Mindfulness Activities for Kids

May 11, 2024 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

May is Anxiety Awareness Month, and for kids it can be an especially anxious time with end of year tests and projects and things. But any time is a great time to talk to kids about anxiety and give them tools to help calm them down, and mindfulness is a big part of that.

Kids (and people) of any age need practice noticing how they feel in the moment and understanding that those feelings can and will pass. Even just being reminded to check in on their feelings a few times a day (whether they are feeling anxiety or not) can help them build mindful awareness and naming of emotions that is so important.

Mediation is not a thing that a lot of kids like (my teen has always hated it) but sometimes you can sneak in some mindful breathing even if you’re not formally meditating. There are lots of ways to make breathing fun for kids, and you can find a bunch of them at Calm Ahoy Kids. My daughter learned some of these at school like the candle and balloon, but they are all fun for kids to try. They also have an ebook and printable cards available on Etsy if you want these for a classroom or to use at home.

This mindful breathing stick craft from Local Anchor is an easy one for kids to make and keep in their backpacks (or even wear as a bracelet) to use as a tool for mindful breathing. I also love this one for making a calming stone of out clay. Get the details on that one from Hands On Teaching Ideas. Having something to hold that reminds you to breathe or pay attention can be super helpful.

Other mindful things you can practice in the classroom or at home include listening to calming music and really focusing on it, taking a very slow walk around the room or outside and paying attention to what you see, doing a slow body scan or eating something very slowly. Get more details on some of these ideas and others from The OT Toolbox and from Very Special Tales.

Another one that I like (which is also on the Very Special Tales list) that my daughter used a lot during covid was a variation on the 5-4-3-2-1 idea, which has you notice five things you can see, four you can feel, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste (or you can change the last one to just taking a deep breath). This is a great way to ground and pay attention to your surrounds and it helps people of all ages, too.

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Books to Read for Dia de Los Muertos

Explaining Dia de Los Muertos to kids can be difficult because most of us don’t generally talk about death or what happens when we die a lot with our kids. But Dia de los Muertos is actually a happy, not scary occasion that allows us to remember loved ones, share stories and come together as a community.

While it is mostly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage, the day has become more well known thanks to movies and other media representations. And there are some great children’s books to help explain and allow you to celebrate the holiday if you want.

Dia de Muertos by Jaque Jours, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (48 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99) tells the story of a family getting their ofrenda (altar for the dead) ready and how they remember people who have died through decorations, food and sharing stories.

It covers the classic decorations and rituals of Dia de los Muertos including using cempasúchil (in English we call them marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper banners), pan de muerto and la catrina, the elaborately dressed, skull faced women that are a common site at Dia de los Muertos gatherings.

The back of the book explores how the day is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as the meanings of different symbols. There’s a recipe for pan de muerto, a tutorial for making papel picado and tips for doing makeup to look like like la catrina/el catrin.

Want to try more traditional foods? The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook is a companion to The Dia de Los Muertos Story, both of which are by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre and illustrated by Laura González (52 pages, hardcover paper over boards, published 2026 by becker & meyer kids!, suggested retail price $19.99).

The book opens with some discussion of the meaning of Dia de los Muertos and why food is an important part of the day. The recipes included are easy enough for kids to make with minimal help, and all based on food memories from her childhood.

There are recipes for hibiscus iced tea, Mexican corn and salsa, tortillas, molletes (open faced sandwiches with beans and cheese), jicama fries and sugar skulls to name a few.

Other activities in the book include papel picado, coffee filter marigolds, making your own playlist and making an ofrenda.

Together these books give young readers insight into this holiday that might be new or confusing to them, while also giving you a chance to get in the kitchen together and make your own Dia de los Muertos memories.

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