Create a Calming Canteen and Feel the Benefits of Mindfulness
Create a Calming Canteen and Feel the Benefits of Mindfulness
This fun activity can help ease your child’s anxiety.
Gather Your Materials
- Clean, clear plastic water bottle
- 1 tablespoon of glitter
- food coloring (optional)
- Water
- Super glue or hot glue gun
Make Your Canteen
- With your family, take a clean Plastic Bottle and squeeze a small amount of Glue into the bottle (1-2 squeezes, about the size of a quarter).
- Now add about 1 tablespoon of Glitter to the bottle.
- If you would like to add a pop of color, add 2-3 drops of Food Coloring.
- Fill your canteen with Water.
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Now you are ready to Super Glue or hot glue the top on the bottle to ensure the lid stays on tight. Parents, make sure you supervise use of hot glue gun!
Practice Mindfulness
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Shake your Calming Canteen for 20-30 seconds.
Notice how cloudy it is and how you can no longer see through to the other side. This is how your mind looks when you are upset, overwhelmed or on emotional overdrive. When our mind feels like this we have a hard time focusing, making good decisions and interacting with others.
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Take three deep breaths.
Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you take these deep breaths notice the glitter starting to settle, along with your own mind.
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Notice how all the glitter has settled and the water is clear again.
Do you feel calmer? Is your mind less cloudy? How might you use this activity at home?
