Helping Anxious Kids Practice Mindfulness on Summer Break
Image Credit: Unsplash cin . @ciins
Summer break often brings less structure, more freedom, and opportunities for rest and play. But for many children (and their caregivers), this change can also come with challenges. Without the routine of school, some kids may feel restless or overwhelmed by big emotions they don’t yet know how to manage.
Mindfulness can be a simple, supportive way to help children manage emotions over the changing schedules of summer break. It doesn’t require perfection, long attention spans, or special tools - just small, intentional moments of awareness in everyday life.
What Is Mindfulness (and Why Does It Matter for Kids)?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and without judgment. For kids, this can mean noticing how their body feels, what they see or hear around them, or what emotions are coming up.
Practicing mindfulness can help kids:
Build emotional awareness
Improve focus and self-regulation
Feel calmer during stressful moments
Develop resilience and self-compassion
And it can also create moments of connection!
Start Small and Fun
Mindfulness doesn’t have to look like sitting still or meditating (which can sometimes be hard for younger kids). Instead, think of it as focusing attention and curiosity into things your child is already doing.
Try this:
Ask, “What do you notice right now?” during a quiet moment
Turn a simple activity into a “noticing game”
Keep practices short, just 1–3 minutes is enough
The goal isn’t to get it “right,” but to build awareness over time.
Mindful Moments You Can Try This Summer
1. Mindful Breathing (with a Twist)
Instead of asking your child to “just breathe,” try making it visual or imaginative:
Pretend to smell a flower, then blow out a candle
Place a stuffed animal on their belly and watch it rise and fall
Count breaths together slowly
These small exercises can be especially helpful during moments of frustration or overwhelm.
2. Nature Noticing
Summer is full of sensory experiences, making it a perfect time for mindfulness outdoors!
Encourage your child to:
Listen for different sounds (birds, wind, cars in the distance)
Notice colors, shapes, or patterns in nature
Feel textures like grass, sand, or water
You might say, “Let’s find five things we can see, four things we can feel…” to gently guide their attention.
3. Mindful Eating
Snack time can become a simple mindfulness practice:
Notice the color, smell, and texture of the food
Take a slow bite and talk about the taste
Pause between bites
This can help children slow down and become more aware of their bodies and senses.
4. Feelings Check-Ins
Summer can bring big emotions like excitement, boredom, frustration, even anxiety.
Practice check-ins like:
“What’s your feeling right now?”
“Where do you feel that in your body?”
“What do you think your feeling needs?”
5. Quiet Time (Without Pressure)
Not all kids will take to structured mindfulness practices - and that’s okay.
You can still create mindful space by:
Setting aside a few minutes of quiet rest time
Offer drawing, coloring, or building as calming activities
Turning off background noise for a short period
These moments help children reset, even if they don’t label it as mindfulness.
Parents Need Summer Support Too
It’s important to acknowledge that summer can be demanding for parents and caregivers as well. You don’t have to do this perfectly. Reach out to learn more about supportive parent coaching.
Read More About Emotional Regulation in These Blogs:
Support for Your Childs Big Emotions
Some days, mindfulness might feel out of reach - for you or your child. That’s okay.
If your child resists, seems uninterested, or becomes silly during these exercises, it doesn’t mean it isn’t working. It just means they’re being a kid.
If you’re looking for additional support or guidance, the St. Louis counselors at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis are here to help.
Reach out today to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation to learn more about St. Louis child, teen, and young adult counseling as well as St. Louis parent coaching.
Are you googling around for “Play Therapy St. Louis” or “anxiety therapist St. Louis”? Looking for anxiety therapy or child therapy in St. Louis? Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As child anxiety experts, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Couer, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your first free consult on this website, on our consultation page.