Heartbeat Hello
Sit together and place a hand on your own heart, then on each other's. Notice the beat, the warmth, the rise and fall. Two minutes is plenty — you're simply saying hello to your bodies.
Free Guide
Mindfulness exercises for kids.
Ten gentle, child-friendly activities you can use at home or in the classroom — organised around our four little words: Connect, Move, Breathe, Notice.
Connect
Connect — 2 gentle activities.
Mindfulness starts with feeling safe and seen. These activities help children arrive in the present moment with someone they trust.
Thankful Three
Take turns naming three small things you noticed today — the smell of toast, a bird you spotted, a hug. Naming what we notice quietly teaches attention and gratitude at once.
Move
Move — 3 gentle activities.
Children think through their bodies. Gentle, deliberate movement helps big feelings settle before we ask the mind to be still.
Slow Motion Walk
Walk from one side of the room to the other as slowly as you can. Notice how the heel touches, then the toes. Slow movement invites slow thinking.
Tree Pose Together
Stand tall, plant one foot, and imagine roots growing down. Wobble, laugh, try again. Balancing gives the brain something kind to focus on.
Shake It Out
Shake hands, arms, legs and head for thirty seconds — then freeze. Feel the buzzing settle. A brilliant reset after school or before bed.
Breathe
Breathe — 3 gentle activities.
The breath is the quietest way in. These practices are small, portable, and safe to use anywhere — the classroom, the car, the bedroom.
Balloon Belly
Lie down with a soft toy on the tummy. Breathe in and watch the toy rise; breathe out and watch it fall. Slow breathing tells the body it is safe.
Five-Finger Breathing
Trace up one finger as you breathe in, down as you breathe out. By the time you reach the little finger, most children feel calmer without knowing why.
Smell the Flower, Blow the Candle
Breathe in through the nose as if smelling a flower, then out through the mouth as if gently blowing a candle. Repeat five times — a simple, powerful reset.
Notice
Notice — 2 gentle activities.
Noticing is the heart of mindfulness — turning attention gently towards what is here, without needing to change it.
Five Senses Check-In
Name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, one you can taste. A grounding classic for wobbly moments.
Cloud Watching
Lie on the grass or by a window and watch the clouds pass. Notice how they change without effort. Thoughts, we tell children, are a little like clouds.
More gentle tools for your family.
Explore printables, keepsakes and the story-led programmes that live at the heart of The Breathing Space Project.