The Nature of Mindfulness - Your Mind in a Jar

EYLF Learning Outcomes:

Learning Outcome 1:

• Children have a strong sense of identity
• 1.1 Children feel safe, secure, and supported
• 1.2 Children develop their emerging autonomy, interdependence, resilience and sense of agency
• 1.3 Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities
• 1.4 Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect

Learning Outcome 3:

• Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
• 3.2 Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing

• A container with a screw-on lid for each child (a jar or small bottle with a wide neck would work well – if this is not possible, then the jars can simply be shared among the children)
• Hot water, clear dishwashing soap, glycerine, an old spoon or stick for stirring, super glue or a hot glue gun
• For glitter from nature use bottlebrush flowers, fine sawdust, sweet wattle leaves, lilly pilly flowers or anything else suitable from your garden. Alternatively, you could use eco glitter.

Supporting resources: 

• Cool Australia factsheet – The Benefits of Mindfulness
• Cool Australia factsheet – The Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children

 Other resources:

• Smiling Mind
• Headspace
• Bright Tomorrows
• Mind Australia
• Mindfulness for Kids
• Mindfulness for kids – four easy mindfulness exercises for children

Following this lesson is an ideal way for students to participate in Planet Ark’s Schools Tree Day – the largest nature-care event in Australian schools. So, get growing! It only takes a minute to register for Schools Tree Day.