The fall season is a great time to practice mindfulness. This tends to be a very stressful time of year for many, between the kids going back to school and prepping for the holidays.
Mindfulness is a state of mind where we acknowledge our feelings, thoughts, and emotions. There are many mindfulness activities you can do with your child that don’t have to be stressful or tedious.
Here are five fall mindfulness activities you can do with your child.
Nature Walk
Getting exercise and fresh air always makes you feel good. Here are some questions you can ask along the walk.
- What is your favorite thing you’ve observed so far?
- How do you feel?
- What colors do you notice? Which color is your favorite?
Think about what you see, hear, and feel.
Apple-Scented Playdough
Smells are often used to help reduce stress and anxiety. Scents can also help improve mood by triggering emotions and memories.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp red food coloring
1 cup of water
Instructions:
Combine dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients
Cook over medium heat until the dough pulls away from the pot.
Let the dough cool
Enjoy!
Fall Sensory Bin
Sensory bins engage all the children’s senses and are fun and easy to make. Sensory bins are very therapeutic and play an essential role in your child’s development. They provide a quiet moment that helps children calm down and is also another beneficial activity for children who get overstimulated easily.
How to make a Fall Sensory Bin:
1. Fake Fall leaves from Dollar Tree or a craft store
2. Small Pinecones
3. Corn
4. Colored Pasta or Rice
5. Tongs
6. Measuring Cups
7. Scoops
8. Acorns
9. Pom Poms
Arrange any way you like in a large container and let your child explore.
Mindful Coloring
Coloring is a great way to introduce the concept of mindfulness. Mindful Coloring helps you be in the moment, focusing on the task at hand, allowing you to switch off negative thoughts.
Particular colors are also very peaceful and help relieve stress, for instance, blue and purple.
Coloring has recently become very popular for adults. It is a great way to relieve anxiety and stress.
Scavenger Hunt
Invite your child to do a scavenger hunt and use their five senses, as this is a fun and healthy way to practice mindfulness. Encourage them to find things to look at, touch, and listen to. Bring a snack so you can ask them what kind of food they like to eat. Ask, what are some of their favorite things to smell? What do they smell right now? There are many fun scavenger hunts that you can do depending on the season.
Free Fall Scavenger Hunt Printablehttps://livingtreemontessori.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Autumn_Scavenger_Hunt_8.5×11.pdf
Conclusion
This time of year offers us abundant opportunities to teach about mindfulness. With Thanksgiving among us, this is a great time to talk about what it means to be thankful. It can also be an overwhelming time of year, with many activities and gatherings transpiring. Try some of these activities and see if it helps you and your child feel calmer, less stressed, and less anxious. We all want to enjoy this time of year and relax, try some of these activities and see if it helps you and your child feel calmer, less stressed, and less anxious.