With a quarantine in progress across many parts of the world, now is a perfect opportunity to encourage kids to be of service at home (they might disagree, but stay with me here).
Mindful Littles Partners with Greater Good Science Center
We are honored to announce our partnership with UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center through the newly launched Greater Good In Education (GGIE) website!
Celebrating Random Acts of Kindness
Ever help carry someone’s groceries, drop cookies off at your neighbor’s or slip a few quarters into an about-to-expire parking meter? Or maybe you smiled at a stranger walking by, helped an elderly woman step down from the bus or made a funny face to distract a fussy child.
A Heart-Filled Treasure Hunt
How To Do It
This activity directs us to use our sense of sight to uncover what might not be readily seen. Step outside — or if the weather’s not exactly cooperating, you can try this indoors. Taking a picture of each find is a great way to tally up how many hearts you see.
Encourage your little one to look high and low, behind and under different objects: does the bark on that tree grow in a cool pattern? What’s under that pile of leaves?
If snow currently blankets your world, it might be more challenging to find heart shapes. Instead, create treasures for each other to find. Gather sticks of different lengths and lay them out in a heart or use one to draw a heart in the snow. Paint flat rocks with colorful hearts to leave around the neighborhood for others to find or if it’s a clear day, search out heart-shaped cloud formations.
The Power of Observation
When kids turn on their powers of observation, they often come up with delightful insights and share a perspective we might miss. On a recent treasure hunt with my 7-year-old daughter she showed me how simply changing your perspective reveals the unexpected.
A dormant vine clinging to the side of our house didn’t seem like much at first, but when my daughter noticed the way a thin branch curved and looped, she adjusted her point of view until it blended with the rest of the leafless plant to look like a heart (see the photo above for a sample of our finds and a hand-made creation).
Now, when we step outside, we see “found hearts” all around us and point out new ones when we walk the dog or play in the park. Noticing new hearts as the seasons change is especially exciting and motivating. Enjoy your heart-shaped hunt!
The Science Behind the Smiles
Besides enjoying the benefits of fresh air, being outdoors together is a great time to be in the moment with your child and notice the ways nature helps us use our senses to connect with the environment.
How to Tap Into Your Five Senses to Find Peace and Be Present (Shape)
Kindness at Home: Putting Kindness Into Action
I am often urging my children to be more kind. But what does that really mean?
Connect to the Earth With a Barefoot Walk
Walking barefoot outside is a wonderful way for children to use their sense of touch to experience their bodies and surroundings. Plus, going barefoot or “earthing†provides several scientifically researched benefits, including better sleep, reduced inflammation and increased antioxidants thanks to the way our bodies interact with the earth’s electrons.
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How to Make Family Time Happen: Stop Trying
My husband slows the car on our way into the park while I squirm to turn in the passenger seat. “Girls!â€
My 10-year-old slowly looks up from her screen. “What?â€
“Turn off the screen and look out the window—we’re here!â€
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Honoring the Seasons: Spring
It’s officially spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the time of year when we begin to enjoy more daylight than dark. It’s also a time when the world, literally, comes into balance.
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Delivering Peace to Paradise Fire Elementary School Children
In the hours after the devastating Camp Fire began in November 2018, smoke laced the skies several hundred miles away. The deadliest wildfire in California’s history kept us inside and our kids out of school while we waited out the poor air conditions. In a few days, our lives returned to normal. For the people of Paradise, however, there was no normal to return to.
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