According to mindfulness coach Laura Reilly, the summer holidays are a great time for children to develop emotional intelligence and life skills.
As a primary school teacher here and in Australia, I’ve seen first-hand that in the classroom and at home, a happy child makes for a more successful one in every aspect of their life. I’m a passionate advocate of mindfulness, teaching children to be more resilient and courageous and to identify positive traits in themselves and others. As we embrace the slower pace of the holidays – and strive to keep children busy and engaged without devices – why not try some bite-sized self-development activities?
1. Gratitude journaling
Encouraging children to write a journal is a fantastic way of promoting mindfulness.
Why? Practising gratitude regularly strengthens our brain’s ability to recall positive thoughts. This enables the brain to magnify positive feelings, deepening our resilience when faced with a challenge.
2. Trace your breath
Teach your child a simple breathwork activity when they’re calm that they can use when they are stressed or dysregulated. Ask them to stretch open one of their hands and, with the index finger of the other, slowly and gently roll their index finger against the outline of their other hand. Then encourage them to inhale deeply through the nose for four seconds while stroking upwards towards the tip of the fingers; then exhaling through the mouth for six seconds while stroking downwards. Start at the base of the thumb and trace to the little finger, inhaling and exhaling up and down. Repeat at least five times.
Why? Mindfulness trains our brain to understand and direct our attention with greater awareness and skill. This can improve our capacity to concentrate and be less distracted, as well as help our working memory and ability to plan.
3. I am
Draw the outline of your face or body. Challenge your child to ask questions about you and talk about who you are on the inside rather than what you look like. What are your likes and dislikes? What do you find tricky? What helps you solve difficult things? The magic is in the discussion.
Why? Research from leading behavioural scientists proves that a strong self-identity can boost self-confidence, which enriches problem-solving and adaptability. Take the time to get to know each other better.
4. Sense foraging
Find three moments in your day together to stop, sit comfortably, and use your senses to connect with the present. Close your eyes and identify five things you can imagine: four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Why? Mindfulness is shown to thicken the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain behind the forehead that enables you to make plans and decisions.
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5. Random acts of kindness
Challenge one another to plan random acts of kindness. Leave a thank you note for the postman, empty the dishwasher for your family, and tell someone how much you love them. The fun is seeing the person’s reaction when they experience your kind act.
Why? Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain by boosting serotonin and dopamine levels, making you feel happier.
6. Strictly dance
Let loose. Turn the music up loud, dance madly around your kitchen and sing along. No judgement. No expectations. No being self-conscious.
Why? Physical activity is a great natural energy boost, reducing tension, stress and mental fatigue and at the same time, increasing motivation and focus.
7. Affirmation spinner
Positive affirmations can help you achieve your goals. Use sentence stems such as “I am/I will/I deserve/I can...” to help you create positive affirmations to turn into a spinner (see Little Tweaks website for info).
Why? The words we say to ourselves impact our thinking. Writing down real-life examples of your affirmation increases your motivation.
8. Journey sticks
Journey sticks are a tactile way of recording a walk and remembering it later on. You can personalise your stick with special decorations and add to it each time you go on a walk. Or, you could have a new stick for each journey. Once you’ve finished, you can use your stick as a prop to help you tell stories about your journey.
Why? Studies have shown that getting as little as 20 minutes a day outside helps to reduce stress and improve attention and mood.
Laura Reilly is the assistant head teacher of The Vineyard Primary School in Richmond and the founder of little-tweaks.com, which offers parent coaching and mindfulness workshops. For more mindfulness tips, follow Laura on Instagram @little_tweaks.
