Teaching mindfulness

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” - Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

Teaching mindfulness exercises to youth benefits them, your program and yourself. 

Utilizing mindfulness practices can help participants become more present and grounded, fostering an environment of calm and focus. 

Scientists find that practicing mindfulness is associated with changes in the structure and function of the brain, as well as changes in our physiological responses to stress, which suggest that practicing mindfulness has important impacts on our physical and emotional health.  

At a recent session with youth, I led them through making their own glitter jar to use for calming, focus and staying present. 

Once the jars were made, we talked about how they can be used to calm ourselves when we're upset, help us focus when we have a lot of thoughts in our heads and how watching the glitter can help us relax.

Mindfulness exercises

We also practiced several mindfulness exercises using our different senses. 

Box breathing

This simple technique can heighten concentration and reduce stress. 

Picture or draw a square. As you move along each side of the box, follow these steps:

1. Breathe in a deep belly breath to the count of four.
2. Hold your breath for four seconds.
3. Breathe out to the count of four.
4. Pause and rest in the stillness for four seconds before your next breath.
5. Repeat.

5-4-3-2-1

This grounding technique is most often used to calm anxiety. It can help slow your heart rate, control your breathing and make you feel better overall. 

Ask youth to identify the following:

• Five things they can see.
• Four things they can touch.
• Three things they can hear.
• Two things they can smell.
• One thing they can taste.

Mindful eating

Invite participants to stretch and grab a snack — any snack will work. 

Reflect and share on the following: 

• What does the snack look like? Consider its color, shape and any interesting details.
• How does it feel in your hand?
• What does it smell like?
• Does it make any sound?

Now, slowly take a bite and chew carefully. Then, answer: How does it feel against your teeth? Your tongue?

Mindful walk

Take a short walk together, encouraging participants to focus on their senses. What do you see, hear, feel or smell along the way? 

Mindful walking helps clear the mind and reconnect with the present moment.

You can find these and more quick and easy mindfulness exercises from the University of Minnesota Extension Department of Youth Development.

Teaching youth mindfulness exercises equips them with tools to build self-esteem, manage stress and skillfully approach challenges. I encourage you to intentionally plan mindfulness into your next activity with youth.