It is important to find ways to take refuge from the noise, energy and activity that fills our world. Earlier this year we had the kids think of a "Quiet Place" where they go in their mind's eye when they want some time to themselves where it is peaceful and quiet. For some kids, that is tucked up in their bed with snuggly stuffed friends, for others it is somewhere outside where they can see something beautiful in nature. We bring these quiet places to mind when we do deep breathing each morning to help us transition from the busy, hectic morning of getting up early, getting ready, and getting to the bus (or school) on time. This helps us refocus our minds and bodies to be ready for the day ahead.
This week, the 1-2s visited Morse's Pond as part of our Outdoor Classroom time. Sitting on a bank overlooking the pond gave us a great opportunity to gaze at the water and surrounding area and notice what was all around us while at the same time having a space to come back to ourselves to promote living in the moment - not worrying about what happened yesterday, nor stressing about what tomorrow may bring.
This relaxation exercise of deep breathing and mindful visualization can be very useful tools at home too - particularly as children are trying to wind down for bedtime. When we lay down at night, our minds can fill with a replay of the day's events which can make it hard to settle in for sleep. Playing some soft music and taking deep belly breaths in through our nose and out through our mouths can help restore our calm physically and mentally. We once even had a student who took this practice into the dentist's waiting room as she was anxious about getting a filling and did her deep breathing to calm her nerves!
We were lucky with sighting a Great Blue Heron today as well as two groups of geese which flew by over our heads to then touch down on the water - a great precursor to our bird study later this year!
Enjoy the picture below of the pond. Ask your child to tell you what they noticed about how this experience made them feel.
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