Mindfulness for children

Mindfulness for Children: Calm, Focus, and the Magic of Nature

What is Mindfulness?

Despite a lot of confusion and misunderstanding, mindfulness is simply the practice of paying attention to the present moment — on purpose, and without judgement. For adults it often looks like meditation, but for children it can be as simple as noticing the sound of birdsong, or feeling their breath move in and out.

It’s about learning to pause and become aware of what’s happening right now — in the body, in the mind, and in the world around us.

Why Use Mindfulness with Children?

Children’s worlds are often busy: screens, school, social expectations, and constant change. Even at a young age, children can find themselves caught up in constant thinking, worries, or daydreams. Mindfulness can help them break out of this and:

Settle and focus — training attention to come back when it wanders.
Manage emotions — naming feelings before they boil over.
Reduce anxiety — learning tools to calm the body and mind.
Build wellbeing — noticing small moments of joy and gratitude.

Practical Ways to Use Mindfulness with Children

Children respond best to short, playful activities that engage the senses. Some simple starting points:

Flower and candle breathing: “Smell the flower… blow out the candle.”
Mindful eating: paying attention to the taste and texture of a raisin or slice of apple.
Sound safari: sitting quietly and naming the furthest sound they can hear.
Body wiggles: wriggling toes or fingers, then noticing how their body feels when it becomes still again.

Keep practices brief (2–5 minutes is plenty for younger ones), regular, and woven into everyday routines — before lessons, after play, or at bedtime.

Mindfulness in Nature

Nature is a natural teacher of mindfulness. The sights, sounds, textures, and rhythms of the outdoors invite children to slow down and notice. A few nature-based adaptations:

Listening walks: pausing often to notice birds, wind, or water.
Tree breathing: leaning against a tree and imagining breathing in sync with it.
Colour spotting: “How many shades of green can we find?”
Stone or leaf focus: holding a small object and describing its shape, colour, or texture.
Weather awareness: feeling the sun’s warmth, raindrops, or the breeze on the skin.

These activities also fit beautifully into Forest School or outdoor learning sessions, where curiosity and sensory engagement are already at the centre.

What Does the Research Say?

Mindfulness with children isn’t just a nice idea — it has growing evidence behind it:

In schools, it can improve attention, self-control, and behaviour.
For ADHD, mindfulness has been shown to support focus and reduce impulsivity.
In nature, outdoor play and time in green spaces help restore attention and reduce stress more effectively than urban environments.

While the research is still developing, the combination of mindfulness and nature looks particularly powerful for helping children find calm, regulate emotions, and focus their attention.

In Summary

Mindfulness isn’t about children sitting in silence for long stretches. It’s about giving them small, playful ways to tune in — to themselves, to others, and to the natural world. Outdoors, mindfulness takes on another dimension: a chance to connect with the rhythms of nature, restore attention, and discover calm.

For families, teachers, and Forest School leaders, weaving these practices into daily life is simple, effective, and backed by growing evidence.

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be complicated — it’s about noticing the small things. And often, the best teachers are the children themselves.