- On the next page is a 5-Point Scale that you and your child can complete together.
- This scale will not only allow your child to understand their emotions, but you as a parent or guardian can gain a better perspective.
- These scales provide a guide that assists students with becoming more self-aware.
- After completing, try and think of coping and calming skills to utilize while in those escalated stages.
When trying new things like exercising Mindfulness, your child may wonder what it even means to be mindful. You can explain mindful as a skill that helps you:
- Pay attention better
- Be less distractible
- Learn more
- Stay calm under stress
- Avoid getting too upset about things
- Slow down instead of rush
- Listen better to others
- Be more patient
- Get along better
- Feel happier and enjoy things moreIf this sounds like a superpower, it is! Being mindful helps people in just about every part of life. Learning how to be mindful when you’re young gives you a chance to get really good at it and use it always.
Source: KidsHealth
- Write down different emotion words on slips of paper. Some examples: happy, sad, scared, angry, calm, excited, frustrated, worried, embarrassed, joyful, disgusted, etc.
- Once emotion words are written down on slips of paper, have the parent or caregiver hide them throughout the house.
- When children find each emotion word, have them read it out loud and share something that causes them to feel that emotion.
- Once the children have found all of the slips of paper, have them hide them and the parent or caregiver takes their turn next!
Watch your child activate the 5 senses!
Use a piece of paper or a piece of poster board and have your child find various items you have around the house to glue/tape different images in each category. They can draw pictures if you do not have anything to glue or tape!
Have your child identify objects they can use that are soothing for touch, vision, taste, sound, and smell.
- Draw a picture of four mountains on a blank sheet of paper.
- Trace them with your finger.
- As your finger slowly traces up the left side, take a deep breath in.
- Then while your finger traces down the right side, exhale that breath slowly.
- Try tracing the mountains three times.
- Pay attention to how you are feeling afterwards.