Alongside exciting adventures and active play this summer, introducing simple mindfulness activities can help children feel calmer, build confidence and develop healthy ways to manage their emotions. For children, mindfulness is best explored through fun games, creative activities and outdoor adventures that encourage them to slow down and notice the world around them.
What is mindfulness for children?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgement. For children, this means noticing what they can see, hear, smell, feel and think, helping them become more aware of their emotions and surroundings. Regular mindfulness activities can help children:
- Improve concentration
- Build emotional resilience
- Reduce feelings of worry or stress
- Increase confidence
- Develop self-awareness
- Improve sleep
- Encourage kindness and empathy
The best part? Most mindfulness activities feel just like play.
Rainbow Breathing
Ask your child to imagine drawing a rainbow in the air with each deep breath. Breathe in as you trace one side of the rainbow and breathe out as you trace the other.
Five Senses Challenge
Pause for a moment and ask your child to find:
- Five things they can see
- Four things they can touch
- Three things they can hear
- Two things they can smell
- One thing they can taste
This simple activity helps children feel grounded and focused.
Bubble Breathing
Blow bubbles together and encourage children to take slow, deep breaths before each bubble. The slower they breathe, the bigger and better the bubbles become.
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Head outdoors and search for:
- A smooth stone
- Something yellow
- A feather
- A flower
- An interesting leaf
Encourage children to notice colours, textures and sounds as they explore.
Mindful Colouring
Colouring allows children to focus on one task while relaxing their minds. Choose calming patterns or let them create their own colourful masterpiece.
Listening Walk
Take a slow walk and count how many different sounds you can hear.
- Birds singing
- Leaves rustling
- Dogs barking
- Children playing
It's a wonderful way to practise paying attention.
Gratitude Jar
Each day, write one thing you're grateful for and place it in a jar. At the end of the holidays, read them together.
Cloud Watching
Lie on the grass and watch the clouds drift by. Ask children what shapes they can spot while encouraging them to slow down and simply observe.
Finger Breathing
Trace around each finger slowly with the opposite hand.
Breathe in as you move up a finger.
Breathe out as you move down.
It's a brilliant calming technique children can use almost anywhere.
Kindness Challenge
Mindfulness isn't only about relaxation, it also helps children become more aware of others.
Challenge them to complete acts of kindness such as:
- Helping a sibling
- Thanking a teacher
- Making a card
- Sharing a toy
- Giving someone a compliment
Mindful Gardening
Plant flowers, herbs or vegetables and encourage children to notice the smell of the soil, the colours of the plants and the feeling of watering them.
How mindfulness supports children during the school holidays
The school holidays are filled with excitement, but they can also bring changes in routine that some children find overwhelming.
By including simple mindfulness activities alongside active play, children can:
- Feel calmer
- Build confidence
- Improve friendships
- Develop resilience
- Return to school feeling refreshed
Remember, mindfulness doesn't need to take hours. Even five minutes a day can help children build lifelong wellbeing habits.