1.
2.
Spread your left or right hand and stretch your fingers out. Use the pointer finger of your other hand
as a pencil and trace around the outline of each finger.
Start at the bottom of your thumb and slide your finger up your thumb, pause at the top, and then
slide your finger down the other side. Next, slide your pointer up your second finger, pause, and slide
down the other side. Continue tracing your fingers up, pause, and down. Notice how your finger feels as
it slowly traces the other fingers. Keep going until you have finished tracing your pinky.
3.
Now include your breath. As you slide your tracing finger up your thumb, breathe in through your
nose. Breathe out through your mouth as you slide the tracing finger down your thumb. Breathe in as
you slide up your second finger, and breathe out as you slide down. Continue tracing your fingers as you
take your five slow breaths.
4.
5.
You can repeat this mindfulness exercise until you feel calm.
Help your child process their emotions once they are calm by inviting them to talk about what it is
they are feeling.
MINDFUL
GLITTER JARS
The mindful glitter jar is a jar full of glycerin, water and
glitter. This can be bought online or you can make it at home
with your child. It’s a calming exercise that helps the child
settle those unpleasant emotions. The glitter represents those
big emotions the child is feeling, as they watch the glitter
settle to the bottom of the jar their big emotions should
settle too. Likewise, as they focus on the glitter settling they
are also exercising that awareness and attention muscle.
Remind your child that it is okay to feel what they are feeling
but kicking, screaming, and hitting are unkind ways to cope
with that emotion. The Mindful Jar, on the other hand, is a
kind way to deal with that emotion and it is there to help us
when we feel scared, sad, or angry.
1.
2.
Shake glitter jar when upset or feeling any other type
of unpleasant emotion.
Focus your attention on the glitter settling, notice how
the unpleasant feelings start to settle on the bottom of
the jar.
3.
Once all the thoughts and feelings have settled to the
bottom of the jar bring your attention to the inside of your body and take five deep breaths breathing in through
your nose and out through your mouth.
4.
Help your child process their emotions once they are calm by inviting them to talk about what it is they
are feeling.
S T. JOHNS
parent
MAGAZINE
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