Mindful Coloring

The goal of any mindfulness exercise is to focus our entire attention on the present moment. When we are able to fully be in the present, anxious thoughts slip away and we can reach a state of relaxation and peace. Consistent mindfulness practice has been found to lead to lower overall stress levels, better all around focus, and increased feelings of happiness.

Sounds pretty good, right?

But for many of us (adults AND children alike), being told to meditate or "be mindful" makes our anxious thoughts swirl even faster. Am I doing this right? How can I stop thinking about something else? Why am I so bad at this?

If this describes your experience with mindfulness, then mindful coloring might be just what you're looking for. The act of coloring gives us something to focus our full attention on and helps us tune out distracting thoughts. As you color, focus on all five senses. You might think...

• The marker feels cool and smooth in my hand

• I am filling in this oval with red

• I am moving my pencil back and forth in a line

• The paper feels smooth as my hand slides across it

• I can smell the wax of the crayon

If you find yourself having negative thoughts or being critical of your drawing skills, gently redirect your attention to what you're doing and let those thoughts slip away.

This is a great activity to try alongside your child so that you can model the process. I find it helpful to play relaxing music in the background while I color. You can use this activity to warm-up before virtual school, to decompress after school, or to take a break between assignments.

Click here to download your FREE mindful coloring printable pack (pictured below). Happy (mindful) coloring!