Exploring Mindfulness Through Sound
Sound is around us every day of our lives. From the police siren blaring down the street to the person talking on the phone as they pass us by on the sidewalk and the grumble our stomach makes that makes us realize it’s time for lunch. It’s everywhere but how much of it are you actually noticing? How much of it are you actually listening to?
Merriam-Webster defines listening as the act of hearing something with thoughtful attention.
The point of this is to simply listen. This exercise will help us focus on sounds we don’t usually focus on and bring about the understanding that just because we’re not noticing something doesn’t mean it’s not there.
The Exercise:
Take the kids to a noisy area, I’ve found sitting outside is always the best place. Have them sit down and practice a quiet moment (30 seconds to 1 minute) to see if they can notice all of the different sounds going on outside.
Sitting still and quiet is harder for kids, so if they get distracted, get impatient, or start giggling, that’s ok. You can always shorten the time or turn it into a game to see who can notice the most sounds. Get creative and remember that it’s ok if things don’t go according to plan.
The important part is putting these thoughts and activities in their mind so that they can return to them whenever they feel up for it.
Questions to ask after the exercise:
How many different sounds do you think you heard?
What was the best sound?
What was the worst sound?
If the sound was a color what color would it be?
How do you feel when you hear a loud sound? A soft sound?
Is there a sound that you heard that you don't usually hear?
What was the weirdest sound you heard?
What was the funniest sound you heard?
How did this make you feel?
Observations:
Write down anything that you notice about the kid’s experience: funny moments, good insights, or just something you’d like to share with them. If you’re a caretaker then write down anything you’d like to share with the parents.
Encourage your little humans to practice this a couple of times throughout their day and try and see how many different things they notice. Sometimes you can be surprised at how many different things come up in a short 30-second period!
