3 Mindful Games for Kids (5 Mins or Less)
What are mindful games?
A mindful game is exactly what it sounds like: a fun or gamified activity to practice mindfulness in low and higher stress settings, in order to get better at reacting and utilizing those skills when needed, both in these game forms and not.
Mindful games, and mindful play more generally, are engaging methods for teaching the skills of mindfulness in a way that young children and students are receptive to, especially when silent meditation is too advanced.
Mindful Game #1: Count to Ten as a Team
This is best done in a group, but can work with as few as two people participating.
The object of the game is to count to ten collectively without interrupting or repeating each other. If either of those things happens, the participants that are counting start back at zero.
This game encourages mindfulness by forcing all participants to be directly in the moment, paying attention only to the others playing.
It’s not uncommon for this game to get competitive, which is not a bad thing and can be beneficial when it increases engagement and focus.
When participants are only focused on themselves and the people directly around them, they are forced to be aware of the present moment.
How to Play
To play, sit across from each other, in a circle, or otherwise so that everyone can see each other clearly.
Once the game has been started, no one can say anything other than the relevant numbers.
Begin with one player starting at ‘One’ and move forward from there.
The goal is not to establish a pattern of any kind, but rather notice and communicate silently who is planning to and who will say the next number.
If you mess up, start back at one and try to reach the number again.
If counting to ten feels too easy, try for fifteen, or twenty, or any other number!
Mindful Game #2: A-Z ‘Scattergories’
This game requires players to be aware and in the moment as they think of examples of things that belong to a specific category through each letter of the alphabet. It also requires players to pay attention and remember other people’s answers to avoid repeating something that was already said.
This game helps kids practice mindfulness through focus, thinking quickly, and bringing the mind back to the present moment when it gets distracted.
How to Play
This mindfulness game can be played alone, but it is best when played in a pair or small group.
First, pick a category such as places, restaurants, types of food, movies, TV shows, or anything else that has a wide variety of options.
Then, go through the alphabet from A to Z and name one thing that belongs in the category that begins with your assigned letter.
When playing in a group, or even by yourself, the goal is to be completely focused on the current letter of interest, not thinking ahead to what you will say for something specific or making judgements of what other answers are being given.
Once you have gone all the way from A to Z, you can go all the way through the alphabet again with another category.
For a more advanced version, you can do the same category as round one without any repeats from the previous round!
Tip: If remembering the order of the alphabet is difficult during the game, you can have it visible in front of you on a card or chalkboard.
Mindful Game #3: Play 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 with the Senses
A common grounding technique used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and with individuals with high anxiety is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique. While it can be used specifically for distress tolerance, a similarly gamified version can also be used as a form of mindful grounding.
This exercise is best done individually or with one or two other people max. It is useful in settings where you may not be able to leave right away, or may have to rely on yourself in the moment to come back to the moment.
To practice this, relax and focus on your body and the things it is reacting to or not reacting to, rather than the ways it is reacting.
How to Play
Take a breath, and then go down the list:
See: Name 5 things in your surroundings that you can see (e.g. a person across the room, a potted plant, a pencil, etc.)
Feel — Name 4 physical things you a touching or are touching you (e.g. the chair you’re sitting on, the wind blowing your hair, etc.)
Hear — Name 3 separate sounds you are able to identify (e.g. traffic passing by, birds chirping outside, someone talking, etc.
Smell — Name 2 distinct smells around you (e.g. the lotion you just used, someone's lunch, etc.)
Taste — Name 1 thing you can taste (e.g. remnants of a food you recently ace, the gum you are chewing, etc.)
