Valentine’s day is the perfect opportunity to mindfully reflect upon the good in our lives- be it love from family and friends, enjoyment from hobbies, or peace found through meditation. There are so many excellent mindfulness resources for students out there that teach them mindful practices or engage them in positive reflection. This resource list has everything from mindfulness crafts to heart-opening yoga to bring a little extra delight to your Love Day celebrations!
1. Pocket Hearts
These tiny pocket hearts are a simple and sweet reminder of the comfort that love brings. Repetitive tasks like sewing are mindful pursuits that can help bring calm to your classroom. Set out a few sets of scissors and some felt, then get creating!
Learn More: Paper and Glue
2. Heart Sensory Bottle
Sensory jars are a wonderful tool to keep in your “cozy corner” or calm-down toolkit. Teach students to shake the bottle and breathe slowly as the contents settle. This reminds them that they are always capable of calming their minds with a little extra attentiveness!
Learn More: Teaching Mama
3. Flower Petal Sweep
A mindful task that also teaches a useful life skill! Students will use a brush to sweep flower petals into the shape of a heart. This super simple activity requires focus and brings the satisfaction of completing a task. The flowers add a scented sensory element too!
Learn More: Little Pine Learners
4. Heart Nature Weaving
Being in nature is a mindful activity in itself. While you explore outdoors, collect pieces of nature that you find beautiful, and use them to make these lovely heart weavings. Simply attach rubber bands to cardboard hearts, and students can add their nature treasures!
Learn More: Little Pine Learners
5. Love Potion Lava Lamps
This whimsical lava lamp craft is a perfect sensory tool for helping students calm themselves by providing something magical to focus on. All you need is a few simple kitchen items and some glitter! Teach students to track the colorful bubbles whenever they need to relax or reset.
Learn More: Hello Wonderful
6. Affirmation Stones
Rather like the pocket hearts earlier in this list, affirmation stones are a tangible reminder of whatever intentions your students choose to set for their immediate future. Decorate river rocks together and add some encouraging words. Send them home with students to keep as a memento!
Learn More: Kumarah Yoga
7. The Shape of My Heart
Let The Shape of My Heart’s colorful illustrations be the inspiration for this mindfulness craft! Children will create intricate heart designs that include all the special things that bring love to their lives. Pondering these happy elements of their life as they color will bring extra cheer to your Valentine’s celebrations!
Learn More: Art is Basic
8. Calm Heart Craft
On the day of love, encourage students to also consider what they love about themselves! With this simple heart craft, students will practice positive self-talk while they list the fantastic things unique to them. The prompt encourages them to breathe deeply while they focus on these good attributes.
Learn More: Calm Ahoy Kids
9. Feeling Hearts
These heart drawings are an excellent way for children to begin to identify their feelings, an important social-emotional skill in elementary grades. Children will color designs to represent their current emotional state. Use them as a morning check-in activity or in guidance lessons as a therapeutic tool.
Learn More: Art It Out Therapy
10. Mindfulness Poster
This decorative poster encourages children to do some mindful drawing and coloring as they consider the people, places, and things that bring love and fulfillment to their lives. You can use this as a standalone lesson or set it out as a free-time activity during the month of February.
Learn More: Twinkl
11. Mindful Coloring
Children will love coloring these intricate heart designs that require them to concentrate on a detailed task while clearing their minds. Set these out as an early finisher activity or an option for quiet time tasks! Add some scented markers for an extra sensory element.
Learn More: Twinkl
12. Heartfulness Breathing
One simple heart-breathing task to try for mindfulness is to form this shape with your hands, then let it expand as you breathe in and contract as you breathe out. It simulates the beating of our real hearts and provides students with a specific focus for breathing and finding calm.
Learn More: Kumarah Yoga
13. Partner Heart Pose
Have your students work together to try this heart-opening yoga pose in pairs! Children will become aware of the different ways their bodies can stretch and move, and you can encourage them to focus on intentions like showing love or appreciation as they hold the pose.
Learn More: Kumarah Yoga
14. Heart Deep Breathing Exercise
This simple heart-breathing exercise is perfect for a quick reset for your class. Make a copy of this resource for each student to keep on their desk. When things start to get a bit over-energetic, encourage students to trace the arrows as they breathe in and out to calm their bodies.
Learn More: The OT Toolbox
15. Valentine’s Day Movement Story
Check out this amazing movement story to bring a little exercise to your Valentine’s day read-aloud! Use the printable or digital version to tell the story while students act out the different parts. They’ll be using their powers of focus and concentration to follow along, and have some fun along the way!
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
16. Cosmic Kids I Love You Yoga
Cosmic Kids has several Valentine’s and love-themed yoga videos. Try this sweet yoga journey teaching about love and kindness to children! This is the perfect opportunity to engage in exercises with students and be a little silly. It’s a mindfulness practice that your students will definitely enjoy!
Learn More: Cosmic Kids Yoga
17. Cosmic Kids Valentine’s Day Yoga
Cosmic Kids is also a phenomenal channel for kids yoga “adventures.” Try this lovely Valentine’s-themed lesson to get some movement in on those cold, February indoor recess days! Mindfulness doesn’t always have to mean being still or quiet; it can also mean engaging in a focused activity like yoga!
Learn More: Cosmic Kids Yoga
18. Valentine’s Day Mindful Minute
If you need a quick, child-friendly activity for transition times, try this “mindful minute” breathing exercise. Students track floating hearts with their eyes as they slowly inhale and exhale. The deep breathing task will calm their hearts and minds to prepare for more learning or wind down for a rest!
Learn More: Rebecca Meyer
19. Floating Hearts Background Music
Set the scene for all of your mindfulness activities with this peaceful music video of gently floating hearts! The calming sounds will make your classroom setting an ideal place to reflect and experience feelings of well-being. Play it during quiet time or as you complete some of these other mindfulness exercises!
Learn More: Art With Ashley
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