"Calm As A Cloud Toolbox" ~ Ideas For Daily Mindfulness Activities With Children
We're happy to share with you this calming collection of mindful activities, intended for use in a variety of environments. Whether you're in a classroom setting, at home, or working professionally with children, these exercises aim to cultivate awareness, patience, and emotional resilience. It's our hope that these tools not only enrich your interactions but also foster a deeper sense of connection and understanding. Enjoy!
Tip: Show Your Little Ones And/Or Project the “Calming Cuties” to Help With The Calming Exercises too!
~ Thank you to our educational advisor, Tina Sokol Burns, for her inspiration and advice to project the “Calming Cuties” on classroom Smart Boards to aid in instruction! (Tina was known as Ms. Sokol during her first 10-years at OPS, then Mrs. Burns for the next 7 after getting married!) Tina was also in the Cadre counseling program (Master’s) and taught counseling in elementary schools.
Play and even project the below video with gentle music for a dose of calm. Have the children rest quietly while sitting or laying down. Video is 4-minutes and on loop… The first 6-seconds there is no sound.
The Calming Cuties “Calm As A Cloud” calming time video.
Calming Mindfulness Toolbox For Children
This “Calm As A Cloud” mindfulness toolbox include mindful methods such as creative ideas, affirmations, breathing exercises and yoga poses (and there’s one to try each day of the week!). Each one is aimed at a certain part of your child's development too.
Monday Motivation + Gratitude:
Try incorporating a moment of reflection into the classroom and/or family Monday morning routine with the following "Calm As A Cloud" reflections (or create your own!). You can even practice this every day of the week.
Take some nice, deep breaths before and after your reflections for that extra dose of peace.
“I am calm as a cloud.”
“I enjoy all the times I feel calm as a cloud.”
“Being calm as a cloud makes me feel happy and relaxed.”
“I will do my best to be calm as a cloud this week.”
Tuesday + Observation
Pay attention to all the times throughout the week that your students and/or children show calm behaviour, or make someone else feel relaxed or calm.
You could even create a "Calming Cloud Chart!" Add a calming cloud to to the sky when acknowledging a calm moment. There is no point system, it is a classroom and/or family team effort. Fill the sky and perhaps offer a reward when done.
Wednesday + Creativity:
Get creative with the "Rest Your Mind Jar." Find an old jar, fill it close to the top with water then add some glitter or sequins and a dash of food colouring. Close the lid tight!
Explain to your little ones that when you shake the jar, the glitter moving around represents your mind feeling busy. If they are a little older, you can explain that it reflects actual feelings such as stress, worry and anxiety.
As the glitter settles, explain that this is your mind calming. You can instruct the children to breathe deeply and slowly while they watch the contents of the jar to settle, and then discuss how they feel.
Thursday STRETCHING + STRENGTH:
Crescent Moon Stretch: This is a side bend pose which can be done either standing or sitting.
Story (read aloud slowly and calmly): "Imagine you are a little moon rising high into the sky as you lift your arms above your head! Touch your palms together. Let's reach higher and higher into the sky! Now slowly bend your body to the right and form a crescent moon shape. You got it! Now let's slowly bend to the left, forming another crescent moon on your left side. Come back to center. Let's all take a deep breath in.... and a deep breath out. Well done!"
Friday breathing exercise + emotional resilience:
"Calm As A Cloud Breath" - If possible, have the little ones lay on their backs in the relaxing pose, Savasana. (This could be done at their desks too if not possible.) Have them close their eyes while you guide them through the below story and breathing exercise.
Story: "Imagine you are looking up at a beautiful, blue sky. Now with one hand on your tummy and the other on your heart, breathe in nice and slowly... As you breathe out of your mouth, imagine you blow the fluffiest cloud away from you, up into the sky. Watch it float up slowly and gently, with your breath as the calming wind lifting the cloud higher and higher."
