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MINDFUL CHRISTMAS MOMENTS

Christmas is an incredible experience for the senses, am I right? The sights, the sounds, the aromas, the flavors, the feelings- there's nothing else like it. And it lasts for a whole month! This makes the holiday season the perfect time to slow down and create some mindful Christmas moments.

 

Mindfulness is simply paying attention to something in the present moment. The focus can be an object, a feeling inside, or even a thought. Being mindful is about focusing and noticing the present moment without distractions. This gives us so much more to savor and makes each moment more meaningful. Living in the present helps us feel more in control, reduces stress levels, and increases the experience of positive emotions.

 

Focusing and exploring holiday moments using the five senses, makes practicing mindfulness fun and engaging for kids. And, they still get all the positive benefits of practicing mindfulness. Not to mention, they learn important mindfulness skills they can use for the rest of their lives.

 

RELATED: MINDFULNESS AT CHRISTMAS

 

I created a "Mindful Christmas Moments Calendar" so it's easy for you to add these mindful moments to your busy preschool day. The calendar is a sensational holiday journey where each day in December (up to Christmas) features a different mindful moment activity related to the Christmas season.

 

The calendar comes complete with detailed instructions for the mindful moments, discussion questions to start your share, and variations on the activities that you can add in when you have more time. You can get it in The Mindfulness Library.

 

HOW TO SET UP A MINDFUL CHRISTMAS MOMENT

When you are creating a mindful Christmas moment (or any mindful moment), you want a calm, quiet, and peaceful environment. So, you want to try to eliminate as many distractions as you can. This will make it easier for your kids to stay focused in the present moment and the experience will become more meaningful.

 

You also want your kids to feel safe during the mindful moment so they can completely relax and focus into the activity. A simple sign on the door to "enter quietly" will ensure the kids don't get startled.

 

You'll want to start each mindful moment by taking a few deep breaths together as a group to get calm and settle in. Ask your kids to invite stillness and quiet to their body. Let them know this is a silent activity (there are exceptions) and there will be time for sharing their experience when they are done.

 

Go ahead and grab your "Mindful Christmas Moments Calendar" in The Mindfulness Library if you haven't already to get started right away.

 

RELATED: MINDFUL CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

 

TIPS FOR YOUR MINDFUL CHRISTMAS MOMENTS

These mindful Christmas moments would be the perfect addition to circle time or your morning meeting. You will be more successful adding them to quiet activity time rather than trying to do them when your group has a lot of energy.

 

Each activity will take about 10 minutes or so and as much time as you have for sharing after. I have included additional variations for the mindful moments so you can adjust the length of the activity to fit into the chunk of time you have.

 

The activities on the calendar can be changed to fit your unique classroom makeup. Swap out any of the items to make the moments more meaningful for your kids. Instead of using a candle flame for the mindful gazing moment, you may want to use the candles of a menorah. Or swap out any holiday items with winter items if your preschool doesn't do holidays. It's simple and easy to customize the calendar to fit your own classroom needs.

 

Most of all- have fun with it!