Guided Meditation: Breathe in Nature: Growing Calm in the Garden!

Objective 

Children will learn that the garden can be a source of release from difficult emotions. They will draw from elements of nature that breathing is important to keep the garden harmonious and peaceful!

Key Learning Concepts

Children will practice using their five senses to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural environment. They will practice various breathing techniques that align with elements of nature. They will be able to identify which breathing technique feels best and when they can use it as a tool to help calm themselves.

Warm-up Instructions:

1. Gather the class together in the garden space.

2. Begin by asking the children to share with the class something that they see in the garden. Select a few children to answer aloud.

3. Next, ask the children to tell the class things that they are able to touch in the garden. Select different children to answer than those that answered   previously.

4. Select a few children that have not answered to tell the class things that they are able to smell in the garden.

5. Lastly, have all the children listen to what they can hear in the garden. Have the last children answer this question aloud.

6. After they finish answering, tell the class to keep their listening ears on for the next activity.

Activity Instructions:

1. Instruct the children to spread out so they have their own space, but can still see and hear the teacher.

2. Begin by guiding the children to take a deep breath in, and then to exhale slowly. Once they have the hang of this, tell them to “Breathe in blue skies, Breathe out gray skies.” 

Repeat 10 times.

3. Now the children will do the watermelon seed breath technique. Tell them to stand tall, and relax their shoulders. Instruct them to imagine they just had a sweet watermelon slice but it had seeds. They will take a deep breath in through the nose and then blow the air out slowly through the mouth, sending the seeds into the air.

Repeat 5 times.

4. Next, guide the children through the cucumber breathing. Have them become a cucumber by holding their arms straight up, making them tall. As they do so, have them inhale slowly through their nose, feeling the refreshing coolness of the cucumber. As they exhale, have them imagine big emotions leaving with their breath and cooling off as a cucumber cools us off on a hot day.

Repeat 5 times.

5. Continuing, guide the children through the technique of Apple Breathing. Tell the children to hold their arms down at either side of their body. Their arms will go up as they slowly breathe in and slowly exhale. Their arms are making an apple! 

Repeat 5 times.

6. Last, the children will be doing the seedling breathing technique. They will crouch down and put their hands on the floor, pretending to be a seed. They will take 3 quick breaths in and one long breath out through the nose. 

They will repeat 5 times.

7. Instruct the children to do their favorite breathing exercise from the lesson. Tell them they can use this whenever they feel big emotions to help calm down.