One of the great things about mindfulness is that it helps us insert pauses throughout the day. Pausing can help us during transitions––when we’re entering the classroom, or when we’re switching from subject to subject. It can also help us when things feel overwhelming. There is power in pausing––because it helps us settle down, regroup, and just connect to ourselves.

Try this Take Five exercise with your students to insert a pause into your day. Watch the demo video and print a poster for your classroom to remind students (and adults) that Take Five is a tool that can be used any time throughout the day.

Take Five Classroom Activity

Invite Your Students to Take Five:

We’re going to take five deep breaths, and we’re going to trace our hand as we do it.

Inhaling when we go up… and exhaling when we go down. You ready to start? Here we go.

Breathing in and breathing out, inhaling and exhaling, in and out, inhaling and exhaling.

One last time, inhaling and exhaling.

Then perhaps while placing your hand on your chest, just notice how you feel right now.

Classroom Discussion Prompts:

Take Five can offer a simple, yet powerful pause during a transition and you might continue to your next lesson plan. If you have time to reflect as a class, you can invite students to share what they noticed during the exercise.

What was it like to insert a pause by taking five?

When might this practice feel good for you?

Maybe when there’s something challenging to do. Maybe before a test or performance, or maybe when you just need to take a break and catch some breaths. Perhaps when there’s a lot to do, or a lot of choices to make. Whatever it may be, you can take five––pause and just breathe in and out.

Bring Mindfulness to Your Classroom

Next Course: Apr 25 - Jun 19

In 201: Mindfulness in the Classroom, learn trauma-sensitive strategies to nurture social and emotional well-being in your classroom. Access the Mindful Schools K-12 Curriculum and Teaching Kit. Educators earn credits.

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