Due to our fast-paced society, the impact of social media, and the threat of climate change, today’s children are facing challenges unique to their generation. Incorporating mindfulness as part of their curriculum—whether in a classroom or a home school setting—teaches invaluable life skills that children can apply to all aspects of learning, and later, through all stages of life.
Psychologist Amoneeta Beckstein and mindfulness educator and practitioner Jana York have pooled their knowledge and experience and teamed up to compile an eight-week curriculum with empirically-based exercises for integrating mindfulness in classrooms, as well as discussion questions for enhancing critical thinking skills.
The authors use vowels (including Y for “You”) as a mnemonic device, with each vowel representing a lesson that helps students develop present-moment awareness: Attention, Experience, Investigate, Observe, and Understand. Forty engaging activities and games help children put into practice the concepts they learned. Teaching Mindfulness provides the essential core principles of mindfulness education and enriches both the teaching and learning experience.
“An excellent, straightforward guide to sharing mindfulness with the young people in our lives.”
“Highly recommended! If you’re looking for a fun and engaging book to teach mindfulness to children, here’s the book for you. Teaching Mindfulness is designed for counselors, parents, teachers, and caregivers to integrate mindfulness into their daily schedule. Many of the activities described in the book can fit into any curriculum for young children. I love the simple, easy-to-read, and colorful format of the book that comes with comprehension lesson plans and over 40 activities for real-time classroom applications.
This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking information, help, guidance, or support in instructing mindfulness to children. I find it a very user-friendly guide that offers a practical mindfulness teaching toolkit for educators and all professionals who care about the social and emotional well-being of children”