Practicing mindfulness (K-2)

General

This lesson teaches students how to practice mindfulness by guiding them through several exercises including belly breathing, flower/candle breathing, and the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory mindfulness technique.

Learning objective

Students will be able to practice mindfulness techniques.

Introduction

Review the concept of the “puppy mind” from the previous introductory mindfulness lesson. Go over some examples and explain that mindfulness can help us train our “puppy minds.” Explain that mindfulness must be practiced and that nobody is perfect! That is why we need to practice different mindfulness exercises. Describe some of the benefits of mindfulness like calming down, focusing more, and staying safe.

Instruction

Introduce belly breathing and have students practice putting a hand on their chest and a hand on their bellies. Have them try to make their bellies move as they take big breaths. Click the link to watch the video as a helpful guide! Next, try flower/candle breathing. Check-in and ask students how this exercise felt. Which breathing technique did students prefer? After this, students use their five senses to notice their surroundings. What are 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste? Reflect on this exercise as a class.

Closing

Spin the wheel and practice the mindfulness technique you land on.

Teaching tips

Choose a time and try taking a few minutes each day to incorporate these exercises into your day! Make it a special time of the day and allow students to share their experiences.

About Gynzy

Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.

With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.