The Nature of Mindfulness - 60 minutes

There are three 60 minute activities in this lesson that teachers can choose from. The first activity ‘Posy of Possibilities’ encourages students to appreciate the gifts of nature, as well as the inner gifts we all have, such as honesty, loyalty, creativity, generosity and humour. The ‘Chain of Life’ activity invites children to create a nature-inspired paper chain and think of ways they can help take care of the wonderful ‘chain of life’ in nature. In the final ‘Kindness Seeds’ activity, students plant some fast-growing and slow-growing seeds to understand that different types of kindness may be needed in different circumstances, and to explore different ways they can be kind to the natural world and to each other.

Learning Goals:

• To encourage curiosity, attentiveness and delight in being present in the fullness of each moment.
• To create enhanced focus and improved concentration.
• To develop self-knowledge, empathy, emotional regulation and resilience.
• To cultivate present moment awareness so that calm, considered and conscious choices can begin to replace impulsive, unconscious reactions.