Student Wellbeing & Learner Diversity 

Mental health and wellbeing is important as it underpins the way children feel about themselves, how they think, learn, and relate to others. With good mental health, research shows children are happier, more confident, more resilient learners and able to build positive relationships. Good mental health in childhood sets young people up for positive mental health in the future. Mindfulness is a state of being fully awake to life; being aware and undistracted in the present moment and observing life as it unfolds without analysis or judgement. It is about focusing attention on the here and now, rather than thinking about the past or worrying about the future.

At first, the idea of asking a child to meditate may seem like a laughable and challenging task. It’s hard to get many kids to sit still for 30 seconds, let alone 10 minutes. But teaching kids the fundamentals of meditation isn’t entirely out of reach. With the right approach, parents, educators, caregivers, and loving relatives can teach meditation for kids to help them understand how to calm their minds and settle into their bodies. This will allow them to better process their feelings, retain new information, and improve focus.

Kids who practise mindfulness or meditation experience increased attention, better mental health, and improved self-regulation and self-awareness. It can enhance empathy, make them feel more connected and less stressed, boost creativity and, interestingly, help them fall asleep faster.

Practising mindfulness is attention training, designed to strengthen the mind. The process of repeatedly paying attention is similar to activities you might undertake to build a muscle – a bicep curl for the mind! In this way practising mindfulness strengthens the minds' ability to focus, pay attention and reduce worry — the more we practise, the stronger the mind becomes. Therefore, mindfulness is like a gym for the mind.

Helping Kids Focus | Headspace Breathers | Mindfulness for Kids and Families

Donna Allen