Sally Arnold - Mindfulness Activities for Kids (And Their Grown-ups): Learn Calm, Focus, and Gratitude for a Lifetime

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my students: I am humbled to share mindfulness with you. Thank you for all the lessons you have taught me. You have authored this book as much as I have. These are our activities.

Dearest teachers: Thank you for showing up for your students in tireless, selfless, and loving ways. Thank you for inviting me into your classrooms and making mindfulness a priority. I am honored to share this path with each of you.

Meg Ilasco: This book began with your call answering my call. You have been an inspiration to work with; you have made this entire process enjoyable. My deepest appreciation.

Susan Randol: Your desire to bring mindfulness to kids and their grown-ups is visionary. Your exceptional editing translated the work of my heart into this book. My sincerest gratitude.

The Zeitgeist team: I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. It has been a wonderful learning process.

Chris Makena and Megan Cowan: The yearlong mindfulness program with you at Mindful Schools changed the course of my life. Teaching mindfulness to children and parents has been my most rewarding work. Thank you for being my beloved teachers and dear friends.

To my familyMichael, Kelsea, Karl, Alex, Kiana, Kenzie, Quinlea and Aviana: You are my greatest mindfulness teachers. Thank you for your endless support and unconditional love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sally Arnold is an international mindfulness educator, speaker, author, and parenting coach. She holds a bachelor of science in nursing and a masters degree in psychology, and has extensive training in mindfulness education. She is the founder of Mindful Compass, an organization that offers courses designed for families, corporations, and general audiences. Sally has taught mindfulness to thousands of children and implemented whole school mindfulness programs.

Sally and her husband have four wonderful children. Together they have been foster parents and adoptive parents, and have been known to bring home kids who just need a bed, a family, and a safe place. When not writing or teaching, Sally can be found puttering in her garden, hiking in the Sierra Foothills, or reading to her twin granddaughters. Discover more about her and Mindful Compass at mindfulcompass.com.

CONCLUSION

I wrote Mindfulness Activities for Kids (and Their Grown-Ups) for small humans and their grown-ups to unplug, practice mindfulness, and recharge together. Would you expect your devices to keep going without being recharged? We too must recharge.

By practicing the activities in this book, you have learned to recharge. You have also created a mindful toolbox. Each activity is a tool, and these tools help you build a more harmonious and peaceful life. The more you practice these activities, the more benefits you will receive, so revisit the activities on a regular basis, alone and together.

My wish is for all children, everywhere, to be blessed by a supportive adult who will explore mindfulness with them. I hope you both continue on your mindfulness path with your new tools and skills, and that you continue to reap all the benefits mindfulness offers.

MORE ABOUT MINDFULNESS

Books

Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting. Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn are the pillars of mindful parenting. This book is filled with heartfelt wisdom. If you are seeking loving guidance and insight from seasoned parents, you will enjoy Everyday Blessings .

Mindful Parenting. Kristen Race, PhD.

Dr. Kristen Race gets real with how hard parenting can be; in fact, she identifies the plight of busy families as Generation Stress. This book offers relevant life tools to navigate parenting mindfully. You will learn to stress less and connect more.

The Whole-Brain Child. Daniel Siegel, MD, and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD.

This book helps parents understand the brain development of their children. When parents understand basic brain development, they can parent with greater ease and raise happy, healthy, and calmer children. The Whole-Brain Child offers tools to address day-to-day struggles with successful resolution.

Self-Compassion. Kristen Neff, PhD.

This is not a mindful parenting book. However, this book deserves to be read by all parents. As parents, we are a surrogate nervous system for our children. Self-Compassion reminds us to treat ourselves the way we would treat a dear friend. It helps us be our best self, enriching our capacity to parent from a place of love.

Parenting with Presence. Susan Stiffelman, MFT.

Susan Stiffelman offers empathy, compassion, and guidance for parents seeking support in raising confident, compassionate, and conscious kids. She honors children as our greatest teachers and honors parents with tools to parent with greater awareness.

Mindful Discipline. Shauna Shapiro, PhD, and Chris White, MD.

Mindfulness is the foundation of conscious parenting. Parenting requires boundaries and discipline. From setting limits with love to working with difficult emotions, this is a go-to book for practicing mindful discipline.

Growing Up Mindful. Christopher Willard, PsyD.

Here are essential practices to help children, teens, and families find balance, calm, and resilience. Christopher Willard offers practical ways to introduce mindfulness to children and their parents. This book teaches clear, precise practices intended to weave mindfulness into your family life.

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids. Dr. Laura Markham.

This book teaches you how to be the best version of yourself as a parent. It offers advice tailored to all ages and stages of childhood.

Websites

ahaparenting.com

This website has something for everyone. Dr. Laura offers online classes, taken by over 10,000 parents, as well as books, articles, videos, and podcasts filled with real-life parenting wisdom.

astillquietplace.com

Dr. Amy Saltzman teaches how to access our Still Quiet Place. She says, A Still Quiet Place is a place of peace and happiness that is alive inside of each person. Dr. Saltzman brings exceptional mindfulness training to children and adolescents, athletes, coaches, and parents. Her website includes videos for practice, online courses, blogs, and links to her mindfulness books.

mindful.org

This website is a wealth of information on all things mindful. From information on brain science to meditation practices, articles about parents, kids, the workplace, relationships, and health, research, and so much more, this website is relevant, science-based, and infused with heart.

mindfulcompass.com

Sally Arnold offers mindfulness tools, teachings, and tips for bringing mindfulness into your daily life. Explore her three flagship programsThe Awakened Parent, Workplace Wellness, and School-Based Mindfulnessand learn about her courses, coaching, and resources created to support you on your mindfulness journey.

susanstiffelman.com

Susan is revered for teaching techniques to reduce power struggles and to stay in charge from a place of love and compassion. Her website includes courses, a podcast, coaching, a blog, and a parenting community.