Mindfulness activities to help you through COVID19 with your children by Hannah Samaha

I don’t know about you, but some days I just really feel the corona blues. I often find my mind (and newsfeed) consumed with coronavirus updates, school decisions, etc. It’s extremely important for us to stay informed and follow the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. However, your mind also needs some time to escape from the chaos. Our children need to escape as well. They feel our stress, hear our worries and miss aspects of “normal” life. 

Enter mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply paying attention and focusing on the present. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports the following benefits of mindfulness: reduced rumination, decreased stress, less emotional reactivity, and others (Davis & Hayes, 2012). When thinking of mindfulness, many people think of seated meditation or yoga. These aren’t exactly the most feasible activities to complete with a child fighting for your attention. I’ve created a list of child friendly activities that will help you to focus on the present and give your mind a break from corona mayhem. 

MINDFUL READING

Being home such a large amount of time, it’s likely that you’re already reading with your child. Take advantage of this time to practice mindfulness. As parents, we often rush through stories with our children. To practice mindful reading, do the opposite. Really immerse yourself in the story with your child. Ask questions, provide elaboration. When you catch your mind wandering, acknowledge it internally and come back to the present moment. This also promotes reading, models focused attention, and enhances your parent-child relationship.

COLORING

There is a reason that adult coloring books have become so popular. Coloring requires focused attention and keeps your mind from wandering. It’s a great escape. There are tons of free online coloring sheets available for print so you don’t have to leave your house. It’s also been a great way for me to practice sharing and taking turns with my daughter. I know I’m not the only one with a kiddo prone to crayon stealing!

BLOCKS / LEGOS

I love to sit with my daughter and build block towers as high as we can. It requires that we both focus in order to keep the tower standing. We enjoy Legos as well. These activities allow for kids to engage in imaginative play. Build a “village” with your child and let their imagination run free. The options on what to create are endless, and you’ll be fascinated with your child’s imagination when you really pay attention.

EATING

Yes, mindful eating. This can be done as a simple, fun activity but can also be done at mealtime. For a fun activity, decide on a small food item to use. You and your child can place the item in your mouth, feel around with your tongue, chew, and then discuss. Talk with your child about how the food felt in your mouth, what the texture felt like on your tongue, and any other details that come up. A raisin is a good item to use. You can do this during mealtime as well. An added benefit? Research has shown that mindfulness can help to prevent overeating.

BLOWING BUBBLES

I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t love bubbles. This is also a great activity that can be done mindfully. Blowing bubbles requires focused attention and deep breathing. It’s also a great opportunity to go outside and get some fresh air. Staying inside gets depressing after too long! You and your child can take turns being the “blower” and the “popper”.

DANCE PARTIES

I saved my personal favorite for last. Dance parties! Most people wouldn’t think of dance parties as an act of mindfulness. But I can’t think of any activity that makes it easier to focus on the present moment, clear your mind, and just have fun! So grab your littles, crank on the up-beat music, and dance away! It’s a fun way to get your body moving and get outdoors.
It’s likely that you’re already engaging with your children in these activities. But how we engage can also make a big difference. Put your phone away for a while and intentionally focus on the present when engaging with your child or children. It’s easy to tell yourself that you’re just going to check your phone quickly; however, this can quickly spiral into reading articles that are multiple pages long (like this one). This also models healthy technology behavior to your child. You can plan special times for this if you need to, and it doesn’t have to be long. Whether you have 20 minutes or an hour, these moments will be beneficial for both you and your child! If you have older children, these activities can be used, and you can also begin teaching them about traditional mindfulness activities. Mindful.org has great free activities for children. Start small, though, and don’t expect perfection. Mindfulness is a practice. It’s a skill that takes time to develop. Namaste!

Dr. Hannah lives in New Orleans, Louisiana with her husband, 2-year-old daughter, and two dachshunds. She is a practicing School Psychologist for a charter school network. She is completing her post-doc and is also a Licensed Psychologist-Provisional in the State of Louisiana. Dr. Hannah loves working with families and using psychological science to improve the well-being of children.