What is Mindfulness and what does it look like in school?
What is mindfulness and what does it look like in school?
Mindfulness is a time we set aside in school to sit quietly and pay attention to our thoughts, sounds and the sensations of breathing or parts of our body. It is
also an opportunity to practise bringing our attention back whenever our mind starts to wander.
In school, each year group practices mindfulness after lunchtime which is the busiest and loudest part of our school day. To do this we sit quietly, with our eyes closed if it makes us feel comfortable), sometimes with the blinds closed and with calming music in the background. We encourage the children to think about their breathing and how their bodies feel at this time.
Benefits of mindfulness include:
- Decreased worry
- Better decision making
- Improved emotion regulation
- Increased self esteem
- Improved concentration
- Better mood
- Improvements in social skills
For more information on mindfulness visit the NHS link below;
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/