Developing Mindfulness Skills

During summer holidays Sunflowers Kids Club is open for Ukrainian children and parents twice a week. In the first hour children have a free play, socialise and have lunch. In the second hour they attend a range of sessions that are delivered for 4 different age groups. Kids under 4 have play with Early Years Practitioners from Little Green Rascals nurseries, kids 5-7 and 8-11 have structured sessions in art, music and mindfulness, and there is a topical session in the conversational club ‘Speak Up’ for teenagers.

Last week kids 5 to 7 years of age had mindfulness session. During these sessions children learn about themselves: how to connect to their body, what are emotions and how we can regulate our thoughts and emotions. Learning how to enhance their emotional well-being is a life skill that will help them to ride the obstacles they’ll come across and be more content. It can also help them to learn to process difficult experiences (and in some cases, trauma) they have had in the last 3 months.

During our first session children have made dream catchers. These beautiful creations have been believed by native American tribes to protect people, and especially children, from bad dreams. Children have worked very carefully to thread the spider web in the centre which catches the bad dreams.

Children have worked very carefully to thread the spider web in the centre which catches the bad dreams. Then they chose beads and feathers to attach to their dream catchers to help good dreams to find their way easier. We practised how to breathe slowly on the feathers to relax our bodies before sleep. Children were very proud of their beautiful animal and star shaped dream catchers and were eager to decorate their bedrooms with them. This peaceful routine of breathing on the feathers and enjoying the colours of your dream catcher is really helpful for children to relax before their sleep. As children grow older, if they have a relaxation routine, they don’t need a visual reminder as they have learnt the benefits of how deep breathing can calm their body and unwind their busy minds. Let’s hope they will only have peaceful and kind dreams from now on

Then they chose beads and feathers to attach to their dream catchers to help good dreams to find their way easier. We practised how to breathe slowly on the feathers to relax our bodies before sleep. Children were very proud of their beautiful animal and star shaped dream catchers and were eager to decorate their bedrooms with them.

This peaceful routine of breathing on the feathers and enjoying the colours of your dream catcher is really helpful for children to relax before their sleep. As children grow older, if they have a relaxation routine, they don’t need a visual reminder as they have learnt the benefits of how deep breathing can calm their body and unwind their busy minds. Let’s hope they will only have peaceful and kind dreams from now on.