Mindfulness Activities For Preschoolers

Raising or teaching preschoolers often means days filled with energy, curiosity, and sometimes even a bit of chaos. Right? While their excitement is wonderful, preschoolers can also feel big emotions that they don’t always know how to handle. This is where mindfulness activities for preschoolers can make a big difference.

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be complicated.

In fact, it simply means paying attention to the present moment in a kind and gentle way.

For preschoolers, mindfulness can be introduced through short, playful activities that help them slow down, notice their surroundings, and learn how to manage their feelings.

In this post, we’ll explore what mindfulness looks like for little ones, why it’s so important, and easy activities you can use as a parent or teacher every day.

Why Mindfulness Matters For Preschoolers?

Before jumping into activities, it’s helpful to understand why mindfulness is valuable at such an early age. Preschoolers are still developing important skills like emotional regulation, self-control, and focus.

Mindfulness gives them tools to pause, notice what’s happening inside and around them, and respond in calmer, healthier ways.

Some benefits of mindfulness for preschoolers include:

• Improved focus and attention – Mindfulness can help your little ones concentrate during play and learning.

• Emotional awareness – Your kiddos will begin to recognize feelings like happiness, frustration, or sadness without being overwhelmed.

• Calmer responses – Instead of reacting with tantrums, they learn to take a breath first.

• Better sleep – Relaxing activities encourage rest and winding down at bedtime.

• Greater kindness and empathy – Mindfulness often fosters compassion toward others.

With all of these benefits, it’s clear that even simple mindfulness practices can have a long-lasting impact on toddlers’ growth.

How to Introduce Mindfulness to Preschoolers?

Do you think preschoolers are too young for mindfulness?

The truth is, they don’t need long meditation sessions or complicated techniques.

Instead, they benefit most from playful, short, and engaging activities that help them notice their bodies, thoughts, and surroundings.

Here are a few tips for introducing mindfulness to preschoolers:

1. Keep it short – Just 2–3 minutes is plenty for little ones.

2. Use simple language – Talk about “listening to your breath” or “feeling your feet on the ground.”

3. Make it playful – Turn activities into games or stories.

4. Model it yourself – Kids love to copy adults, so practice alongside them.

10 Mindfulness Activities For Preschoolers

Now let’s dive into fun and simple mindfulness practices you can try at home or in the classroom.

1. Belly Breathing with a Stuffed Animal

Have your child lie down and place a favorite stuffed animal on their belly. Ask them to take slow breaths and watch the toy move up and down. This makes deep breathing fun and visual.

You can also shop these breathing visuals from my Etsy shop. 

2. Listening Walk

Go for a short walk and focus only on sounds. Can they hear birds chirping? Leaves rustling? A car driving by? Encourage them to share everything they notice.

3. Glitter Jar Calm Down

Fill a jar with water, glitter, and glue. When shaken, the glitter swirls around like busy thoughts and slowly settles. Watching it can help your kiddos learn patience and calmness.

4. Five Senses Game

Encourage your child to pause and use each of their senses:

• 5 things they can see

• 4 things they can touch

• 3 things they can hear

• 2 things they can smell

• 1 thing they can taste

This simple game brings awareness to the present moment.

5. Bubble Breathing

Blow bubbles together. Ask your preschooler to take slow, steady breaths to make big, gentle bubbles. It’s a fun way to practice controlled breathing.

6. Mindful Coloring

Offer coloring pages or blank paper. Ask children to focus on the colors they choose and how the crayons or markers feel as they move.

Make sure to snag these free growth mindset coloring pages for your kiddos. 

7. Yoga for Kids

Simple poses like “tree pose” or “butterfly pose” encourage balance and focus. You can even pair poses with a story on growing trees or fluttering butterflies.

I highly recommend checking out Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube.

8. Smell the Flower, Blow the Candle

Have your kid pretend to hold a flower in one hand and a candle in the other. Inhale deeply to “smell the flower” and exhale gently to “blow out the candle.” Repeat a few times.

9. Gratitude Sharing

At the end of the day, or before your child goes to bed, invite them to share one thing they are thankful for. It could be something simple like their snack, a hug, or playtime.

Read this post for more simple ways to teach gratitude to your kids. 

10. Body Scan Wiggle

Guide your preschooler to notice each part of their body by gently wiggling it. Start from their toes and move up to their head. This helps them connect with their body in a fun way.

Making Mindfulness Fun

Preschoolers learn best when mindfulness feels like play. That’s why activities involving movement, stories, or favorite toys often work best.

Here are a few additional tips:

• Use props – stuffed animals, bubbles, or a glitter jar- to make practices more engaging.

• Turn it into a game – challenge your kids to “catch” a deep breath or see who can balance longest in a yoga pose.

• Incorporate nature – outdoor mindfulness connects children to the calming power of fresh air, trees, and sunshine.

Everyday Opportunities for Mindfulness

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be a planned activity. In fact, everyday routines provide countless chances to practice:

• During snack time, encourage your child to really taste each bite.

• While washing hands, ask them to notice the feel of the water and soap.

• Before bedtime, guide them through a short breathing exercise.

• During storytime, pause and ask how the characters might feel.

These small moments add up and help children naturally weave mindfulness into their daily lives.

Model Mindfulness To Your Kids

For mindfulness to become meaningful, children need support from the adults around them. So model calmness, practice patience, and share mindful practices openly with your kids.

When your child sees you taking deep breaths or pausing before reacting, they learn powerful lessons through example.

Consistency also matters.

A few minutes of mindfulness each day, whether in the classroom or at home, will create a foundation that your kiddos will carry with them as they grow.

Planting the Seeds of Mindfulness

Mindfulness activities for preschoolers may seem simple, but they plant seeds of emotional resilience, focus, and kindness that will grow for years to come.

By turning mindfulness into playful, short, and engaging practices, you can easily help the kids in your life develop tools for handling big feelings, staying calm, and enjoying the present moment.

Remember, mindfulness doesn’t require perfection.

Even a few mindful breaths together or a quiet moment of coloring can make a big difference. Over time, these small practices build a strong foundation for lifelong well-being.

So, the next time your preschooler feels overwhelmed or restless, try one of these mindfulness activities. You may be surprised at just how powerful a few calm breaths, a listening walk, or a gratitude moment can be.

Shop Breathing Exercises PDF

If you’re looking for an easy way to bring mindfulness into your home or classroom, check out my Mindfulness Activity Cards for Kids available in my Etsy shop.

These printable cards are filled with simple, engaging activities designed to help preschoolers practice calm breathing, focus, and gratitude in a fun and playful way.

They’re perfect for parents, teachers, or anyone wanting to nurture mindfulness in young children.

SHOP ON ETSY!

More SEL Activities For Preschoolers

Here are some more fun activities and free printables that you can use to help foster a mindfulness practice with your preschoolers:

• Free emotions matching game printable PDF
• Free printable preschool feelings activity 
• Free self-esteem activities for kids
• Free growth mindset activity placemat for kids

Pin These Mindfulness Activities For Preschoolers

Save these mindfulness activities for preschoolers to your preschool SEL Pinterest board so that you can easily find them when needed. And while on Pinterest, please consider following me on the platform.