Have you ever had a moment where you just stop and think, “I can’t do this right now”? I’ve had those moments…in the middle of a lesson, while kids are talking over each other, and my patience is hanging by a thread. That’s when I knew something had to give—and that’s when I discovered the power of Mindfulness in the Classroom.
During COVID and the year after, everything changed. Kids came back different. Many of them were dysregulated due to being away from routines, structure, and each other. We lost a lot of human connection during the lockdowns.
I had a student that would go into full meltdowns over tasks that I assigned him. The tasks would range between writing a few words down or solve one or two math problems, it was too much for him; he’d start crying, yelling, or completely shut down. And honestly, I did not know how to help him.
That’s when I started learning about mindfulness. I reached out to other teachers. A few veteran teachers told me, “Start small just breathe with your students, give them brain breaks, they can’t handle a large workload right away”
So that’s what I did.
At first, I wasn’t sure it would work, I started introducing short breathing exercises. I would say, “Let’s take a brain break. Everyone breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth.” I I would model it. I’d do it with them.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the paying of attention to the present moment, on purpose, and without any judgment.
Mindfulness helps students become aware of what’s going on in the moment, how they’re feeling, what they’re noticing around them, and how their body feelswithout rushing to react.
According to Merriam-Webster, mindfulness is “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.”
(Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
I often guide my students by saying:
“Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and just notice what you hear, feel, or think.”
That’s it. It’s that simple, and it works.
What Mindfulness Looks Like in My Classroom
I started small. I introduced short, 5-minute breathing breaks throughout the day. After recess, instead of jumping straight into a lesson, we paused. I had students sit quietly, breathe in slowly through their noses, and exhale through their mouths. I’d say:
“Let’s focus on your breath. In… and out… You are here. You are safe.”
Eventually, I added positive affirmations. These have been a game-changer. I guide students to say things like:
- “I am strong.”
- “I can do hard things.”
- “I am calm and ready to learn.”
- “I am loved.”
- I am a reader.”
These moments help my students start to believe in who they’re becoming, rather than carry the negativity they’ve heard or felt in the past.
One of my fourth-graders told me, “Ms. Cheban, I feel so much better saying these affirmations. I believe that I am a reader.” This student struggled significantly with reading in my class, primarily because they lacked confidence in their reading abilities. They needed to believe that they could do it, and that had a lot to do with the words they were saying to themselves. Words have power.
Even Kindergartners Can Do It
I teach Kindergarten, and I can say with confidence: even our youngest learners benefit from mindfulness. In fact, they crave it. This generation is growing up in a fast-paced, noisy, overstimulating world. Mindfulness gives them a moment to just be still.
Breathing exercises not only support mental health, but they also help biologically—they lower heart rate, regulate the nervous system, and reduce stress hormones like cortisol PMC. Even a few breaths can shift students from fidgety to focused.
It’s not just my observations; these are studies that show concrete benefits:
- Classroom-based mindfulness programs improve emotional regulation, attention control, and stress resilience in kids as young as 6–10 years old MDPI.
- Neuroimaging research links mindfulness to stronger development in brain areas like the prefrontal cortex (for attention control) and a calmer amygdala (for emotional reactivity), verywellmind.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15heraldsun.com.au+15.
Tips for Getting Started with Mindfulness in the Classroom
If you’re curious about trying mindfulness with your students, here are a few easy ways to start:
- Begin with just one minute of focused breathing each day.
- Use soft music or nature sounds to help set the tone.
- Try a script: “Breathe in… feel your belly rise… breathe out… feel your body soften.”
- Model it yourself! Your calm energy sets the tone.
- Kids will giggle or resist at first, as it’s new to them. Stay consistent.
Why It Matters
Mindfulness has transformed my classroom. My students are learning how to check in with themselves instead of acting out. They’re starting to recognize their feelings, regulate their responses, and build inner calm. They feel seen and heard, not just academically, but emotionally as well.
And it’s changed me, too. I’m more patient. I pause more. I don’t just react, I respond. We all breathe a little deeper now.
One morning, everything felt a little off. The kids were loud, emotions were high, and I could feel the energy growing tense. I had two students arguing over markers, one was about to cry because someone broke their Lego tower, and I had another one yelling and calling each other names. I could feel myself starting to tighten up. It would’ve been easy to raise my voice or say, “EVERYONE SIT DOWN, LISTEN!” I knew that wasn’t going to help anyone, and especially not me.
Instead, I stopped what I was doing and said, “Watch me.”
I stood still, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath in through my nose… then slowly out through my mouth. I let them see it. I did it again, slower this time. And slowly, one by one, they followed. The noise lowered, their eyes came back to me, and the classroom started to settle. It took a bit of time; however, they knew I was not going to stop until all of them gave me their attention.
Then I turned to one of my students who was still visibly upset. I asked, “Do you want to go to the Peace Corner for a minute?” He nodded and quietly walked over. This space is there for exactly this: a place to breathe, reflect, and maybe use a calm-down tool or the emotion chart. It’s not a timeout corner (which is what I clarify in the beginning of the year to the parents during orientation or back to school night). After a few minutes, he came back and whispered, “I feel better.”
Moments like this remind me that students don’t always know how to regulate on their own, and honestly, sometimes I don’t either. But when I show them what it looks like to pause and breathe, they learn that they can do it too. Modeling calm is powerful. And having a Peace Corner just gives them another safe place to practice it.
What tools do I use?
- Apps: Smiling Mind, Insight Timer Kids, Calm for Schools
- Books: Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey, Mindful Classrooms by Lauren Rubenstein, Breathing is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego, What Does It Mean to Be Present? by Rana DiOrio
- YouTube: GoNoodle Flow, Cosmic Kids Zen Den, The Mindfulness Teacher
I encourage students to use the skills that they learn at school when they are feeling overwhelmed. I later had a parent talk to me during Parent-Teacher conferences about how her daughter was able to calm down using her breathing. The parent was so excited to see their daughter be able to use skills that they’ve learned and applied to their real-world experiences.
A Final Thought on Mindfulness in the Classroom
You don’t need to be an expert to lead mindfulness. You need to show up, breathe, and be present with your students. One mindful moment can change the tone of the entire day or at least help you with the rest of the day.
Honestly, it’s not always perfect. Some days you might forget. I have forgotten sometimes or we just didn’t have enough time. Also, there are days that mindfulness feels rushed or the class is extra wiggly. However, we still do it. We show up for those moments because they matter, little by little, those moments start to shape the culture of the classroom. Soon enough the kids will start asking,
“Could we do mindfulness?”
“Can I go to the Peace Corner?”
“Can we do affirmations before we start?”
“I need a brain break.”
That’s when I know it’s working not because everything is suddenly peaceful and calm but because they’re learning to check-in with themselves. They’re learning their tools of self regulation. They are also learning that they don’t need to explode or shut down when tasks are too hard. They can pause and they could breathe.
And honestly? So can I. Take a breath! You are doing better than you think!
