Fairfax Futures Annual Symposium April 29, 2017
} Definition of Mindfulness } Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children } Incorporating Mindfulness in the Curriculum } Children s Literature Criteria/ Examples and activities } Nature Criteria/Examples and activities } Summary and Questions
focusing on the present moment with a calm acceptance of all the thoughts, feelings and sensations that arise ability to Ø pay attention } stay calm } make better decisions } focus } self-regulate (control) behavior & thoughts } be persistent
} Brain development & executive function } Working memory & self-control } Tool for calming central nervous system (Carnegie Mellon) } Increased mental, emotional, & physical health (Carnegie Mellon) } Better attention, awareness, & happiness (UNC Wilmington).
} Focus: Ability to pay attention } Self-Control: Ability to stick with a task intentionally by controlling attention & inhibiting distraction (Galinsky) } Emotional Intelligence: Ability to understand emotions, monitor feelings & use information to guide thinking & action (Goleman)
Children s Literature } clear writing } beautiful illustrations } fit with children s interests and content } encourage children to stop, look, & read again to support mindfulness. } introduce vocabulary for expressing emotions
READ the book GREEN by Laura Vaccaro Seeger } What did you notice? } What did you like? } What was your favorite green painting and why?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvqey8bodys } Watch YouTube video of GREEN. Look again. What were you thinking about? } What about the natural world did you notice & see differently or the same? } What concepts do you want to teach? } Which is your favorite painting at the end of the book? Why?
} HOW MANY NAMES do you know for the color green? (Math, LA) } HOW MANY GREEN things do you see in this room? (Math, LA)
What Children Learn sorting classifying language focus
Materials } shaving cream } washable paint (blue, yellow, green, white) } aluminum pan } paper plate } paint brush
Materials } cotton swabs & watercolor paint What Children Learn } color naming } color mixing } color relationships } language, focus
First the egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Caldecott Book What Children Learn Ø science Ø vocabulary Ø creativity https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=pxcclshs_zc
Lemons are not red by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. What Children Learn color, math, relationships, focus https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ekxybcxxakk
} Materials salt paint glitter spices } Adding color and scent to salt lasts for many uses.
Good morning, yoga by Mariam Gates What Children Learn } Focus & relaxation } Self-regulation } Literacy, Physical education & Health
Volcano Pose: Lift up on tiptoes & reach your fingers high Sun Breath: As you breathe in & then out, reach your arms out to the sides, lift up to the sky, & relax back down Visualization/Guided Imagery: How you want to feel.
Good night, yoga by Mariam Gates. What Children Learn } Confidence, calmness, self-awareness & self regulation } Read story aloud without movement description. Focus on book s illustrations. } Practice slow, deep breaths. Demonstrate each yoga pose & talk about the name of each pose.
} Start with the breath } Greet the moon } Squeeze it in } Visualize } Sit and talk
Peaceful piggy meditation by Kerry MacLean. What children learn Ø feelings Ø collecting thoughts Ø self-regulation & self-confidence Ø calmness & well-being Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zalwnsbbxho
Calming Jar } Shake jar. Watch glitter swirl & fall gently to the bottom. Count to 5 to calm child down enough to name the problem. Materials } A screw top jar } 1-2 tablespoons of glitter glue } 3-4 teaspoons of glitter } Fairly warm water } Optional: Food coloring
1. 3. 2. 4.
Materials Fill a jar with water. Add some sand. Close jar, shake, & swirl around. Let sand settle to the bottom. What Children Learn } Understanding & managing anger } Positive self-talk, calming down, & developing selfregulation. } Learn & practice Peaceful Piggy Meditation (back of book)
Materials } plastic bottles, rice, } small objects, such as buttons)
Materials } Assorted items of various sizes, textures, and smells } Notebooks and markers } Small bin of Legos } Discovery (calming) bottle } Playdough } Assorted foam/texture/squeeze balls, } Pipe cleansers; pinwheel; bubbles } Small selection of books, stuffed animals, cards with Yoga poses, or stretches What children learn } self-control, managing emotions
You are a Lion and Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo. } Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=lulxug0dune I am yoga by Susan Verde. } Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=_qfvf_bimru
Criteria Ø Simple & present focused Ø Sensory repetition Ø Gather Ø Observe Ø Create What Children Learn Ø Focus, concentration, attention
} Naturalistic Intelligence } Self-Regulation } Concentration & Focus } Problem-Solving } Social & Physical Development } Creativity & Curiosity } Reduced Mental Health Issues
} Large Assortment of Tools & Equipment Ø Children s Literature Read Aloud Repertoire
The Listening Walk by Paul Showers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucs66haoufu
Activities } Take a listening walk } Make a book with drawings or photographs of sounds heard from your listening walk } Use a paper plate or clipboard to record sounds.
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlhart. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efhumqdsscq
} Create a naturalistic learning center } -Start a nature collection } Take a walk to look for & collect nature. Follow up with a pretend photo walk using Popsicle stick frames to focus on items } Use technology } Make leaf prints } Identify things
} Go on a nature scavenger hunt } Identify things
} Create nature observation journals:
} Play Detectives in the Garden } Explore Cloud Patterns } Make Natural Collages
} Plant a garden
} Make art projects } Make nature bracelets
} Questions and Comments