Mindfulness On the Go

Need to calm things down a bit? Traveling with kids can be stressful. Heck, managing the hubbub of daily life can be stressful. Even positive feelings like excitement can lead to overwhelm and dysregulation in kids and adults alike. Mindfulness increases body awareness, regulates the nervous system, reduces stress, and can bring a greater sense of calm and wellbeing. We could probably all use an extra dose of mindfulness in our lives (or a million). Here are some simple mindfulness exercises to help us slow down, notice what’s around us, and tune in the present moment. 

Five Finger Breathing

Being aware of your breathing is the first step to grounding ourselves and slowing down. Spread your fingers on one hand. With the other hand, trace up and down each of your five fingers. Breathe in deeply as you trace up each finger and breathe out slowly as you trace down. See if you can make your breathing slower and steadier. Check in with your body and notice how you feel.

5 Senses Countdown

If possible, find a calm, quiet place and sit or lay down and stay in that spot for the whole activity. Start with 5 deep breaths nice and slow, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Then – with no rush whatsoever – list 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Do each separately, giving plenty of time to reflect on each sensation. Some of these can be tricky at first. Kids might say initially that they can’t hear or feel anything. But the more we model how to slow down and be present, the more subtle things they will notice, like hearing the faint breeze rustling leaves or feeling their feet in their shoes. This kind of quiet noticing can help us settle into the present moment and feel what’s around us. 

Teddy Bear Belly Breathing

Try this mindful belly breathing approach to calm your nervous system. Grab your favorite stuffie, lay down, and place it on your belly. Take some deep belly breaths. Inhale deeply through your nose to the count of three. Notice how the belly fills with air and the stuffie rises. Exhale through your mouth to the count of four and notice how the stuffie goes down as your belly empties of air. You can imagine that the stuffie is riding up and down a gentle wave. Or just rest and tune in to the sensations in your body. See what feels different after several rounds of belly breaths.

Warm Fuzzies

Take some deep breaths and get into a comfortable position for this mindful kindness exercise. Think of someone who makes you feel warm and fuzzy. A warm and fuzzy feeling can be affection, safety, care, warmth – any all-around good feeling. The person can be a friend, family member, teacher, or someone you admire. Take some time to bask in that warm and fuzzy feeling. Send this special person a kind thought. A kind thought could be, “I hope you feel loved today” or “You are wonderful,” but it can be anything you’d like. Imagine that you can put your kind thought into a warm fuzzy bubble and send it to that person. You can even pretend to blow the bubble up into the air to send it off to your special person.  

Body Scan

Body scans are a helpful way to bring greater awareness to the sensations in our bodies without judgement. Lie down or sit in a comfortable position where you can relax the whole body and be still. Take some deep breaths to ground yourself and close your eyes if you’d like. You’ll be focusing on different parts of your body starting at the top and going down. Bring your attention to your head and then continue to your shoulders, arms, hands, chest, belly, legs, and finally your feet. Take time on each portion of the body and notice how it feels. Do you feel warmth, coolness, tension, tingling, lightness, heaviness, or something else? It’s ok if you don’t know how it feels or if your mind starts wandering. Just notice what comes up without judgement. Another variation of a body scan involves squeezing each part of the body as tight as you can on your inhale and then releasing the tension on a slow exhale. Notice what feels different. Finish with some deep belly breaths.