A GUIDE TO MINDFULNESS COLOURING ​IN THE CLASSROOM

In this guide, I will provide you with an easy to understand breakdown of mindfulness colouring in the classroom: what it is, the benefits and how to include it in lessons without compromising on learning opportunities.
If you have any questions and would like to know more, please do not hesitate to email me at teachersresourceforce@yahoo.com.
WHAT  DO  MINDFULNESS  AND  COLOURING  HAVE  TO  DO  WITH  EACH  OTHER?
Mindfulness is essential for positive well-being and mental health in your classroom and you don't need to be a school counselor to help your students - it can all be done in your own classroom, using colouring!
  • It can be easy to rush through your day without pausing to reflect on learning or taking time to just mentally relax, but this becomes taxing on both you and your students. 

  • "Mindfulness" is taking the time to pay attention to the present moment which can have a profound positive effect on mental well-being and can improve capacity to deal with emotions.

  • There have been studies that prove that colouring is said to "calm the amygdala, the part of the brain related to the fear/stress response while stimulating the parts of the brain responsible for creativity and logic."

  • Quote colouring pages are designed to be coloured in as a mindfulness activity, or as a calm down / test stress reliever as for at least 10-20 minutes, your students are focused on the present moment. They are focused on the inspirational and motivational words. They are calm and engaged. They are practicing mindfulness.
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WHY  SHOULD  YOU  BE  PROMOTING  MINDFULNESS  WITH  COLOURING  IN  YOUR  CLASSROOM?
It's tempting to think that once our students hit their teens that they're "too old" for colouring in, or that it's a "juvenile" activity that is a "waste" of teaching time. Well, I'm going to challenge that both those statements couldn't be farther from the truth, and here's why:


  • It can help your students focus on the act of colouring little details versus focusing on intrusive and troubling thoughts. It's an effective way of de-stressing and being mindful.

  • Colouring also has intellectual benefits too! It utilises the frontal lobes of our brains which enhance focus and relaxation and can help with organisational and problem solving skills.

  • The positive phrases on these quote colouring pages are inspiring and as your students are colouring them in, they are able to really reflect on it and think about applying it to their lives.

  • Once coloured in, the pages make excellent motivational classroom decor. Some students have even used them to decorate their lockers or keep in their pockets for when they need some motivation.

  • There's a sense of ownership over these quotes knowing they've personalised them and coloured them in themselves which makes a bigger impact on your students' well-being.
WHAT  ARE  THE  DANGERS  OF  EXCLUDING   MINDFULNESS  AND  THE  ARTS  WHEN  TEACHING  TEENS:
The culture of education is becoming increasingly more stressful every year. As teachers, we have got more and more content to get through and thus students have got more and more to be learning and applying in stressful test situations. Not to mention doing all this with a reduced budget and growing class sizes. It's a pressure pot of stress and if we keep letting it bubble and never take time to practice mindfulness, we are risking exposing our students to the following:
  • increased likelihood of anxieties, fear and stress which negatively affects their resilience.

  • lack of opportunities to be creative and exercise the whole brain.

  • lack of concentration and confidence and increase in poor behaviour.

  • emotional instability. Without giving our students the opportunity to unwind and be mindful for a while, some students struggle to handle the stress and their overwhelming negative emotions.

  • mental and physical burn out.  How are we going to get the best out of our students if they're burnt out and not able to learn effectively?
HOW  CAN  YOU  BRING  MINDFULNESS  COLOURING  INTO  YOUR  CLASSROOM?
Mindfulness Colouring is very easy to implement in the classroom! All you need are a few minutes and some very simple printables. Here's how you can apply mindfulness colouring in your classroom, whatever age you teach:
  • Take 10-20 minutes to dedicate purely to mindfulness colouring. Hand out some quote colouring pages based on whatever theme you would prefer: I have an abundance available for you to choose from including growth mindset, self-esteem or even holiday themes!

  • This activity could be done as part of your daily routine or just when you can "feel" your class need to unwind and de-stress. 

  • If you want to set the mood, you can play calming music and dim the lighting too.

  • It can be done to start the day as a lesson bell ringer, with your tutor group / homeroom class, or during morning meetings. They also make handy early finisher activities and are a lovely reward for those students who have powered through all the work!

  • This activity is very effective before a test to help calm students' nerves, especially when reflecting on inspirational and motivational quotes.

  • We all know how crazy indoor recess can be. Why not hand out these mindfulness colouring pages and let your students take a mental break and calm down for 20 minutes instead of running riot!

  • Get students to colour these quote colouring pages in for other classes to show their support.

  • Choose to decorate your walls with inspirational quotes.

  • After colouring in these pages, you can add a bit more rigor by encouraging your students to spend time analysing the quotes and thinking about how it applies to their learning that lesson. You can use this free quote analysis guide!
RELATED  BLOG  POSTS  ABOUT  MINDFULNESS  COLOURING  FOR  TEENS:
I blog regularly about practical ideas for incorporating Character Education into your classroom. Here is a growing collection you can always refer to:

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Blog posts:
Find more free ideas and inspiration on my Pinterest board:
WHERE  CAN  YOU  FIND  MORE  INFORMATION  ON  THE  BENEFITS  OF  MINDFULNESS  AND  COLOURING:
If you want to learn more about Mindfulness in the Classroom from other professionals all around the world, here's a growing list of some of my favourite links and sources of information:
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“IF YOU WANT TO CONQUER THE ANXIETY OF LIFE, LIVE IN THE MOMENT; LIVE IN THE BREATH." - Amit Ray

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​"BE HAPPY IN THE MOMENT, THAT'S ENOUGH. EACH MOMENT IS ALL WE NEED, NOT MORE." – Mother Teresa

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"TO BE HEALTHY AS A WHOLE, MENTAL WELLNESS PLAYS A ROLE."

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​"THE OLDER I GET, I'M REALLY REMINDED HOW IMPORTANT THE ARTS ARE TO OUR WELL-BEING." - Rhys Ifans

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