Mindfulness: Internal Weather Report

Suki sitting still like a frog
 in her Halloween Costume

There is a saying in Oklahoma: "If you don't like the weather- wait five minutes." Today there is a crisp cold in the air, earlier this week we were all in short sleeves.

Moods are a bit like the Oklahoma weather, changing and temporary.  Children who learn to identify and accept their moods have good resilience.  They understand that a bad day doesn't mean a bad life . . . mindfulness has many implications for all ages.

Thank you for spending October with me exploring Mindfulness. In my research I came across a wonderful book on mindfulness with children: Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel.

Eline Snel  developed some easy (and fun!) exercises to introduce mindfulness concepts.  One of my favorites to use with children is Your Personal Weather Report.  A child draws their "internal weather" early in the day and then checks back later to see if the weather is the same or different. The author also tackles life skills such as practiced attention, understanding limits, letting go of thoughts and worries, and kindness.  The activities are appropriate for the smallest to the tallest in your family- that means you too!