Stories to encourage mindfulness

Being mindful helps kids to concentrate, regulate their emotions and sleep better. Sounds amazing. But how exactly do we help children become mindful? Let’s start by reading some stories together.

Reading is actually a pretty great mindfulness activity in itself. Focusing on the book, examining the illustrations and soaking in the words lets the rest of the world fall away. The beauty of these books is that they also encourage mindfulness in other ways. So borrow them from your local library, find a comfy spot and read them with your child.

Not a Cloud in the Sky

Is there anything more mindful than just staring at the clouds? In this story, bird meets a cloud who keeps changing form as it’s shaped by the wind. They have a conversation as the little bird gleefully guesses each of the cloud’s new shapes. It’s beautifully simple and an irresistible invitation to lay a rug on the grass, lie back and look at the clouds. Not a Cloud in the Sky is written and illustrated by Emma Quay and published by Harper Collins Childrens Books.

Tiny Wonders

This is a gorgeously-illustrated book about a girl who totally gets mindfulness. She wishes her town was a little less grey; that people would slow down and wonder at life a little more. So, inspired by memories of her grandmother, she plants seeds. They burst into flowers, brimming with colour and life. Then happiness also blooms in the town. It’s a lovely message about making a difference and the joy in gardening. There’s a fantastic double-page spread showing how a seed grows and beautiful drawings of 32 different flowers with their names and meaning. Tiny Wonders is written and illustrated by Sally Soweol Han and published by UQ Press.

Happy All Over

This delightfully joyful book invites little readers to notice all the ways they can fill their cup with happiness. The jaunty text rollicks along, with roll-off-the-tongue rhyming and repetition that hints at the joy to be found in the pictures. There’s wonder, sharing, fun, friends and surprise – and children will delight in pointing them all out. Explicitly sharing all the little moments that make up a fantastic day teaches children to look for the joy in their own lives, to soak it up and fill up their cups a little at a time. It’s a fantastic lesson in mindfulness, wrapped in a beautifully-illustrated book. The pastel raindrop motif is gorgeous and represents joy and wonder too. Happy All Over is written and illustrated by Emma Quay and published by Harper Collins Childrens Books.

Unplugged 

This is a fantastic book for children who need a gentle reminder to spend a little less time on screens. An adorable robot has a great time playing online until the power is cut. She heads outdoors and enjoys all the same games IRL (In Real Life) – and LOVES it. The predominantly black screentime illustrations are cleverly contrasted with bright, idyllic outdoor scenes and the robot’s endearing new friends. Unplugged is written and illustrated by Steve Antony, published by Hodder Children’s Books.

Grandma’s Guide to Happiness 

This deliciously happy book reminds us of the delight in the small things, like crunchy leaves, playing in puddles and skipping through the sprinkler. The child in the book shares grandma’s wisdom in enjoying a whole host of simple, mindful activities. Every page is joyful in both words and pictures, with fun rhyming and onomatopoeia and a sense of contentment. It’s a lovely book to share and you’re sure to find even more mindful activities to try. Grandma’s Guide to Happiness is written by Andrew Daddo, illustrated by Stephen Michael King and published by Harper Collins Childrens Books.

You may like to try out these mindfulness activities too.