What is Mindful Monsters?
Mindful Monsters is a fun new way to support Scope. Mindfulness has been shown to help children better understand and manage their emotions. The Mindful Monsters cards and activities, which are contained in packs, are based on the concept of mindfulness. You and your little ones can experience all the benefits of mindfulness while enjoying quality time together through a monthly pack of family activity cards.
Each pack aims to explore the themes of positivity, creativity, concentration and relaxation, as well as promoting a sense of calm for children. From my experience, these are all aspects that can be particularly challenging for adopted children and can be where they need additional support.
When carrying out the activities with your adopted child, the cards get divided into four categories: concentration, positivity, relaxation and creativity. Crucially the activities promote you doing the activities together, enhancing the quality 1:1 time spent with your child/children. Allowing time for this relationship building is so important; we all lead such busy lives and it is easy for the daily grind to take over unknowingly.
The activities within the pack are written on the individual cards; they are simple but fun and include activities such as:
- Positivity– Take it in turns to share three things that make you special. Celebrate what makes you, you!
- Relaxation– Lie down and close your eyes. Squeeze every muscle in your body one by one. Start at your toes and work all the way up to your face.
- Creativity– Talk about your day. What was tricky and what was a treat? Listen to each other’s highs and lows.
- Concentration– Smiling is contagious- as soon as you smile, someone else will smile too. See how many smiles you can pass on today.
I would recommend the Mindful Monsters packs children of primary school age although they are marketed at ‘all children’. The biggest bonus for me is the cost of Mindful Monsters; it is just £7.50 per month or £75 for an annual subscription AND the money raised goes towards, Scope, a charity which supports disabled people. Watch a preview of how Mindful Monsters works here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Tuadjc56M.
For more information or to subscribe please visit www.mindfulmonsters.co.uk.
Written by Jane Lees.
