Children's hour: Change is all around us
Change can be exciting but it can also be scary. In this session, children will learn that change is a healthy and normal part of life.
Change Is All Around Us: Children will explore and reflect on the life cycles of living and non-living things while learning ways to build resilience. Activities will include storytime, mandala drawing, and pebble meditations. Supplies needed include paper, crayons/markers, and 4 small items such as stones, Legos, beans, etc.
I Can Do Hard Things from Emilie Buckley on Vimeo.
What is pebble meditation?
This meditation originated with Buddhist Zen Master, Thich Nhat Han (Thay) at the Plum Village Monastery in France. Holding a small object allows children to reflect on each item. Children will learn to set intentions and embrace these concepts.
This meditation uses four small items to teach the four qualities of happiness:
beauty/freshness (flower)
stability/solidity (mountain)
peace/tranquility (still water)
freedom/liberation (space/emptiness)
Drawing for inner-peace: Mandalas
Mandala means "Circle" in the language Sanskrit. The circular, continuous drawings are used in many traditions to represent creation and life. What can these drawings say about ourselves?
For resources on mandalas, visit this website: mandalasforthesoul.com/mandala-meaning/
Check out these resources to build upon today's lesson.
Kids Meditations
Sesame Street Monster Meditations
Suggested Apps
Color a Mandala
Mandala Coloring Sheets
Download Mandala Graph Paper
Create Your Own - Mandala Graph Paper