Infusing mindfulness into your classroom: Strategies for enhancing social emotional development

Extant literature suggests that early self-regulatory skills serve as the foundation for children’s behavioral and academic competence, and thus serve as an important target of intervention, particularly during early childhood when children are acquiring these foundational skills. One strategy for enhancing self-regulation that is rooted in, and reflective of, a trauma-informed approach is mindfulness-based practice in early childhood education. Mindfulness programs for preschoolers are particularly appealing because they target these early self-regulatory processes that contribute to both the cognitive and socioemotional domains of school-readiness and thus have the potential to significantly impact children’s developmental trajectories. Moreover, with an emphasis on refining concentration or attention and strengthening impulse control within a nonjudgmental framework, mindfulness interventions may impact both the top-down (cognitive) and bottom-up (stress/emotional reactivity) processes involved in self-regulation. Thus, these programs may be particularly powerful for children with a history of chronic stress or trauma, as they are at increased risk for deficits in executive function (e.g., working memory, inhibitory control, attention flexibility), as well as compromised physiological functioning (e.g., elevated cortisol levels, reduced immune response). This research-focused poster reviews findings and highlights themes from recent mindfulness-based programs for preschool children, including three specific interventions led by the primary presenter. The poster will also share suggestions for building a practice and integrating it into the classroom in a way that is developmentally appropriate, connected to the curriculum, and sustainable. Example mindfulness-based exercises and other resources for educators (e.g., children’s books, props, links to video practices) will be included.