Lesson 3. Mindfulness Of Touch

Guided Breathing Exercise | 5:00 | Back to Back Breathing

This breathing exercise allows children to expand awareness outside of their own bodies as well as listen and feel mindfully

Educators |

Let’s invite everyone to sit and put our mindful bodies on. Stretching your spine tall like a mountain, gently breathing in, and slowly breathing out. Feel your body and mind starting to relax now.

 

Let's begin | 

 

Reflection |

• What did it feel like breathing together?
• What did you notice in your body, spine and shoulders? Could you feel them touching as you were breathing?
• If there is time ask the children to try again with another partner.

 

Mindful Life Lesson | 5:00 | Mindfulness Of Touch

This Lesson's objective is for students to recognise how the sense of touch can help them to become more mindful and focused, as well as assist them to feel calm and  soothe their worries

 

Materials |  Whiteboard and markers

 

Educators | 

Introduce students to the subject of senses. Senses allow us to observe and understand the world around us.

 

Let's begin |

Ask the class to name the 5 senses, use the whiteboard to write down the children’s answers

• Touch
• Smell
• Sight
• Hearing
• Taste

We have explored 2 of these senses already, sight and hearing. We can use all our senses to help us become more present and mindful in our lives.

Today we will be discussing touch. Touch is one of our most important senses. When you are a baby using touch is an important way to explore and learn about the world.

You can use touch to bring you back into the present moment when you are distracted or your mind is worried. You just need to totally focus and connect with what you are touching,

For example, when you have been upset, if a friend or a parent gives you a hug or hold your hand this can instantly make you feel calm and soothe your worries., or feeling the touch of a warm blanket on a cold night can be so comforting.

Did you know touch can also help you to feel more connected to the environment and earth?

The sun on your back can feel amazing, feeling a cool breeze on your face on a hot day can be refreshing, Walking on the beach on the sand or rocks or feeling the ocean on your feet can make you feel calm.

Anything we do day to day, if we do it mindfully can feel amazing.

For example, when you are having a shower you can just focus on the warm water touching your skin and washing your worries away.

When you are washing your hands you can slow down, feel the water, is it warm or cold? Smell the soap, what does it smell like? Just soap or is there something else you can smell?

 

Mindful Life Exercise | 5:00 | What Do We Feel?

 

Materials |  Whiteboard and markers

 

Educators | 

Write down some everyday activities on one side of your whiteboard. 

 

Some Examples may include |

• Brushing their hair
• Brushing their teeth
• Making their bed
• Doing there homework
• Touching or hugging a tree
• Sitting in the sand at the beach
• Picking up a pebble by a river
• Patting a pet.

 

Ask your students what they would feel if they were doing these activities very Mindfully, and really focusing on being present. Your students will need to use their imagination and try to come up with 3 answers for each activity.

 

Some answers may include |

• Feeling the brush in your hand, feeling the brush as it touches your hair, feeling the brush as it strokes past your ear.
• Feeling the toothbrush in our hand, on your teeth, on your tongue
• Feeling the thick quilt in your hand, feeling the smooth sheets, feeling your bare feet on the ground.

 

Discussion |

 

If we are being present, what can we feel right now! Are you touching anything? What does it feel like? Is it a surprise noticing all the different things you touch?

 

Mindful Life Practise | 

Over the next week find something in nature to hold, touch or hug. For example, a tree, a stone, touch a plant or a flower that you are drawn too. This could also include sitting in the grass at school. Feel the grasses texture, notice how you feel in your body as you spend time exploring and being mindful.

1. Ask the children to share their experience with the class next time

 

Remember to practise your new mindfulness skills and your meditation 'Snowflakes.' If you need help maybe ask Mum or Dad to listen with you.

 

Guided Meditation | 10:32 | Snowflakes

Let students know this is their special time to relax and calm their mind and body. Invite your students to sit or lay in a comfortable position and gently close their eyes. If thoughts come and go that's ok.

 

Note sensitive children |

When asking the students to close their eyes remember some students may not feel safe. Suggest that they can focus their gaze on the floor in front of them, but it is helpful not to get distracted by looking around.

 

Let's begin | 

Isabelle’s “Snowflakes” Guided Meditation for Children. Hold out your hand and open your palm, you watch a snowflake falling in slow motion into your hand. How does it feel as the beautiful snowflakes touch your nose? Are the snowflakes as light as a feather? Do they tickle? Listeners take a moment to breathe in and feel alive listening to this amazing meditation.

 

Reflection |

• Could you imagine your hands covered in snow?
• Could you feel your hands getting cold?
• Could you feel the air and the breeze?

 

Mindful Game | Guess The Object Game

Excellent for mindful focusing, concentration and touch

 

Materials | Paper and pencils and 5 Small items for guess the object game.

 

For example |

Grapes, sandpaper, sultana, pinecone, crystal, playdoh, cotton ball, walnut, paperclips, feather. Make sure some shapes are soft, smooth, rough, hard and different shapes. Use your imagination for fun.

 

Note |

Boxes will be required. Large classes will need to be broken into 2 groups of 3 - 4 or 4 - 5 children.

 

How to play |

1. Have each box ready with a few items inside
2. Split students into 2 or 3 groups
3. Give each group a box with 3 items inside. Each group assigns a leader.
4. Ask this week’s leaders to write the guessed items on the sheet of paper provided.
5. Each person has a turn placing a hand in the box and feeling the items, they must do this with their eyes closed, really focus on being Mindful
6. They must try to guess the 3 items in their mind, without discussing out aloud
7. Each person has a turn placing a hand in the box, trying to recognise the items.
8. Once every team member has had a turn, they can very quietly share their answers with the leader so the other team cannot hear.  
9. The leader writes the items on the piece of paper.
10. Once the list is done, the teams swap boxes and go through the steps again.
11. The teams that guess the most items wins.

Reflection |

• How many items did the team’s guess correctly?
• Did they have trouble guessing any particular items?
• Why was one item more difficult to guess than others?

 

Journal | PNG Format |

Educators |

Slide your students' journal to your desktop and print.