Mindfulness for Children During the Pandemic

We're all keenly aware of the stress that many adults have faced due to the impacts of COVID-19. Financial impacts, juggling working from home and homeschooling or managing the uncertainty of sending kids to school or working out of the home during a pandemic is undeniably very stressful.

Kids are feeling it too. It's important to validate your children's feelings, acknowledging that this new pandemic world is all new for them too. [Dr. Joti Samra]

Mindfulness can help both adults and children. Below, you'll find information on the benefits of mindfulness for children plus tips and resources to help you practice with your children. These clips are from a conversation that MindWell Founder, Dr. Geoff Soloway, had with Dr. Shelley Murphy, author of Fostering Mindfulness: Building Skills That Students Need to Manage Their Attention, Emotions, and Behavior in Classrooms and Beyond.

What are the benefits of mindfulness for children?

How can I start teaching my children mindfulness?

What about mindfulness for parents and teachers?

More resources you might find useful:

• Fostering Mindfulness Sampler: a set of worksheets and activities you can do with your children to help them develop mindfulness

• Mindfulness for Children - Applications for Classrooms and Family Rooms: full highlights from our webinar with Dr. Murphy

• Fostering Mindfulness: Building Skills That Students Need to Manage Their Attention, Emotions, and Behavior in Classrooms and Beyond: Dr. Murphy's book, An essential guide to mindfulness activities and strategies that help students cultivate the skills they need for self-regulation, stress management, and learning. Simple activities and practices throughout the book are designed to strengthen areas of the brain that allow students to better manage their attention, emotions, and behavior in the classroom and beyond. Child-friendly language is used to explain mindfulness, physiology, and brain science.