Mindfulness Club for years 5 and 6
Mindfulness club is run on a Monday lunchtime for years 5 and 6.
In term 1 we learnt about, ‘the reptile brain’ as coined by American neuroscientist, Paul D. MacLean. We learnt how this part of the brain is essential for survival but can, on occasion, be unhelpful to us.
MacLean’s model of Triune Brain hypothesis.
To help us to understand, we met SYDNEY THE SNAKE!
We also used our hands to make our own ‘model’ of the brain.
The reptile part is called the amygdala!
Once we had learnt about our brain and how and why we might, ‘flip our lid’. We practised some activities to calm us down.
Five Finger Breathing:
Body Scan:
Visualisation:
“Get into a comfortable position. Sitting upright or laying down. Relax. Close your eyes. Imagine you are in a beautiful meadow. The sky is blue and cloudless, it is warm with a small breeze. All around you are green trees, long grass and flowers. It is peaceful and pleasant and safe.
You are alone, but you are not lonely or frightened. You feel content. You notice that you are holding soft, silky ribbon. You look and realised you have a bunch of balloons in one of your hands. They are filled with helium.
Look up at the balloons. Imagine what they look like? What colour are they? Are they your favourite colour? What shape? How many do you have?
Imagine that each balloon represents a thought or worry. Let go of one balloon. Watch it slowly and calmly begin to drift upwards into the peaceful, blue sky. Keep watching as it grows smaller and smaller and drifts into the distance. Do this for each of your balloons. Each thought and worry is floating away with each balloon. Focus on watching each balloon. If another thought enters your head, address it - say ‘thank you’ and then let it go with a balloon. Now is for calm, now is for rest, now is for watching balloons only.
Imagine now you are left with one balloon in your hand. As you watch this one it slowly begins to grow bigger. As it does so your body begins to lift off of the ground. You begin to float up into the sky. You feel safe and calm. You keep looking up and know that you are safe. You and your special balloon float higher and higher.
Now watch the balloon become smaller and slowly deflate. You gently come down to the ground. You feel your toes on the grass once more. You feel light. You feel relaxed. You feel thankful.”
Visualisation story written by Ms Kerridge
In term two we are looking at self-esteem. We will soon be making our own affirmation cards.
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