Mindful Breathing Check-In

Name: ________________________ Date: ______________

We just did some belly breathing with our buddies! Let's think about how that felt.

1. What did you notice about your belly buddy as you breathed in and out?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. How did your body feel during the belly breathing exercise? (Circle all that apply)

   • Calm
   • Relaxed
   • Tired
   • Focused
   • Sleepy
   • Restless
   • Other: ________________
     
     
     
     

3. What did you notice about your thoughts while you were breathing? Were they fast or slow? Did they wander, or did you stay focused on your breath?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Do you think you could use belly breathing to help you when you feel worried, angry, or just need to calm down? Why or why not?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Draw a picture of yourself doing belly breathing with your buddy!

Mindful Movements: Listen to Your Body

Let's explore how our bodies feel when we move slowly and gently. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to feel – just notice!

Instructions:

1. Find Your Space: Stand or sit comfortably. If you can, make sure you have a little room to stretch your arms and legs without bumping into anyone.

2. Gentle Neck Rolls (1 minute):

   • Slowly let your head drop forward, chin to chest.
   • Roll your right ear towards your right shoulder, feeling a gentle stretch.
   • Roll your head back to the center, then left ear to left shoulder.
   • Repeat 2-3 times on each side, noticing any sensations.

3. Shoulder Shrugs & Rolls (1 minute):

   • Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, hold for a moment, then release them down.
   • Repeat 3 times.
   • Then, roll your shoulders forward in a circle a few times, then backward in a circle a few times.
   • Notice the movement and any tightness melting away.

4. Arm Stretches (2 minutes):

   • Reach both arms up towards the sky, stretching tall like you're trying to touch the clouds.
   • Gently sway side to side, feeling the stretch along your sides.
   • Bring your arms down and hug yourself, giving yourself a gentle squeeze. Switch which arm is on top.
   • Pay attention to how your muscles stretch and relax.

5. Tree Pose (Modified - 2 minutes):

   • Stand tall. Shift your weight to one foot.
   • Place the sole of your other foot on your ankle or calf (avoid your knee).
   • Bring your hands to your heart, or reach them up like tree branches.
   • Focus on one spot in front of you to help with balance. If you wobble, that's okay! Just notice and try again.
   • Switch legs and repeat.
   • Notice the strength in your standing leg and the focus needed for balance.

6. Gentle Standing Forward Fold (1 minute):

   • Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
   • Slowly hinge forward from your hips, letting your arms dangle. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
   • Let your head hang heavy. You can gently shake your head yes and no.
   • Feel the stretch in the back of your legs.
   • Slowly roll back up to standing, one vertebra at a time, letting your head be the last thing to come up.

Reflection after movements:

• How does your body feel now compared to before we started?
  
  
  
  
• Did any movement feel especially good or interesting?
  
  
  
  
• What did you notice when you focused on your movements?

Mindful Memory Match

Objective: To practice focused attention, observation, and patience while playing a classic memory matching game.

Materials:

• A set of 10-15 pairs of matching cards. These cards should have images related to mindfulness or calming themes (e.g., peaceful nature scenes, simple mandalas, calming color patterns, different emotions faces, animals). You can print these out or draw them.
• A flat surface (table or floor).

How to Play:

1. Set Up: Shuffle all the cards well. Place them face-down in a neat grid (e.g., 4 rows of 5 cards, or 5 rows of 6 cards, depending on the number of pairs).

2. Take Turns: Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time.

3. Mindful Observation: Before flipping, encourage players to take a quiet breath. When they flip a card, ask them to really look at the image. What do they notice? What are the colors, shapes, or details?

4. Making a Match:

   • If the two cards they flip over are a match, the player says "Match!" quietly and keeps the pair. They then get to take another turn.
   • If the cards are not a match, the player quietly turns them back over in the exact same spot they picked them up from. Encourage them to remember what was on each card and where it was located.

5. Focus and Patience: Remind players that this game is about being calm and focused, not about rushing. If they get frustrated, they can take a mindful breath.

6. Winning the Game: The game ends when all the pairs have been found. The player with the most pairs wins.

Discussion After the Game:

• How did you use your focus during the game?
  
  
  
  
• Was it easy or hard to remember where the cards were? What helped you remember?
  
  
  
  
• How did it feel when you found a match? How did it feel when you didn't?
  
  
  
  
• How is this game like or unlike other games you play? What did you notice about your mind while playing?