Creative Mindfulness for Children (EYFS)
Lesson Six – Worry Buddy
Aim – Helping children to deal with worries
Set the scene – see Lesson One
Make sure everyone is sat comfortably, including yourself.
The session should start with a signifier. I choose to use a sound (chimes or singing bowl) as it gets their attention and signifies it’s time for something new or different. Invite the children to stand up then sit down when the sound stops.
Mini Mindfulness Moments - Popcorn Breathing – see video
Recap on previous lessons (The Mind Jar/Bottle, Breathing Buddy, Monkey Mind, Everything Belongs)
Talk about feelings that you and they have had since the last session using feelings puppets/cards. Ask ‘Is it ok to have these feelings visit?’ Explain yes it is, as everything belongs in our hearts.
Discuss what we can do to help – our breathing. When we do our breathing does it make our mind more busy or calm?
Worry
Talk about what is worry? Worry is a thought we have that might make us feel sad or frightened. Give own example using cards/puppets then invite them to talk about their worries, but only if they want to.
Remember – it is important to show you are listening to them by reflecting back what they have said to you. You are demonstrating mindful listening by showing you have heard what they have said.
Do you think it is ok to have a worry? Show Everything Belongs heart. All our feelings are ok. What do you think we should do if we have a worry? Should we keep it in or tell someone?
Give own example.
If we keep our worries in something can happen to our worries. Our worries can begin to grow. Talk about worries growing from pebbles into stones into rocks. Talk about when you and they have kept a worry that grew and grew. How did it make you feel in your head, heart and body? What can we do to help?
Mini Mindfulness Moments – hand breathing
This repetition of mini mindfulness moments is helping to build connections in the brain that support focus and attention.
Guided Meditation
Stretching Exercise and Balloon Breathing
Read out Kind Friend meditation
Ring bell to signify the end
Creative Activity – Worry Buddy
Make a worry buddy from a box, the design can be of their choosing using any materials that you have. Explain that our worry buddy likes to eat up our worries. When we notice we have a worry we can do our breathing, tell someone and feed the worry to the worry buddy. Draw, write or use cut out pictures of worries e.g. dog, thunder or they could tell you and you could write it down.
Remember – don’t just say that if you have a worry that they can feed it to the worry buddy. Go through the 3 stages
- Breathing
- Tell someone
- Feed worry buddy
The prop is the language of the child, it is their anchor to engage them with the practice. Share the idea with the parent/carer and encourage them to use the worry buddy at home.
Using the range of props regularly and not just during ‘mindfulness’ time, this will help children to engage in the practice and make it meaningful.
Breathing
Repeat another mindful breathing exercise, the children could choose which one.
Finish with a sound to signify the end of the session.
Discuss with the children how they feel in their mind, heart and body
created by Louise Shanagher
(Children’s therapist, mindfulness teacher and Psychology lecturer)
Accredited by the International Mindfulness and Meditation Alliance (IMMA)
Alison Scott
Early Years Standards and Improvement Officer
Hull City Council
Alison.scott@hullcc.gov.uk Tel: (01482) 613 598