This week I received two great mindfulness activity suggestions from students. One was to create stress balls out of balloons filled with Orbeez. I like this idea because it is a hands-on activity and easy to prep.

The other suggestion is to create a sampler of different scents using small cups filled with essential oils. Then. students will use popsicle sticks to sample each scent and think about the emotion they feel when they smell it and describe what images come to mind. It was also suggested that the scents be selected to evoke different memories such as a walk on the beach or a hike on a trail. This is a great way to couple mindfulness and ELA since students will need to use descriptive language to complete the activity.

I’m excited to try both ideas but I have to decide which one I should do first. What do you think?