3 Back-to-School Mindfulness Activities for Kids

These simple activities use the power of story to encourage mindfulness as kids head back-to-school

New teacher. New classroom. New routine. New kids.

And sometimes, a whole lot of new WHAT IFS.

What if I get lost?What if nobody talks to me?What if I make a mistake?

When kids are worried, their brains can become incredible storytellers. Unfortunately, those stories aren’t always the kind with happily-ever-afters.

That’s why I love using stories and imagination to help kids navigate big feelings.

For more than 20 years, I’ve been creating story-powered adventures for kids on the page, stage, and screen. And one thing I’ve discovered along the way is that stories don’t just entertain us. They can help us face challenges and build confidence.

So, in honor of back-to-school season, here are three simple, story-powered mindfulness activities you can try with your kids.

1. Rewrite the Story

Kids are very good at writing stories about things that haven’t happened yet.

Unfortunately, their internal screenwriter sometimes has a flair for disaster.

“What if nobody likes me?” “What if I get lost?” “What if I do something embarrassing?”

Instead of trying to shut down the worry, invite your child to rewrite the story.

“What if nobody likes me?” can become:

“What if I meet a new friend?”

“What if I get lost?” might become:

“What if I ask someone for help and find my classroom?”

Or go big:

“What if I have the BEST DAY EVER?”

The idea isn’t to pretend nothing difficult will happen. It’s to remind kids that the scary story their brain invented isn’t the only possible ending.

2. Find the Magic Remote

Ask your child to imagine they’ve discovered a magic remote control.

Not for the TV.

For their feelings.

When a feeling gets really BIG, they can hit the PAUSE button and take a breath before reacting.

When a worry gets too loud, they can turn down the VOLUME.

And when their brain gets stuck on a nervous thought, they can SWITCH THE CHANNEL and choose a different thought to focus on.

You can even make your own imaginary remote together. What other buttons should it have?

REWIND?FAST FORWARD?MUTE?SUPERHERO MODE?

Once imagination gets involved, this becomes more than a calming exercise. It becomes a story kids can step inside.

3. Turn the Worry Into a Character

What does a worry look like?

Maybe it’s a fuzzy green monster.

Maybe it’s a dragon.

Maybe it has seventeen eyeballs, three elbows, and a deeply suspicious mustache.

Ask your child to imagine their worried or negative voice as an actual character.

What does it look like? What is its name? What does it always say?

Maybe Professor Worrywart keeps whispering:

“I can’t do it.”

“I’m going to fail.”

“I’ll make a mistake.”

Now your child can draw the character, write about it, or tell a story about what happens when that character has a positive experience. The activity in the Storyologist’s Guide uses this personification to create some distance between the child and the stressful thought.

And frankly, it’s much easier to argue with Professor Worrywart once you’ve given him a ridiculous hat.

Want All 3 Activities in One Free Guide?

I put these ideas together in The Storyologist’s Back-to-School Survival Guide, a free parent guide featuring three story-powered activities to help kids feel calm, confident, and ready for school.

Download it, grab a pencil, put on your imaginary Storyologist goggles, and start rewriting some stories.

Because back-to-school worries may have a beginning...

But kids can have a hand in writing the middle and end.

Want More Story-Powered Tools?

These activities are just the beginning.

Less Stress Express takes kids on short story-powered adventures filled with fun videos and hands-on activities designed to give them a whole “Calm Case” of tools for handling big feelings and facing new challenges with confidence.

Less Stress Express is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient.

Hop on board and learn more about Less Stress Express.