Mindful Games

Book excerpt: A practical and playful guide for cultivating mindfulness in kids, with 50 simple games to develop attention and focus, and to identify and regulate emotions Playing games is a great way for kids to improve their focus and become more mindful. In this book, The Mindful Child author Susan Kaiser Greenland shares how parents, caregivers, and teachers can bring mindfulness into the classroom or home. She provides 50 entertaining games that develop what she calls the new “A, B, C’s”—Attention, Balance, and Compassion—for your child’s learning, happiness, and success, offering context and guidance throughout. She introduces: • Anchor games that develop concentration • Visualization games that encourage kindness and focus • Analytical games that cultivate clear thinking • Awareness games for sensory awareness, self-regulating emotions, and gaining insight into ourselves, others, and relationships Even though the games are designed for kids, they can be just as fun and transformative for adults. Greenland encourages parents and caregivers to develop their own Attention, Balance, and Compassion and to explore the universal concepts that she presents. Our own mindfulness has a powerful effect on everyone in our lives—especially our children. “A wonderful, fun, and engaging way to bring mindfulness into a child’s life.” —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence