compassion in action from the inside out
As Mindful Littles celebrates four years of compassion in action, we wanted to share our most popular mindfulness activities and service & kindness projects with you. We hope you enjoy this mix of sensory activities, meditation, breath practice, nature, art and play!
Nurturing compassionate connections is vital. Whether it’s checking on your neighbors, supporting local businesses or wearing your mask, showing we care is a powerful way to lift each other up. Here are a few mindful ways to show compassion and appreciation for those in your neighborhood:
When we witness a kind act, it actually improves our mood, making it more likely we too will be kind. Here are a few inspiring kindness projects and activities to help you spread a little kindness into the world.
A wonderful way to add kindness and color to our communities while we shelter-in-place is by creating chalk drawings and writing uplifting chalk messages on driveways and sidewalks. In fact, chalk art is so popular right now, it’s making chalk hard to come by. That’s when knowing how to make homemade chalk comes in handy.
Introducing young children to the concept of peace helps them return to those feelings of calm and contentedness when they experience emotional overwhelm. Linking the feeling of peace with a particular person, like a parent, teacher or friend helps reinforce for kids that they’re not alone when they need help regulating.
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.
Scientific studies seem to roll in daily, confirming that kindness increases oxytocin and dopamine in the brain, making us happier.
The family separations happening at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year have left many of us feeling sad, hopeless, and desperate to help. As of December 2018, approximately 15,000 children have been separated from their families and detained. Many of us wonder, when will it stop? How can we support these families? How can we show them we care?
For the past year and a half, middle school students at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School in Moraga, CA have given up their lunch period to make lunches for a homeless community just a few miles down the road at the Oakland/Emeryville border.
Ready for a little fun? In honor of National Scavenger Hunt Day, add a dose of mindfulness to a classic scavenger hunt with your little one.