With school winding down and summer ramping up, there are a lot of opportunities for mindfulness amongst the chaos this change of season brings. One of the easiest ways (in theory) to welcome more moments of mindfulness into this time of year is by making a conscious effort to notice all the shifts happening around us. Fragrant flowers bloom, green grass grows tall, trees full of leaves wave in the wind, the weather heats up and the sun sets later. Making an effort to observe the ebb and flow of this season on your own will help when showing little ones how to practice the art of noticing.
There are a lot of opportunities every day to notice things, once you slow down enough to see them. Sometimes, the most chaotic times are the best to practice this; taking a few seconds to take a mindful breath and come back to the present can help bring some necessary calm into chaotic times. Noticing with each sense can be grounding, and the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 game” is a great way to try and make it fun.
This game is all about noticing through the five senses. Doing this together can help ground a child and help root them in the present moment instead of spiraling into a meltdown. Ask your child, “What are…”:
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- 5 things you can see when you look around
- 4 things you can touch if you reach out your hand and feel
- 3 things you can hear when you turn on your listening ears
- 2 things you can smell once you take a couple of deep breaths
- 1 thing you can taste, even if it’s nothing or the air
Now, there might not always be enough things around to fully complete the game, but the point of this exercise it to notice things, and create a habit of noticing. This mindful activity can help us all slow down to see the glimmers of joy and the beauty of nature.
We are all noticing that the sun is setting later and bedtimes are becoming brighter, so it might be a good time for a new bedtime ritual. Consider going outside before your bedtime ritual begins inside, and notice how the birds and bugs are going to sleep, the sky is getting a wee bit darker, the flowers are closing up, and nature is winding down for the day. You can also use the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 game outside to notice how things shift and change as time passes through the summer season. Helping create a ritual of any kind for summer nights can help little ones know it’s time for bed inside, even if it doesn’t look like it outside.
If you’re ready to read books on noticing, peruse my full noticing booklist, but here are some favorites to pique your interest:
“In the Tall, Tall Grass” by Denise Fleming
This author-illustrator uses paper pulp and handmade stencils to make her books come alive in this story that shows us everything we can see if we take the time to really look.
“Hello Day” by Charlie Mylie
This story, told in the voice of a child, takes us through their day, showing how much there is to do, see, and hear on their journey to and from the library.
“Are You Listening?” by Susan Verde
This story takes us through a day with a child who stops amongst the busy chaos of the world to really listen and take a mindful moment to appreciate the beauty and wonder around us.
“Summer Is Here” by Renée Watson
Rich illustrations help bring the words to life in this book about noticing all of the sounds from a stellar summer day.
“Almost Nothing, Yet Everything” by Hiroshi Osada
A book of minimal words and maximal illustrations begins with a riddle and takes us on a voyage of mindfulness.
Don’t forget you can use our DBRL app to browse our collection and put library materials on hold. We also offer curbside service at certain branches, so you don’t have to wrangle children in and out of the car on chaotic days.
