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Mini Mindful Break

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Lesson Plan

Mindful Moments Plan

Guide a 5th-grade student through a 10-minute individualized mindfulness break, teaching simple breathing and focus exercises to reduce anxiety and improve self-regulation.

Providing targeted, Tier 3 mindfulness support helps students manage stress in real time, build resilience, and develop lifelong self-regulation skills in a safe, supportive setting.

Audience

5th Grade Student

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Step-by-step guided breathing and focus routines.

Materials

Breathing Buddy Slides, Bubble Breaths Activity Sheet, Five-Finger Focus Warm-up Guide, and Timer

Prep

Prepare Materials

3 minutes

Step 1

Settle and Introduction

1 minute

  • Invite the student to sit comfortably with feet flat and hands resting in lap
  • Explain: “We’re doing a quick mindfulness break to help you feel calm and focused.”
  • Briefly share the session flow: warm-up, breathing, bubble breaths, and reflection

Step 2

Five-Finger Focus Warm-up

2 minutes

  • Display the Five-Finger Focus Warm-up Guide
  • Student holds one hand up and uses the opposite index finger to trace the outline
  • Inhale slowly as they trace up each finger, exhale tracing down
  • Complete the cycle on all five fingers, synchronizing breath and movement

Step 3

Guided Breathing with Buddy

3 minutes

  • Show the first slides of Breathing Buddy Slides
  • Student imagines breathing into the buddy’s belly balloon
  • Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 2 counts, exhale for 4 counts as slides cue
  • Repeat breathing cycle 4 times, watching the buddy expand and contract

Step 4

Bubble Breaths Activity

3 minutes

  • Hand the student the Bubble Breaths Activity Sheet
  • Instruct them to imagine blowing slow bubbles with each exhale
  • Emphasize gentle, controlled breaths: inhale through nose, exhale through pursed lips
  • Encourage noticing relaxed sensations after each bubble

Step 5

Closing Reflection

1 minute

  • Ask: “How do you feel now compared to before?”
  • Reinforce: “You can use these tools anytime you feel anxious or need a moment to refocus.”
  • Praise the student for their effort and calm participation
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Slide Deck

Breathing Buddy

Meet your Breathing Buddy! Its belly is like a balloon. When you breathe in, it inflates; when you breathe out, it deflates.

Introduce the Breathing Buddy. Invite the student to give it a name and notice its big “balloon” belly.

How It Works

• Inhale → Balloon inflates
• Hold → Balloon stays full
• Exhale → Balloon deflates

Explain the flow of breath. Point to the words as you describe each step.

Inhale

Breathe in gently for 4 counts and watch your Buddy’s belly expand.

Count slowly out loud: 1…2…3…4. Encourage the student to match their breath to the count.

Hold

Hold your breath for 2 counts while the Buddy’s belly stays full.

Count “1…2” silently or softly. Remind the student to stay relaxed.

Exhale

Breathe out slowly for 4 counts and watch the Buddy’s belly deflate.

Count out loud: 1…2…3…4. Model a slow, smooth exhale.

Let’s Practice!

Repeat 4 times:
• Inhale 4 counts
• Hold 2 counts
• Exhale 4 counts

Ready? Begin now!

Lead the student through four full inhale-hold-exhale cycles. Offer calm praise after each cycle.

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Activity

Bubble Breaths Activity

  1. Imagine you are blowing slow, gentle bubbles.
  2. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts:
    1…2…3…4
  3. Exhale through pursed lips as if blowing a bubble for 4 counts:
    1…2…3…4

Draw Your Bubbles
Draw 6 bubbles below. In each bubble, write one feeling word about how you notice after each breath.

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Reflection
How do you feel now compared to before?






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Warm Up

Five-Finger Focus Warm-Up Guide

Time: 2 minutes
Materials: Just your hands!

Steps:

  1. Sit or stand comfortably with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders.
  2. Extend one hand out, palm facing up. With your opposite index finger, find the base of your pinky.
  3. Trace Up (Inhale)
    Slowly trace up the side of your pinky to its tip. Breathe in for a slow count of 4 as you trace.
  4. Hold
    At the fingertip, pause and hold your breath for 2 counts.
  5. Trace Down (Exhale)
    Trace down the other side of the pinky while exhaling for a slow count of 4.
  6. Move to the next finger (ring, middle, index, then thumb) and repeat steps 3–5 on each.
  7. When you finish all five fingers, rest both hands in your lap, close your eyes if you like, and notice how you feel.

Tips for Success:

  • Match each tracing movement exactly to your breathing count.
  • Keep your breaths smooth and gentle.
  • If your mind wanders, kindly bring your focus back to the fingertip you’re tracing.

Use this simple tactile exercise anytime you need to slow down, calm your thoughts, and refocus your energy.

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