One of the largest misconceptions is that mindfulness is exclusively for adults, but this notion is incorrect. In fact, introducing mindfulness strategies to children at a young age can bring them significant benefits. It aids in emotional regulation, enhances focus, and fosters a stronger sense of well-being in young children. Another misconception is that mindfulness is the same as meditation. Mindfulness is much more than just meditation; it is the ability to pay attention to surroundings, emotions, and senses. Mindfulness is meant to be done often and incorporated into daily activities, whereas meditation is a more formal practice. 

We developed this resource because we recognize that children need the skills to manage their well-being and practice being mindful, which can be essential for their development. Without the knowledge to care for one's body and mind, children may struggle to manage their well-being, affecting their development and learning. We strived to make our resource inclusive by having a diverse group of individuals collaborate to form a series of topics that would be accessible to students of varying abilities. While developing the lesson plan, the Universal Design for Learning and Bloom's Taxonomy were consulted. 

After completing these lessons, students will have strengthened their knowledge of how to better care for themselves mentally and physically. This is done by exploring sub-topics such as healthy eating and mindfulness, which leads to students making better choices for themselves in the future. The ability to gain knowledge that may typically not be taught as in-depth in schools is also beneficial for students new to online and distance learning. 

The audience for this lesson series is primarily children ages 5-8, as well as parents and educators of children in that age group. We designed the lessons to give children a holistic view of well-being and what they can do to take care of themselves as individuals and practice mindfulness. 

This website serves as a resource for educators, and parents. Links to videos and other content to help facilitate discussion can be found on the "for teachers" tab.  Our lessons are designed to be done online and in-person/via Zoom. Social interaction is an important part of education and mental well-being which is why we encourage educators to schedule regular synchronous sessions with their students.