Math and Mindfulness

Math and Mindfulness

If math is a source of anxiety and tension for your child, practicing mindfulness activities before math instruction may help keep them calm and focused. Mindfulness is simply the practice of being present in our current environment (observing how we feel, what we see and hear). Like our own minds, children’s minds are inundated with constant thoughts, distractions, and stimulants every day and all day. This can make it difficult to concentrate and fully engage at times, which can increase stress levels when you are already having trouble with learning a math concept.

According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, your child practicing mindfulness can “support psychological resilience, enhance emotional self-regulation, increase working memory and improve focus and conversation".

To help your child incorporate the practice of mindfulness into their math routine, we will provide seven easy and quick activities you can do with children of all ages. Select a different activity for your child to do at the same time every day. This will help establish a routine while avoiding boredom with doing the same activities.

1. Count Your Breath

For younger children who are just learning their numbers, you can have them do a simple breathing exercise to introduce them to mindfulness. Starting with the number 1, have them breathe in for 1 second, then out for 1 second. Then breathe in for 2, out for 2, breathe in for 3, out for 3, until you get to number 10, or a number of your choice.

2. Blow Bubbles

With this activity, encourage them to focus on their breathing as they blow the bubbles, paying attention as the bubbles form, float away and pop. A similar activity can be done if your child has a pinwheel toy where they can focus on the spinning of the pinwheel.

3. Stretch

 If they have just a short break between classes, have them light stretching exercises like neck and shoulder rolls for a few seconds while focusing on their breathing. Do a quick stretch of the elbows and wrists to loosen the hands and arms from writing. If the weather allows, you can allow your child to get outside and do the activities for a change of scenery.

4. Observe Nature

Go outside and have them focus on their surroundings. Ask them what they see, what they feel (the wind, the sun, the air) and what they smell (pine, snow).  Encourage them to focus on their surroundings and talk about what they observe.

5. Get Moving

Exercise is a perfect mindfulness activity. You can practice math while exercising by assigning a number to each exercise. For example, you can assign a circuit of 5 jumping jacks, 3 lunges, 7, sit up and 4 arm curls.  Have them calculate and tell you how many total exercises they completed while doing each set. Or do some jumping jacks, jog in place, or take a quick walk in the backyard or around the neighborhood.

6. Reflect

Have your child take a few minutes to jot down what has gone well already for their day.  Did they have their favorite food for lunch?  Did they answer a question correctly in another class or do a fun activity? Having them reflect on what has already gone well can help them stay in the positive mindset once it’s time for math class.  

7. Say Positive Affirmations

Recite positive affirmations with your child about math for a few moments before class. Concentrating on speaking the affirmations can help your child to be able to focus and be calm before instruction begins. For example, you can have your child recite the following affirmations before class or encourage them to recite them anytime they begin to feel anxious about math to help them reset and remember what they can do.

â—‹      I am good at math.

â—‹      I am capable of learning math.

â—‹      Math is fun!

â—‹      I can understand math.

â—‹      Math may be challenging, but I can learn.

â—‹      I complete all my homework assignments on time.

â—‹      I do well on all my math tests

â—‹      I am smart.

â—‹      I can learn.

As your child becomes more confident, you can encourage them to create their own affirmations to say.

As you introduce these mindfulness activities your child will look forward to them and you should notice an improvement in their math confidence, which benefits not only math, but other subjects and challenging situations as well.

At Mathnasium, we are here to encourage your child and help turn their math hopes into a reality. Through instruction and application, we can help your child develop natural math confidence. Give us a call or send an email today for your child’s free math assessment and to get started.