Mindfulness has been growing in popularity due to the evidence it has behind it, showing great ways of helping students to live in the moment and become more aware of themselves. Below are some resources that may be helpful for students and parents/guardians alike.
Mindfulness is: "a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations"
Mindfulness is: "a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations"
Mindfulness Information: (click on site for link)
www.mindfulschools.org
positivepsychologyprogram.com/benefits-of-mindfulness/
nobelcoaching.com/mindful-student/
www.apa.org
Mindfulness Apps:
1. Headspace(1st ten days free)
This is a great place to learn the basics of mindfulness for beginners, and is suitable for a wide range of ages. The included Headspace For Kids program focuses on breathing exercises, visualizations, and focus-based meditation in themes like calm, focus, kindness, sleep, wake up, and tailored for age groups 9-12, 6-8, and 5 and under, with regular Headspace being appropriate for older kids.
2. Calm
A lot of great, specific meditations, helping with anxiety to sleeping.
3. Buddhify $2.99
While not made specifically for children, Buddhify’s simple and colorful interface and 80 plus custom meditations offer plenty of options, and the upfront price with no additional costs adds even more value.
4. DreamyKid –Not Free-
Made just for kids, Dreamy kid offers meditations such as Body Scan, an ADD and ADHD session, ambient background noise, and more. General and issue-based meditations, guided visualizations and affirmations are added each month.
5. Insight Timer
Home to more than 4117 meditation sessions, Insight Timer should have something for everyone and there’s no risk of running out of options. Explore different styles, teachers, or methods, log cumulative meditation time, join the online community of meditators, or set a timer for some quiet.
6. Stop, Breathe & Think
The title indicates what this app focuses on and all three are important life skills that are often under taught. Best suited for the 10 and up crowd and ideal for individual use, this app makes it easy to track progress and gain daily momentum with reward stickers, check-ins, and a lesson on how to meditate as well as a list of meditations to follow.
7. Wellbeyond Meditation
This simple app geared towards the elementary crowd offers five meditations with kid-friendly art and tone, ranging in time from three to 14 minutes and working on sitting comfortably, visualization, and a gradual reorientation.
8. Super Stretch Yoga
Incorporate some movement with a kid-geared guide to 12 yoga poses with animation, video, and instruction. Super Stretch also promotes a code of ethics under the acronym Namaste, representing tenets like “Act with Kindness.”
9. Take a Chill
Marketed towards teens and tweens, this app features a fleet of stress management tools using mindful activities to promote positive thought patterns. Daily activities, reminders, progress trackers, stress assessment, and motivational quotes are all part of the package.
10. Smiling Mind
Modern meditation with programs for age ranges from 7 and up along with a Mindfulness in the Classroom program, this not-for-profit organization’s app also offers students a break from the pressure, stress, and challenges of daily life.
www.mindfulschools.org
positivepsychologyprogram.com/benefits-of-mindfulness/
nobelcoaching.com/mindful-student/
www.apa.org
Mindfulness Apps:
1. Headspace(1st ten days free)
This is a great place to learn the basics of mindfulness for beginners, and is suitable for a wide range of ages. The included Headspace For Kids program focuses on breathing exercises, visualizations, and focus-based meditation in themes like calm, focus, kindness, sleep, wake up, and tailored for age groups 9-12, 6-8, and 5 and under, with regular Headspace being appropriate for older kids.
2. Calm
A lot of great, specific meditations, helping with anxiety to sleeping.
3. Buddhify $2.99
While not made specifically for children, Buddhify’s simple and colorful interface and 80 plus custom meditations offer plenty of options, and the upfront price with no additional costs adds even more value.
4. DreamyKid –Not Free-
Made just for kids, Dreamy kid offers meditations such as Body Scan, an ADD and ADHD session, ambient background noise, and more. General and issue-based meditations, guided visualizations and affirmations are added each month.
5. Insight Timer
Home to more than 4117 meditation sessions, Insight Timer should have something for everyone and there’s no risk of running out of options. Explore different styles, teachers, or methods, log cumulative meditation time, join the online community of meditators, or set a timer for some quiet.
6. Stop, Breathe & Think
The title indicates what this app focuses on and all three are important life skills that are often under taught. Best suited for the 10 and up crowd and ideal for individual use, this app makes it easy to track progress and gain daily momentum with reward stickers, check-ins, and a lesson on how to meditate as well as a list of meditations to follow.
7. Wellbeyond Meditation
This simple app geared towards the elementary crowd offers five meditations with kid-friendly art and tone, ranging in time from three to 14 minutes and working on sitting comfortably, visualization, and a gradual reorientation.
8. Super Stretch Yoga
Incorporate some movement with a kid-geared guide to 12 yoga poses with animation, video, and instruction. Super Stretch also promotes a code of ethics under the acronym Namaste, representing tenets like “Act with Kindness.”
9. Take a Chill
Marketed towards teens and tweens, this app features a fleet of stress management tools using mindful activities to promote positive thought patterns. Daily activities, reminders, progress trackers, stress assessment, and motivational quotes are all part of the package.
10. Smiling Mind
Modern meditation with programs for age ranges from 7 and up along with a Mindfulness in the Classroom program, this not-for-profit organization’s app also offers students a break from the pressure, stress, and challenges of daily life.