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Mindful Meadow Explorations

Lesson Plan

Mindful Meadow Lesson Plan

Guide Pre-K students through meadow-themed mindfulness activities—flower breathing, guided imagery, sensory exploration—to boost focus, calm, and emotional awareness.

Establishing early self-regulation and emotional vocabulary helps children manage big feelings, build concentration, and create a peaceful classroom atmosphere.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Playful, nature-inspired exercises with visuals, movement, and hands-on exploration.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review the Mindful Meadow Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with images and prompts.
  • Assemble the Flower Petal Sensory Bin and place the Flower Petal Sensory Bin Activity Cards nearby.
  • Prepare Calming Jar Supplies: fill jars with water, a drop of glue, and glitter. Twist lids securely.
  • Arrange emotion flashcards in a visible pocket chart or on a ring.
  • Queue up meadow ambient sounds on the audio device and test volume.

Step 1

Welcome and Mindful Moment

5 minutes

  • Gather students on the mat in a circle near the slides.
  • Play soft meadow sounds.
  • Introduce today’s ‘Mindful Meadow’ theme using Slide 1.
  • Explain that we’ll use our senses and feelings to explore a pretend flower-filled field.

Step 2

Flower Breathing Exercise

5 minutes

  • Show Slide 2 with a large blooming flower image.
  • Give each child a soft scarf or fabric flower.
  • Demonstrate “bloom breath”: inhale as you slowly open petals in your hand, exhale as you gently close them.
  • Repeat 3–5 times, encouraging smooth, calm breaths.

Step 3

Guided Meadow Imagery

5 minutes

  • Dim lights slightly and play gentle wind sounds.
  • Read a short script: • “Close your eyes and imagine you’re lying in a sunny meadow…”
  • Prompt students to notice imaginary bees buzzing, grass tickling their skin, and flowers swaying.

Step 4

Sensory Bin Exploration

10 minutes

  • Invite children to the Flower Petal Sensory Bin.
  • Hand out the Flower Petal Sensory Bin Activity Cards.
  • Children draw one card at a time (e.g., “Find a petal that feels smooth,” “Count five petals of the same color”).
  • Circulate and encourage descriptive vocabulary: soft, silky, rough.

Step 5

Emotion Check-In Circle

5 minutes

  • Return to the circle and display emotion flashcards.
  • Ask each child to pick a card showing how they feel after the exploration.
  • Invite a few volunteers to name their feeling and describe why they chose it.

Step 6

Calming Jar Reflection

10 minutes

  • Show students the calming jars. Explain: “When we feel big feelings, we can shake it and watch the glitter settle.”
  • Demonstrate shaking the jar, then watching quietly until the glitter stops.
  • Pass jars around; each child takes a turn shaking and observing.
  • Encourage noticing how they feel before and after the glitter settles.

Step 7

Closing Gratitude and Review

5 minutes

  • Gather back in the circle.
  • Ask students to share one thing they liked about today’s ‘Meadow.’
  • Reinforce the idea that they can use these activities anytime they need to feel calm.
  • End with one final shared deep breath together.
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Slide Deck

Welcome to the Mindful Meadow!

Imagine you are in a sunny meadow.
Hear birds and feel the breeze.

Welcome students to the carpet in a circle near the screen. Play soft meadow sounds. Introduce today’s theme: “We’re going to visit a pretend flower-filled meadow using our senses and our breath.”

Flower Breathing

Breathe in 🌸 Open petals
Breathe out 🌼 Close petals

Show the large flower image. Give each child a soft scarf or fabric flower. Model bloom breathing: inhale slowly as you open petals, exhale slowly as you close. Repeat 3–5 times, encouraging calm, smooth breaths.

Meadow Imagery

Close your eyes...
Imagine soft grass and flowers.

Dim the lights slightly and play gentle wind sounds. Use a calm, soft voice: “Close your eyes and imagine soft grass under you, colorful flowers swaying, bees buzzing gently.” Pause between prompts to let children visualize.

Sensory Adventure

• Find a smooth petal
• Count five petals
• Use words: soft, rough, silky

Invite children to gather around the Flower Petal Sensory Bin. Distribute one activity card per child. Prompt them to follow the card (e.g., find a smooth petal, count five of the same color). Walk around and ask, “How does it feel? What words can you use?”

How Do You Feel?

Pick a card that shows your feeling
Show us and say why

Return to the circle. Lay out emotion flashcards. Ask each child to choose a card that shows how they feel right now. Invite a few volunteers to hold up their card and say why they chose it.

Watch the Glitter

Shake the jar
Watch the glitter settle

Hold up a calming jar and explain: “When we feel big feelings, we can shake this jar and watch the glitter settle.” Demonstrate shaking and observing quietly until the glitter stops. Pass jars so each child can take a turn.

Gratitude & Review

Share one thing you liked
Take a deep breath together

Gather back in the circle. Ask each student to share one thing they liked about today’s meadow. Remind them they can use these activities anytime they need to feel calm. End by taking one deep breath together.

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Activity

Flower Petal Sensory Bin Activity Cards

These printable cards guide Pre-K students through focused, playful exploration of petals in the sensory bin. Cut out each card and place them face down next to the bin. Children draw one at a time and follow the simple prompt.

Cards:

  1. Feel a petal. Is it soft or rough?
  2. Find a petal that feels smooth.
  3. Find a petal that feels bumpy or rough.
  4. Count five petals of the same color.
  5. Pick a petal larger than your thumb.
  6. Pick a petal smaller than your finger.
  7. Look for a petal with a bright color.
  8. Look for a petal with a light (pastel) color.
  9. Rub a petal softly between your fingers. How does it feel?
  10. Find a petal with a wavy or jagged edge.
  11. Find two petals that look exactly the same.
  12. Close your eyes and touch a petal. Can you guess its color?






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