There are, of course, many ways to introduce kids to Mindfulness meditation. Parents, educators and mental health specialists reach out to Kidevolve all the time asking for novel ways to supplement the amazing (and often first time) exposure to mindfulness that our Creative Mind Journey audio tracks provide.
Well here’s another route in! We’ve discovered this deck of 55 innovative mindfulness games for kids, brought to you by Susan Kaiser Greenland (author of Mindful Games and The Mindful Child) and Annaka Harris (author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and the children's book I Wonder).
Playing games is a great way for kids to develop their focusing and attention skills and to become more mindful. This card deck (with 55 5X7 illustrated cards, each devoted to one game or activity), helps adults cultivate these qualities at home or in a school setting, developing what Greenland calls the new ‘A, B, C's for learning’ and for a happy and successful life: Attention, Balance, and Compassion.
In a playful way, the wide variety of games introduce kids to breathing practices and techniques for developing focus, concentration, and sensory awareness, and identifying and self-regulating emotions, among other skills. They include anchor-games that develop concentration; visualization games that encourage kindness and focus; analytical games that cultivate clear thinking; and awareness games that develop all of these qualities and give greater insight into ourselves, others, and relationships.