Being a teenager is not easy. Especially in today’s day and age when the internet makes it virtually impossible for us to find a real moment of still, or quietness.
For the same reason, it can be difficult to convince a teen to sit down for a 15-minute meditation practice to make them “feel something.”
Still, practicing mindfulness is a great way for teens to learn what it means to truly experience the present. They are also proven to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
While mindfulness may look like one thing to adults, it can look like something completely different for younger people.
Still, implementing any sort of mindfulness practice into our lives is guaranteed to help remind us of what is really important.
This blog will outline 5 simples mindfulness activities that you or your teen can start practicing today.
5 Simple Mindfulness Activities
1. Drawing
Many children and teens have a difficult time expressing their emotions with words.
Drawing is a great way for them to expressing how they are feeling without having to say anything. It can also help them to become more aware of their thoughts themselves.
Simple give them a page and allow them to draw whatever comes to mind. It’s important to have a free range of your art, and a variety of colors to really express your emotions.
After the drawing is complete, you may wish to discuss what made them draw what, but silence is completely okay too.
2. Cooking
Cooking and recipes are great ways to teach teens mindfulness while having fun in the kitchen.
It does not necessarily matter what you are cooking. The key here is to be intentional with how you are doing it.
Before you begin cooking the meal, take a moment to talk over why you are doing it. Are you hungry or is it just for fun?
While you are cooking, notice the feeling of each ingredient. The point here is to make use of all of your senses.
Pick up an ingredient. Notice what it smells like, what it feels like, and how it sounds when it hits the pan.
Take a small bit of whatever ingredient you picked a notice how it tastes.
You may do this for a few or all of the ingredients you use.
3. Guided Meditation
Yes, we know that most teens don’t want to sit still for more than maybe 2 minutes.
However, guided meditations are often really interesting and intriguing for young people. Especially when they come from Instagram or YouTube.
Take a moment to look through this list and you’re likely to find one that feels right to you or your teen.
4. Hand Tracing
This technique was actually created specifically with children in mind as it is an extremely easy way to align your breathing, without pressure.
To begin, spread your fingers nice on one hand nice and wide.
Then, using the index finger of your opposite hand, begin to trace around the outside perimeter of your fingers, starting with your thumb.
Trace up the outside of your thumb and you inhale, and down the inside, as you exhale.
Continue this process until you’ve reached your pinky and gone all the way back to your thumb.
5. Journaling
Journaling is a great practice for teenagers because it allows them to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment.
It allows us to clear our heads and take a step back from our thoughts by putting them down on paper.
Then, as it feels right, we will naturally begin to reflect on those thoughts and get to know ourselves better than we ever have before.
There are a lot of great prompts for teens to start their mindfulness journaling journey. We’ve included 5 below.
- List 5 things you are grateful for.
- What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
- Describe yourself in 20 words.
- What do you love most about yourself and why?
- Share a story about one thing you are proud of.
The best part about these activities is that they are not reserved for teens. They are great for grown-ups and children as well!
Give them a try on your own, or with your teen, and let us know what worked best for you!
