Introduction to Mindfulness for Kids
An interactive, engaging Introduction Course to Mindfulness (and other social skills) that will bring more calm, happiness, empathy and self-worth to your child and your entire home (we have the exact same course for older kids, too)!
The Whole n' Happy
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(471)
What's included
6 live meetings
5 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
Does your child struggle to focus for extended periods of time or has trouble understanding others' perspectives or feelings? Is your child easily stressed or overwhelmed by all of the stimuli they receive throughout the day? This course is perfect for any child, and will empower them to better understand themselves and their thoughts and feelings, while learning fun Mindfulness techniques and activities they can practice in their daily lives. We have been empowering kids with Mindfulness and other Social-Emotional practices for more than eight years, and have seen huge benefits and changes in children, including an increase in focus and attention span, an ability to respond to difficult feelings (not react), an increase in empathy, and so much more! We believe that Mindfulness is not just sitting still and being calm, but is more about bringing presence and fully showing up to everything we do in life. We teach Mindfulness in a fun and engaging way so kids can use the tools to use in their lives! Although the course will be individualized to its participants, and designed to meet their needs, the curriculum topics will include: Week 1: Mindful vs. MindFULL: This week, we explore what Mindfulness is, learn how to do emotional roll-call, listen to our thoughts, and our breath, and we will learn how to make our own Mind Maps (while getting to know each other better, too). Week 2: Breathing in New Ways This week, we will learn lots of fun, different types of breathing techniques, that can calm us down, get out energy, bring us peace, and help us focus. We will also talk about why breathing is so important for our entire body! Week 3: Bubbles & The Power of Our Thoughts We will learn about different kinds of thoughts, we will watch a video, and we will talk about how we have the power to choose our own thoughts! Students will learn how to choose their thoughts, and we will make creative affirmations together! Week 4: Cultivating Gratitude: The Wants vs. The Haves During this week, we will make lists about our "wants or desires" vs. everything we already have. We will talk about what gratitude is, and we will each make our own gratitude jars, sharing with others what we put in our jars! Week 5: Our Brain's Superheroes (and Why Mindfulness Makes them Stronger) This week we will learn about what happens in our brain when we practice Mindfulness, and about our brain's superheroes. We will also watch a silly video about our brains, and role-play situations we can use Mindfulness from our own lives. Week 6: The Magic Shoes: Empathy We will learn about the "Magic Shoes"and practice feeling with others and better understanding others'perspectives. Then, we will share our Heart Maps and review all of the Mindfulness Superpowers we have learned together! Please Note: If your child is older and you would like this course, we offer the same course but for OLDER KIDS and TWEENS (ages 9-11 years old). Check that course out here: https://outschool.com/classes/introduction-to-mindfulness-for-older-kids-nuV6ylwJ?usid=TF6gntVB&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link The class sizes are purposefully made small to accommodate your child and give them more individualized attention, thus the higher price of the course. However, this is a small group course and is meant for at least 2 participants; if only one student is enrolled, the course will not run. After this course, if you are interested in continuing your child's mindfulness and social-emotional learning, we offer a Mindfulness Course 2: https://outschool.com/classes/mindfulness-course-2-for-kids-fxQ7s2pD?usid=TF6gntVB&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link We sincerely look forward to meeting and learning, sharing and reflecting with your child so soon!
Learning Goals
*Students will understand the difference between a mindful and mindFULL brain
*Students will know how to breath in different ways to instill calm, focus, and help them feel more mindful
*Students will understand how to practice mindfulness using their senses
*Students will understand the power of their thoughts and how they are connected to their feelings and actions
*Students will know multiple strategies they can use for dealing with negative thoughts
*Students will know why thoughts are like bubbles and how to choose the most empowering thoughts
*Students will understand what empathy and gratitude is and how to practice them in their daily lives
*Students will know about the parts of their brain that cause them to "flip their lids" and how to use mindfulness to calm down their Amygdala or "Superhero"
*Students will know the difference between Sympathy and Empathy and how language plays a part in both
*Students will create tools at home to help them extend their mindfulness practice in their lives
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We teach Mindfulness in a completely secular way, not attached to any specific religion or faith.
If your child is older and you would like this class, we have the same course but for older kids and tween (ages 9-11 years old). Check that course out here: https://outschool.com/classes/introduction-to-mindfulness-for-older-kids-nuV6ylwJ?usid=TF6gntVB&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Parents, please let us know if there is anything specific you would like us to work on with your child (expressing feelings, focus, attention span, etc)! We have been teaching Mindfulness and Social-Emotional Skills for several years and our goal is to empower every child to reach their fullest potential!
Other Important Notes:
*If you feel your child would benefit from one of our courses, but it is not within your budget, please send us a message. We offer 4 discounted (50% off) enrollments per month in our courses.
* Make-up lessons: If you miss a class, we provide a recording link of the class, as well as extra materials posted in the classroom.
*We truly value our own energy and time, and put all of my energy into these lessons; therefore, we will wait for 10-15 minutes for individual lessons, however if you are later than 15 minutes it will be counted as a tardy
*Message us if you enroll more than one child, as we give a discount for siblings.
Supply List
Students are not required to purchase any extra materials! Weekly, parents and students will receive a handout that reviews what we learned and extends our learning with a mindfulness activity to engage in together at home (optional). Most weeks, students will also receive a Mindfulness coloring or journal page each week to extend their meta-cognition, learning, and home practice! Optional Materials (for Mindfulness Materials at home) : -Construction paper and crayons/markers/colored pencils -2 Empty glass jar or mason jars - Sand, pebbles, rocks
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
The Whole n' Happy
4.9
471reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
We think these social-emotional practices are some of the most important tools kids can learn growing up, tools that will guide them for the rest of their lives!
Our approach to teaching mindfulness for kids is especially unique because I think Mindfulness can be FUN and ENGAGING! Besides using some of our own animated videos, drawing, and other interactive games, we also have created professionally-designed journal pages for kids to better explore the topic we are learning about each week!
Ms. Kelsey says about her experience with Mindfulness:
I started teaching Mindfulness when I was a primary teacher in inner-city Chicago because I needed it the most! I was constantly running around with a to-do list in my mind, which meant that I wasn't fully present for my students, or myself. And that was not okay with me. Since getting trained as a Mindfulness Instructor and starting my own Mindfulness and Education Business, I have taught Mindfulness and other Social-Emotional Techniques to thousands of kids (online and in classrooms around the World)!
Reviews
Live Group Class
$207
for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
55 min
Completed by 656 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 6-8
2-5 learners per class
