Mindfulness Facts for Kids

Mindfulness is a special skill you can learn, often through meditation. It's about paying close attention to what's happening in your mind and around you, right now, in the present moment.

Mindfulness comes from ancient traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism. It's based on ideas from Zen and other meditation styles. Even though there are many ways to describe mindfulness, it's generally about noticing your thoughts, feelings, and what you sense, as they happen.

Many people have helped make mindfulness popular in the Western world, including Thích Nhất Hạnh, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and others.

Since the 1970s, doctors and therapists have used mindfulness to help people with different feelings and challenges. Practicing mindfulness can help reduce feelings of sadness, stress, and anxiety (worry).

Mindfulness programs are now used in schools, hospitals, and other places. They can help with things like healthy aging, managing weight, improving sports performance, and even helping children with special needs.

Studies show that mindfulness can be good for both your body and your mind. It can help healthy adults and children, and even people with some psychiatric disorders. When you practice mindfulness, you learn to notice and accept your thoughts and feelings without getting stuck on them. This can help you respond better to stressful situations.

Mindfulness can also help your physical health. When you worry a lot, it can stress your body. Mindfulness helps reduce this worrying, which can make your body feel better. Research also suggests mindfulness might help your immune system and reduce inflammation, which is linked to many long-term health problems.

Some people have raised questions about how mindfulness is marketed and sold, and they want to see more scientific studies. But overall, mindfulness practices are seen as helpful for young people, though we're still learning the best ways to teach it in schools.

What is Mindfulness Practice?
- How to Practice Mindfulness
  - Breathing Exercises
  - Body Scan and Other Techniques
- How Long to Practice
Mindfulness in Schools
See also

What is Mindfulness Practice?

Mindfulness practice is all about learning to bring your attention to whatever is happening right now. It's like training your brain to focus on the present.

How to Practice Mindfulness

There are several ways to practice mindfulness meditation. Sometimes, guided meditations can help you get started. These methods help you become more aware of your body and feelings. They can be very helpful if you don't always notice your own emotions or how your body feels. However, for some people who are already very focused on themselves, it might cause feelings of anxiety or sadness.

Breathing Exercises

One common way to practice is to sit comfortably, maybe in a chair or on a cushion. You can close your eyes and focus on your breath. Notice the feeling of air going in and out of your nose, or how your stomach moves as you breathe.
The goal isn't to control your breathing, but just to notice it as it naturally happens. Your mind will probably wander off to other thoughts – that's normal! When it does, just gently notice that your mind has wandered, and then bring your attention back to your breath, without judging yourself.

Body Scan and Other Techniques

In a body-scan meditation, you move your attention to different parts of your body, noticing any feelings or sensations there in the present moment.
You can also focus on sounds, feelings, thoughts, or actions as they happen. A famous exercise is mindfully eating a raisin. You pay close attention to its texture, smell, taste, and how it feels as you eat it. This can help you connect with your body's hunger and fullness signals.
Other ways to practice include doing yoga while paying attention to your movements and body sensations, or practicing walking meditation, where you focus on each step.

How Long to Practice

It's a good idea to start with short periods, like 10 minutes of meditation each day. As you practice regularly, it becomes easier to keep your attention focused. An old saying from Zen meditation goes, "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day — unless you're too busy. Then you should sit for an hour." This means if you're really busy and stressed, you might need mindfulness even more!

Mindfulness in Schools

Mindfulness practices are becoming more common in schools, from elementary to high school. This trend has grown since the year 2000.

Mindfulness in schools aims to help students calm down and relax. It also helps students and teachers build compassion and empathy for others. Another great benefit is that it can reduce anxiety and stress in students.

Experts say that mindfulness helps with important goals for education today, like adapting to a fast-changing world and becoming a caring citizen. When mindfulness is used in schools, it can improve students' attention and focus, help them manage their emotions, and boost their creativity and problem-solving skills.

Mindfulness facts for kids

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