Lesson 6. Mindfulness For The Body

Guided Breathing Exercise | 3:12 | Big Balloon Breathing

Educators | 

Today we are going to imagine we are blowing up a big balloon to practise our breathing. Put your hand up if you have blown up a balloon before.

 

Let’s begin |

 

 

Reflection |

• How does everyone feel after doing this breathing exercise?
• Could you imagine your balloon floating through the room? How did that make you feel?

 

Mindful Life Lesson | 7:00 | Mindfulness For The Body

This lesson will teach students how to relax their body on demand in a few short moments. But, the body can be relaxed and at the same time, the brain is still alert.

Practising what is called progressive relaxation will help kids reduce their aroused state, learning how to relax and calm down both their bodies and brains.

Have a whiteboard ready to brainstorm some ideas.

 

Educators  | 

A great way to practise mindfulness is to focus attention on different parts of your body. The idea is to check in or tune into your body to see how it is feeling. For example, pay attention to your left hand. How does it feel? Any sensations?

Today we are going to learn about noticing the difference between when your body is relaxed and when it is tense or tight.

 

Ask, why is being relaxed so important? |

• Reduces stress and tension in our body
• Sleep better
• You can concentrate focus better
• Less risk of getting sick
• Feel more positive and happier
• You can make better decisions

 

Ask, how does your body feel when it’s relaxed? |

• Muscles feel at ease
• Calmer, breathing slowly
• Can concentrate and think clearly
• Fall asleep easily

 

Ask the students to name a time you felt relaxed |

• Reading
• Drawing
• Patting a Pet
• Beach
• Movies
• Holidays
• Massage
• Listening to music
• Practising meditation
• Mindfulness class

 

Ask, what does it feel like when you aren’t relaxed? |

• Muscles tight
• Feel stressed
• Feel emotional or grumpy
• React more easily to things
• Heart beats faster, head hurts
• May not feel like eating, hard to go to sleep
• May have a headache or bellyache or feel unwell

Ask the students to name a time when they didn’t feel relaxed |

• Before a test or exam
• Public speaking or performing
• After an argument with someone
• Worried about a situation or a challenge in your life.
• Late for something important
• Forgetting to bring your homework.

 

Mindful Life Exercise | 3:00 | Muscle Relaxation

 

Educators  |

Today we are also going to talk about (progressive) muscle relaxation. Has anyone heard of this or know what it is?

It’s a great way to relax and calm down your brain and body. It helps to achieve a deep sense of relaxation.

With progressive muscle relaxation, we tense and relieve the different muscle groups in our body.

 

Let’s try a couple of muscle exercises to make sure you understand |

• Close your eyes if you feel comfortable.
• Imagine you are standing barefoot in the sand at the beach.  
• Curl your toes down into the sand and grab hold of the sand in your toes while I count to 5.  
• 1 - 2- 3- 4- 5.
• Now let go of the sand while I count to 8.
• 1- 2 -3 - 4 - 5- 6 -7 - 8.

 

Let’s try another muscle exercises |

• Imagine you are taking a shower and the water is spraying in your face
• Quickly keep your eyes closed as tight as you can to keep the water out while I count to 5.
• 1 -2 -3 -4 -5.  
• Now open your eyes while I count to 8.
• 1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8.

 

Reflection |

• Can you feel the difference in your muscles, in your toes, in your face?
• Can you tell the difference between when your muscles are tense and when your muscles are relaxed?

 

Mindful Life Practise |

Let's practise noticing what is happening in our body when we do certain activities. Try breathing into a special part of your body if you are feeling tired, worried or stressed, and pay attention to it.

 

For example |

• Standing in a line for a long time. Would breathing help you stay calm?
• Think about how your legs feel after riding your bike up a hill.
• Would breathing into your legs help?

 

Remember to practise your meditation, 'Full Bodyscan' is a great meditation to help you focus on different parts of your body.

Guided Meditation | 9:30 | 'Full Bodyscan'

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 | 

During Isabelle's "Full Body Scan" Guided Meditation you will be focusing your full attention on each part of your body, noticing whatever sensations may arise, accepting them, and being kind to all the different parts of your body. This meditation will help you and your children feel deeply relaxed.

 

Reflection | 

• Can anyone describe how they feel after that meditation?
• Was everyone able to keep their attention on the different parts of their body or did your mind wander

Remember it’s ok if the mind wanders, that’s what the mind does.  With mindfulness the more you practise using your attention muscles, the stronger they get.

 

Mindful Game | Simple Acts Game

The object of this game is to encourage children to be mindful of even the most simple actions, focusing and concentration.

 

Materials |

A group of cards with simple acts written on the back. Examples may include blinking 3 times, smiling 3 times, laughing, scratching your head, clicking fingers 3 times, coughing, sneezing, clapping.

 

Educators |

Explain to students in our fun mindful game today you will all be given a card with a simple activity or action to do. You will need to practise your focusing and concentration skills because you may be asked to remember someone else's action!  Let’s start and have some fun

 

How to play |

1. The leader hands each student a card, the card must be facing down.
2. The leader begins and does the action on their card
3. The next child picks a card and performs the action until everyone has had a turn.
4. Starting with the leader again ask the children to quickly do the action of the child’s card to their left, without looking at the cards.
5. Starting with the leader again ask the children to quickly do the action of the child’s card to their right, without looking at the cards.

If there is time, and the group is small you may wish to repeat the game. All the cards go back into to bag and chosen again.

 

Discussion |

• Was it easy to remember each small action?
• Would it be easier to remember bigger actions? Why is that?

 

Journal | PNG Format | Mindfulness For The Body

 

Educators |

Slide your students' journal to your desktop and print.