This post was updated on June 9, 2024.

There is a lot of research out there proving that teaching kids to be mindful has positive effects on their learning as well as their connections to their peers. Mindful students are more engaged and empowered to learn. There are tons of ways to teach kids about and how to be mindful. We are happy to share some things that we have to offer to create and support increased focus, more interactive student learning and increased understanding or one’s feelings and emotions.

To kick this off, we created a list below. Feel free to print it off and put up in your home or classroom. You can also bookmark this post for your reference. This list can be used in several different ways.

• It can hang as a resource to be observed and read when noticed. Every little bit helps.
• A different numbered practice can be worked on or talked about each day.
• When children are demonstrating one of the behaviors, it can be recognized and praised.
• When one of the behaviors could have helped a situation turn into a better outcome, it can be used as a discussion tool.

We sell many items in our stores that we find to support and encourage mindful practices. We are sharing four of our favorites in this post for you. Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty – A favorite of both kids and adults alike, putty is the popular sensory tool that’s great for kneading, molding, stretching—and some even have amazing aromas, too!

Chime Hearts – We cannot adequately describe how beautiful these chime hearts are. The colorful designs and the calming sound they make when shaken make these a fabulous tool for calming. When giving them to a kiddo, tell them that every time they hear the chime it is a reminder of how much they matter and are loved, just the way they are. The hearts are 1 1/2″ in size so fit easily in a lunchbox or backpack.

Mindful Kids Cards – These 50 Mindfulness Activity cards offer AMAZING and awesome ways to teach kids mindful ways to start their day, find calm, focus, open their hearts and rest/relax. They work at home and in the classroom. Truth be told, we find they are just as effective for adults as kids. This means the activities are perfect for families, entire classrooms and maybe even faculty meetings! They come with a fold out set of directions and ways to best use them.

Calm Down Bottles – Encourage sensory integration and gross motor skills with these semi-DIY bottles. Kids love to watch the mesmerizing creative elements (included!) and even play a little bit of "I-spy". Young children enjoy moving the bottle around with their hands in different ways to observe how the creative elements move in the water. Fill several for your clinic or sensory room, or place them in your classroom where sensory-seeking students can sit quietly.

Mindfulness. It matters!!!

Love,

Your Friends at Beyond the Blackboard