Simple Ways to Increase Your Family’s Mindfulness

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As we move into the third week of school for our Shorewood-Troy area kids, we wanted to provide some easily accessible, simple resources for both parents and their children to help practice mindfulness during what can often be a stressful adjustment. 

Participate in an Act of Kindness:

Studies have shown that participating in acts of kindness can help lower stress and anxiety levels.

This summer, the Children’s Dept at STPL started a kindness rocks garden in front of the Library! Decorating a rock to add to the garden is a simple, and creative way to practice a random act of kindness!

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Another easy way to practice kindness is to visit Random Acts of Kindness and participate in their “make kindness the norm” challenge for kids. Simply download the free printable HERE, and complete all the activities! If you don’t have a printer at home, you can also stop by the STPL Children’s Dept to pick up a free copy!

Books:

The Children’s Dept has some wonderful books to help facilitate mindfulness practices! The following are my 5 favorite titles we currently own:

1) Just Breathe: Meditation, Mindfulness, Movement, and More by Mallika Chopra

This meditation guide for middle graders and young adults offers specific mindfulness exercises to help deal with day-to-day challenges and includes tips to lead a happier, healthier, and more connected life.
Call Number: J 158.1 CHO

2) Mindful Moments at Bedtime by Paloma Rossa

This board book for littles features soothing bedtime rituals to read together. It helps offer moments of thoughtful conversation and restful reflection, both for children and their grownups.
Call Number: BB ROSSA

3) Stress Less : How to Achieve Inner Calm and Relaxation by Aubre Andrus
It can be easy to get bogged down in stress. Luckily there are countless strategies to beat it. When you’re feeling anxious or overloaded, the projects in this book can help. Calm down by following a guided meditation. Boost your mood with a healthy snack. Take a break from social media. Get your blood pumping with a guided 20-minute workout. Before you know it, you will be less stressed! Your mind – and body – will thank you
Call Number: J 155.9 AND

4) Bee Still: an Invitation to Meditation by Frank Sileo
Illustrations and rhyming text tell of Bentley, a bee from a busy, crowded, and noisy hive who teaches others to meditate in order to handle stress. Includes a guide for parents.
Call Number: GROWING & LEARNING / FIRST STEPS / SILEO

5) I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde
When the world feels chaotic, find peace within through an accessible mindfulness practice. Express emotions through direct speech. Find empathy through imagination. Connect with the earth. Wonder at the beauty of the natural world. Breathe, taste, smell, touch, and be present. 
Call Number: GROWING & LEARNING / FEELINGS / VERDE

Young viewers will join our heroine Lyla as she learns ten yoga poses from her friends at the zoo, receiving helpful tips along the way from each animal she encounters. Using rhyming and counting to make memorization easier, this imaginative story combines the benefits of yoga with kids' natural love for animals to create a magical learning journey that parents and kids can enjoy together.
Young viewers will join our heroine Lyla as she learns ten yoga poses from her friends at the zoo, receiving helpful tips along the way from each animal she encounters. Using rhyming and counting to make memorization easier, this imaginative story combines the benefits of yoga with kids’ natural love for animals to create a magical learning journey that parents and kids can enjoy together.
This beautifully illustrated collection of mindfulness exercises is designed to teach kids techniques for managing their bodies, breath, and emotions. Best of all, these thirty simple, short breathing practices and movements can be performed anytime, anywhere: in the car on the way to the grocery store, during heavy homework nights at home, or even at a child's desk at school.
This beautifully illustrated collection of mindfulness exercises is designed to teach kids techniques for managing their bodies, breath, and emotions. Best of all, these thirty simple, short breathing practices and movements can be performed anytime, anywhere: in the car on the way to the grocery store, during heavy homework nights at home, or even at a child’s desk at school.
Childhood is full of overwhelming emotional challenges--navigating school, making friends, getting along with parents, and learning to love who you are. This audiobook empowers youngsters to utilize the practices of mindfulness and meditation to meet those challenges head-on in a way that is healthy, balanced, and compassionate.
Childhood is full of overwhelming emotional challenges–navigating school, making friends, getting along with parents, and learning to love who you are. This audiobook empowers youngsters to utilize the practices of mindfulness and meditation to meet those challenges head-on in a way that is healthy, balanced, and compassionate.
These stunning meditations vary from four to ten minutes each in length and can be used separately or run together as one track. Beautiful calm journeys to help children with confidence, self-esteem and creativity
These stunning meditations vary from four to ten minutes each in length and can be used separately or run together as one track. Beautiful calm journeys to help children with confidence, self-esteem and creativity
Breathe with Me guides young ones ages four through eight through eleven exercises to promote body awareness, calm anger and temper tantrums, self-soothe in fearful new situations, energize in the morning, and relax at bedtime. Through visualization and play, this engaging breath-by-breath journey teaches children an essential set of self-care skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.
Breathe with Me guides young ones ages four through eight through eleven exercises to promote body awareness, calm anger and temper tantrums, self-soothe in fearful new situations, energize in the morning, and relax at bedtime. Through visualization and play, this engaging breath-by-breath journey teaches children an essential set of self-care skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.

As always, the STPL Children’s Department is happy to help you find any other books or resources you might need along your mindfulness journey. Give us a call at (815) 725-4368 or email us at childrensdept@shorewoodtroylibrary.org

And last, but certainly not least, take some time to laugh at this fabulous meditation joke! Laughter is a fantastic way to bring some happiness into your life!

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