Mindfulness for 4th grade!!

This entire year, 4th graders are learning about mindfulness.  We are learning new breathing techniques each lesson and will add on grounding exercises when we reach that point.  This week, we talked about mindful gratitude.  Taking a moment to just think about the things we are grateful for.  As a busy adult, I can attest to doing this quite poorly.  Studies show that doing a "gratitude journal" can actually increase your quality of sleep, improve your mood and your heart health!  We watched this interesting video that talks about the science of gratitude The Amazing Effects of Gratitude   We then did a "Gratitude Scavenger Hunt" where students were asked to reflect on 15 different things they were grateful for that was "in nature", "someone you love", "something that makes a beautiful sound" etc.

Has your 4th grader taught you our breathing exercise of the day? It is their homework for Life Skills! 😉  Last time, we learned "Dragon Breathing" and this time we learned how to "Finger Breathe".  I encourage all students to at least try this in class and then to teach one other person after class.  I then tell them they never have to do it again after that if it isn't calming for them.  By learning one new breathing exercise each lesson, students will be exposed to many different ways to breathe mindfully and hopefully find at least one that they like doing!

 Finger breathing with 4th graders!