational way. It also increases the development of certain major intelligences, like Active and Corporal Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence and Linguistic Intelligence.
The game itself is pretty simple. There’s a spinning top and discs with 36 different activities, from breathing exercises and meditation, to yoga, massages and even mandalas. And to factor more learning into the mix, all activities are based around certain subjects, like nature, animals, culture, habits and daily activities.
For educators, this educational tool for teachers also includes an “Educator Guide” that explains how to prepare the space, gives tips and tricks for making the lesson more effective, and offers a step-by-step instruction guide for all 36 activities. To compliment the lesson, free digital resources also available on the PlayMiniland platform.
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Interested? We thought you might be. For more information about MindFul Kids, or to purchase this educational tool for teachers for your classroom, click