Mindfulness activities the whole family can enjoy and bond over during Australia’s lockdown

From meditation to colouring and journaling, these are a few great mindful activities the whole family can take part in – and enjoy – during Australia’s continued lockdown.

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Mindfulness is an important tool for families trying to get the most out of life in isolation.

Practising mindfulness can bring focus and attention into the household and create a sense of calm.

Australian not-for-profit organisation Smiling Mind and Medibank have developed a new Family Program, using in-depth research into families’ routines, daily stressors and any barriers to incorporating mindfulness.

Here are a few top tips from the program for improving the wellbeing of your entire family.

ONE-MINUTE MEDITATION

Approx: 1 minute

NOTE TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

Meditation is a great habit to incorporate into your family’s routine during this time and can be done at any time of the day to reset when needed.

Encouraging your kids to practise meditation regularly will provide them with a tool they can draw on not only during the pandemic but for the rest of their lives to bring about a sense of calm.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

A quiet, comfortable place in your home — free from distractions.

You might like to do this outside in the garden, away from desks and workstations.

Meditation is a great habit to incorporate into your family’s routine.

Activity

Start by taking a comfortable seat on a chair or on the floor, with a straight back, feet uncrossed and hands in your lap.

Be still and pay attention. Take three, or more, deep breaths and as you breathe, rest your attention on the feeling and movement of each breath in your body. Do this for a minute to help you reset. This can be done to help you and the family transition from work and study time, to personal time, or in between certain tasks.

To help guide your practice, try using a guided meditation. The Brain Break exercise in the Family Program in Smiling Mind app provides visual cues throughout the meditation which can help to improve children’s focus.

MINDFUL COLOURING

Approx: 20 mins

NOTE TO PARENTS

Mindful colouring is a great, calming activity that can be used
at the end of a school or work day
to unwind and transition into the evening.

Colouring-in helps bring awareness to the present moment by consciously focusing on colour and design.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Pencils, textas and a colouring-in page. Smiling Mind has a printable page designed to foster mindfulness on its website.

ACTIVITY

Start by setting up the space with your materials and taking away any distractions to help your child focus on the present moment.

Putting aside time to colour isn’t enough to reap the benefits – it’s important that conscious mindfulness is practised throughout the activity.

Colouring isn’t just for children – it’s fun for the whole family, regardless of age.

To help maintain mindfulness, ask your child to focus on the weight of the pencil in their hand, the shade of colours on your paper and the feelings they experience throughout.

Before they pick up each pencil, ask them to reflect on why their choosing that particular shade and how they will use it.

Often announcing actions out loud can help with this, such as “I am choosing this green pencil to use on all the triangle shapes in this picture because I like the way it matches the blue sky.”

You can even join in with your own colouring sheet and discuss these points together.

Colouring isn’t just for children – it can really help you wind down from the day away from technology.

MINDFUL COOKING

Approx: 30-60 mins

NOTE TO PARENTS

Getting the kids involved in the cooking process allows them to focus on the present moment, and engage in exactly what they’re doing, rather than focusing
on anything that may be worrying
or distracting them.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients and any equipment required to make your chosen meal.

ACTIVITY

Pick one night a week where the entire family gets involved in the creation of a meal, and take your time to prepare this together.

Ask your kids to be curious and ask questions as you work through the recipe.

Preparing meals together can be fun for the whole family.

Pay attention to each ingredient and discuss where it has come from and all of the people involved in its production.

You can also ask your kids to comment on the different textures, colours, patterns and aromas involved each stage of the process, this will help them bring focus back to the present moment.

Once you have completed the meal, take the time to pause and reflect on the finished product as a family before tucking in!

GRATITUDE JOURNALING

Approx: 10 mins

NOTE TO PARENTS

During this time, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative ways our lives have been impacted by the virus.

Gratitude journaling is a great way for your family to cultivate feelings of happiness, appreciation for the all the positives in your life, and form closer connections.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

A notebook and pen.

ACTIVITY

Before bed, take the time as a family to write down three things each of you were grateful for during the day. These can be big, ongoing things such as friends, family and food, or little things that happened during the day, like going for a walk or having time to watch your favourite TV show.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to be present with their children as well as listen with openness and curiosity when they hear what their children are grateful for.

Try to be present with your child and listen with openness and curiosity as they share what they’re grateful for.

Ask everyone what it feels like to share their list and if everyone else’s answers have helped them see things in a different light.

Consider making gratitude journaling a part of your nightly routine as regular practice promotes a positive effect on the brain and body, calming the nervous system.

Originally published as Mindfulness activities the whole family can enjoy and bond over during Australia’s lockdown