Mindful rooms and outdoor classrooms

The concept of mindfulness can teach students the importance of self-regulation, curiosity and patience. Becoming more aware with feelings and surroundings can help improve focus and provide students with healthy coping mechanisms. Some mindful room activities consist of meditation or journaling. Allowing children a space to focus on calming themselves in difficult social settings and creates a space of compassionate learning.

Outdoor classrooms create an additional mindful space while providing the children a breath of fresh air and a chance to interact with nature. A change in scenery during the learning process can help enhance mental and physical health, along with the assertion of self-control. Some examples of outdoor classroom activities:

• Gardening
• Bringing math outdoors with the measurement of plant growth, counting things by twos
• Scavenger hunts
• Introduction of outdoor art
• Bring literacy outdoors with practice chalk writing