ACTIVITY

safe/unsafe

Show with your body what safety looks like.

Show with your body what unsafe looks like.

Teacher says

Like “simon says,” the leader will say, “teacher says touch your cortex/owl brain, Limbic system/dog brain, or brain stem/dog brain.” Students should touch the part of the brain referred to. If the leader makes the request without saying “teacher says” and a student touches that part, they are out. It is important to review the parts of the brain and talk about what it looks like to touch each part. An alternate way to play is to use only the formal words for the parts of the brain and have actions like Cortex/ flap your wings, Limbic system/get on all fours, brain stem/flick your tongue in and out.

Belly Breathe

Lay flat on the ground. Place a small safety object on your belly. Breathe in slowly, watching the object rise. Breathe out slowly, watching the object lower. Try for 10 breaths.

Mindful Minute

1. Close eyes and breathe for one minute - focus only on your breath.

2. Have students think of a calming picture in their heads (wind in the trees, their puppy, etc). Their job is to close their eyes and keep that picture in their mind for one minute.

3. Picture a dot. Students will imagine a dot. They choose the size and the color. They are to keep that dot in their mind for one minute.

Yoga Poses

https://www.kidsyogastories.com/kids-yoga/

Five Finger Breathing

Rainbow Breathe

Square Breathing

Five Senses

Sit outside, in a circle, with plenty of space from others. Notice 5 things you see. Notice 4 things you hear. Notice 3 things you feel. Notice 2 things you smell. Notice 1 thing you taste.

Spend 5 minutes coloring, drawing, listening to quiet music or resting with eyes closed

Mindful walk

Take a very slow walk around the school. Notice how your foot hits the ground. Notice how your sense of balance changes as you move.

Hello Game

Students sit in a circle. One student starts by turning to their right and saying, "hello" to that person. During this task, they should notice (silently) the color of that students eyes before the "hello" continues. When the "hello" makes it around the circle, the first student then says the color of the student's eyes, whom they had greeted initially and this continues around the circle.

Pink Bubble

Sit in a circle with backs straight, hands resting on knees. Students can sit criss cross or with knees bent, feet under their bottoms. Encourage students to close their eyes, think about a disappointment or a feeling that is bothering them. Instruct students to imagine putting that thought into the pink bubble. With eyes still closed, watch the bubble float away saying a silent wish as it disappears.

Pass the Cup

Students stand in a circle. Talk about how to focus their bodies, so that they can pass a cup full of water around the circle without spilling it. Let students know this is a team game and we have to work together. Students will need to breathe and move slowly. This is great mindful practice.

Balloon Arms

Students stand in a circle. Say, "when you fill a balloon with air (inflate it), it gets bigger, and when you let the air out of the balloon (deflate it) , it gets smaller. I'm going to move my hands up like a balloon filling with air and getting larger, then down like a balloon deflating and getting smaller". Demonstrate in any way you'd like, while synchronising your breath. Say, "now you try. synchronise your movements with mine. Pay close attention to the feeling in your arms, upper back and neck as you move.

What did I hear?

Have students sit in a circle with a straight back and relaxed body, resting their hands on their knees. Encourage them to close their eyes. Use a variety of objects to makes noise. Have students quietly raise their hands to guess what they heard. (pencils, marbles, a bell, candy wrapper, paper, tinfoil, rice in a jar, etc)

Counting Breaths

Sit in a circle with a straight back, criss cross works well or sitting with knees bent, bottom resting on heels. Close eyes if you feel safe enough to do so. Breath in naturally and silently say "one" in your mind. Then, as you breathe out, relax your forehead. Breath in and say "two" in your mind. Then, relax your shoulders as you breath out. Again, say "three" silently. Relax your stomach. Again, say "four" silently. Relax your hips. "Now let's try it again. Slowly breath in and out counting as you go. We'll count to 10 silently to ourselves." Processing: How easy was it to focus only on your breathe? Often other thoughts come into our heads when we're practicing. This is normal. Just allow your brain to accept those thoughts and regain focus. Let's try again.