The 3 Mindful Hand Exercises for Calm Kids are a great way for children to be introduced to mindfulness. ‘Grounding’ yourself into your body is a great skill for our children to learn, as it helps them to be in the moment and manage big feelings. Using these calming hand activities is a lovely way to introduce children to another wellbeing skill they can add to their mental health toolbox.
{Related Post: Relaxing Rainbow Breaths}
The 3 Mindful Hand Exercises for Calm Kids are:
- Mindful Finger Tracing
- Relaxing Hand Breaths
- And Calming Palm Pushes
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What are Grounding Hand Activities?
Flower breaths are a relaxing, nature based mindful breathing activity for kids. In this breathing activity we will use the imagination and the breath to relax the body and the mind. This healthy coping skill will give kids the opportunity to also think about the uniqueness of each flower and how they can relate this to their own unique selves.
You may like: Lion Breaths for Kids
1. How to use the Finger Tracing Mindfulness Strategy
The finger tracing mindfulness strategy is very easy to do. Children simply engage their sense or sight and look at the bright, engaging images. Then they use their sense of touch to trace the shapes. This activity bring children in to the present, promoting relaxation and a calm mind, which can help children to manage anxiety or stress. They can also draw their own tracing images and get creative!
Once children are comfortable with the technique they can be encourage to include positive affirmations and breathing activities, to develop their tool box of coping skills.
- Use a painted or drawn shape or drawing.
- Find our Finger Tracing Printables here.
- Next ask children to slowly trace the lines.
- Ask them to notice their sense of touch and they trace,
- Also noticing the colours of the shape and how they feel.
2. How to do the Relaxing Hand Breathing Technique
This five finger hand breathing technique is great for children of all ages. You can also ask children to draw around their hands and count the breaths using the drawing of their hand.
How to take a five finger hand breath:
- Ask children to stretch out their hand and then use a finger from the opposite hand as their pointer finger.
- First off ask children to practice tracing all their fingers with their pointer finger.
- Then they can practice one breath. Ask them to start at the base of their thumb and then breathe in, when they reach the tip of the thumb they then pause. Next they breathe out and trace their finger to the base of their thumb.
- Now you are ready to 5 finger hand breathing. Repeat the breathing sequence with all 5 fingers.
3. How to Practice Calming Palm Pushes
- Ask children to choose a spot on the wall to push.
- Then ask them to take both pals and apply pressure against the wall.
- They can push with their whole body and then relax.
- The hope is that they will experience increased calm, focus and feelings of being “in their body”. The muscles will have been tense and then relaxed.
Other options are:
- Hands on Head—Instruct student to interlock fingers and place on top of head, pushing down firmly,
- Hands Together— Place hands together, palm to palm and press together.
I hope you enjoy trying out these 3 mindful hand activities for calm kids. Take Care, Emma x
Happy everyday！