Mini-mindfulness: Smiling Heart
by Wee Seeds, mindfulness for the early years @ www.weeseeds.co.uk
We’re all busy, right, so why not try this mini mindfulness exercise to bring happiness and gratitude into your little one’s life. Let us know how it goes? Maybe it’ll help you and the wider family too.
Mindfulness can help bring us back to the present moment, combine it with gratitude and you’ve a perfect mix of being right where you need to be. (Also, this might help when you’re tearing your hair out home-schooling, or they’re upset they can’t see their pals.)
Smiling heart
Best done in a quietish space, but don’t worry if this is an issue.
Ask your little ones to find their heart, help them by finding yours. Make it a game.
Explain this is where all their feelings come from.
Put your hand on their heart. They put their hand on your heart. This helps to build connection.
Breathe, in and out, watching/feeling your chests rise and fall. Remember their breaths will be shorter than yours.
Now ask them to imagine their heart is smiling.
“Smile from the heart. Imagine.”
Now see if you can both smile from your heart, into your chest.
Breathing, in and out, gently, the whole time.
Now ask them to bring that smile onto their lips. Can you?
“Smile from the heart and bring it to rest on your lips.”
“Now send that smile out into the world, to your family, and friends.”
“To your teachers, to everyone knows you, and those who don’t.”
Now come back to the breath, open your eyes, and smile at each other.
Today, bring that smile back to your heart, and onto your lips. Let us know what happens.
“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
Other things to try:
For a good follow on, offline activity. Get some pens and an A4 piece of paper. Draw a big heart in the middle. In the heart, write in it all those who love you. On the outside, all those you love. Colour it in, and pin it to your fridge to remind us.
Read Pass It On by Sophy Henn — https://www.sophyhenn.com/5202903 — joyful and uplifting picture book about finding happiness in the smallest of things, and how passing on her smile helps that.
This month we are celebrating gratitude, amid the negativity. Helping them to see the positives is especially important for them, and us right now. You can make a Gratitude Jar to keep them in, or parents can join our new Gratitude WhatsApp group to share daily gratitude in what is fast becoming a wonderfully inspiring community.
