Mindfulness for Kids: 5 Simple Practices to Do at Home

Breathe in. Breathe out. 

That’s where it starts, a moment of calm in a noisy world. Mindfulness can be one of the greatest tools we teach our kids, helping them slow down, feel safe, and understand their emotions. 

5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Kids

Mindfulness isn’t all about relaxation and meditation — one size doesn’t fit all! Here are five simple practices you can do with your child at home:

1. Create a Mindfulness Jar 

A Mindfulness Jar is a simple tool to help kids manage big feelings. When still, the glitter settles at the bottom, just like a calm mind. When shaken, the swirling glitter shows how thoughts can feel when emotions are strong. Watching it slowly settle helps children calm down too. 

You can find a deeper explanation and “how to” here.

2. The 5 Senses

Simply encouraging your child to use their senses to explore their world and focus on the present helps your child feel calm and focused. Often times I teach kids to use this exercise as below: 

• What do you see?
• What can you feel?
• What can you hear?
• What can you smell?
• What do you taste? 

Make this exercise fun by incorporating a snack! For a more in-depth 5 senses activity, click here.

3. Coloring

Coloring is a simple, yet powerful way to help your child navigate feelings of anxiety, sadness, or frustration. With just a box of colors, a blank page, or a coloring sheet, your child has the chance to slow down and reconnect with themselves. Coloring allows your child to: 

• focus on the present — helping reduce racing thoughts and attention to the moment
• explore creativity — expressing themselves freely with confidence
• builds emotional awareness — reflecting how they feel with their colors and shapes
• manages big emotions — calming overwhelming feelings with a safe activity

Read about 8 benefits of incorporating art as mindfulness here. 

4. Breathing 

Balloon breathing, turtle breathing, candle breathing, dragon breathing — these are just a few of the many playful ways you and your child can use mindful breathing to calm their nervous system, pause and reset emotions, and regain a sense of control.  

Breathing doesn’t have to be just “in and out”. With a little imagination, it can become a fun, creative activity that helps your child relax, refocus, and feel empowered.

For different styles of breathing, click here

5. Exercise 

When thinking about exercise, you might ask yourself, “How does this calm the body?” While exercise is always good for your health, the way you move can produce different benefits. Exercise wakes up the body, and mindfulness calms the mind. Together, they help improve focus and emotional regulation. Common mindfulness practices include yoga, meditation, and mindful movement exercises. 

Practice through this guided meditation for kids here. 

Compassionate Support for You and Your Child

Parenting is rewarding, and at the same time, it often comes with stress, uncertainty, and difficult decisions. Without support, these challenges can feel overwhelming and isolating.

At Verdant Hope, we offer guidance and tools to help you prepare your child for the road, and not the road for your child. Therapy often focuses on communication strategies, boundary-setting, and stress management. We also provide a supportive space for parents to process their own emotions and experiences.

Reach out today to learn how we can help you support your child’s emotional growth and build stronger family connections.

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