Quiet Time: 40+ Short Mindfulness Exercises for Primary School

Ruhepause is a collection of small mindfulness exercises for primary school that help children become aware of their bodies and calm down. They can massage their ears, interlock their fingers tightly, breathe through one nostril, or draw a horizontal figure eight in the air with their finger. The exercises are suitable for relaxation breaks in class, quiet time in kindergarten, or as part of the evening bedtime routine.

What is included in the material

• Exercise cards with an illustration and a short description of the exercise; colored dots indicate whether it can be done standing, sitting, or lying down
• Overview posters for the wall, showing the exercises with an image and keyword, as a wall version with the headings "Ruhepause", "Achtsamkeit", and "Entspannungspause", or as individual posters
• Exercise lists with the exercise sequences, with the option of the heading "Achtsam den Körper wahrnehmen", "Ruhepause", or "Entspannungspause"
• Teacher's guide with instructions on how to use the material and ideas for using the cards and posters

Tips for using the material

• Together with guidance: The teacher can hold up selected exercise cards or hang them on the board, and the children can perform the exercises together one after the other.
• Draw cards and demonstrate: The children can draw cards randomly from a stack or choose them deliberately. One child demonstrates the exercises, the others follow along, and then it is another child's turn.
• On the digital board the exercises can be shown one by one and performed together, while the teacher guides and moderates.
• Posters in the room can be hung in the classroom, in a relaxation corner, in a quiet room, or in a child's bedroom. The teacher or one or two children can select and demonstrate exercises from them.
• As a reminder teachers and educational professionals can keep the posters in a binder and lead short quiet breaks when needed.
• Close your eyes: The exercises can be done with open or closed eyes. It is recommended to close your eyes, as this helps the children concentrate on themselves more easily.
• Repetitions can be determined by the number of breaths or by a set amount of time.
• Barefoot or in socks some exercises can be performed well, which increases contact with the floor.
• Music such as the sound of the sea, nature and forest sounds, or relaxation music can accompany the quiet phase.

These skills are promoted

• Body awareness through massaging, tapping, and tensing individual body parts
• Conscious breathing through exercises for alternate nostril breathing, deep inhalation and exhalation, and breath-holding
• Flexibility through rotating, stretching, and lengthening the shoulders, hips, legs, and feet
• Calmness and concentration during short quiet and relaxation phases

Organizational tips

A quiet environment is important; if possible, it is advisable to go outside. Before starting, the children should rest briefly.

To complement this, there is the Mini-Workout as an active exercise break, movement cards for breaks in class and at home, and the movement dice.