An Invitation to Meditation

Activity Overview

When children (as well as adults) feel overstimulated, they may need to engage in an activity that reconnects their mind and their body in order to refocus. This story about Bentley the busy bee shows students that aligning with your body through meditation and breathing can help you to feel happy, rested, and at peace. Grown-up participation is vital to help model for children how and when to employ their skills to return to a balanced and controlled state.

What You Need

• Bee Still on Epic

• Paper, cardboard, or other materials to write or draw on

• Paint, markers, or anything else that may be used to decorate

Steps

1. Read Bee Still on Epic. While reading, use the guiding questions to think about how meditation was useful for Bentley to feel calm and peaceful.

2. Go back through the story and take a “picture walk” – look at each picture and discuss what is taking place in the image and that part of the story. Think about the steps that Bentley took to do his meditation.

3. What are the steps you take to help your mind feel calm and still and at peace? Create petals out of craft materials that you have. On each petal, write or draw each step you take, or one thing you do to help your body feel calm and peaceful when you are feeling busy, upset, or like you need some space. Assemble the petals to create your own flower, just like the one that Bentley used for his meditation!

Guiding Questions

• Why is it difficult for Bentley to be inside the hive?

• How does Bentley feel at the beginning of this story?

• Where does Bentley go to be “still”? Why?

• How does Bentley describe meditation as being helpful?

• What does Bentley do to meditate?

• How does he feel after he does his meditation?

• What does it feel like to focus just on your breathing?

• What steps do you take when you need to feel calm?

Extensions

• Choose a spot to dedicate to a daily meditation, reflection, or gratitude practice. Create a routine and some time to spend reflecting and meditating each day. Hang your flower in that spot as a reminder of the things you do to keep your body feeling calm!