"I saw a squirrel collecting nuts in the park, teacher!" ▪ That's how Edmund, one of my new young learners welcomed me in class yesterday. ▪ "Look, I even took a photo." he was impatient to share his treasure with me.
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His eyes were sparkling and his voice was full of excitement.
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"I followed the squirrel to see where it would hide the nut," he continued, "but it was faster than me... Never mind, next weekend I will try again."
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"Good job, never give up!" I thought.
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Fortunately, it didn't take me long to convert him. My lips curled in a smile.
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Edmund is quite active and seems to struggle with focusing his attention.
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So I often start our regular Monday class telling him about my sensory trips during the weekend.
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Once he told me I reminded him of Dora the explorer. 👟 🧒 🔬 Haha
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While describing my adventures, I point out that every time I pick a different mission, for instance:
🔹try to find different shades of a particular colour
🔸count my steps to 20 and then start all over again
🔹pay attention to the sounds around me
🔸look out for different animals
🔹try to detect different smells
🔸have LOTS of FUN
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Not only do I tell him about my mindful endeavours passionately but I also make sure that I have some evidence:
📸 a video with butterflies
🐚 an interesting pebble or shell
🌸 a photo of beautiful flowers
🍇a few blackberries that I've picked
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I always use new words in my stories which Edmund could learn and practise with me in class. Additionally, he is exposed to real-life examples of living mindfully while being revealed some of the most beautiful places in England.
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What do you think Edmund's mission was during his mindful walk in the park?
If you want to find more ideas on using mindfulness tools with your students, check out the post The Sensory Challenge and An Autumn Walk in the Park.
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