29 Fun Mindfulness Activities to Find Your Center in 2024
It’s no secret that mindfulness activities are an excellent way to improve your mental well-being. By connecting more with the present, you can experience more contentment and peace.
Most people enjoy slowing down and practicing meditation to find their center and feel more mindful. However, there are tons of mindfulness activities besides meditation that can help you feel more present.
But what exactly is mindfulness? And what are the benefits of incorporating a mindfulness practice into your routine? Read on to learn the science behind mindfulness and get inspired with some effective and enjoyable mindfulness activities to try.
Jump to Section
- What is Mindfulness?
- Creative Mindfulness Activities for Adults
- Fun Mindfulness Activities for Kids & Teens
- Best Mindfulness Journals & Books
- Best Mindfulness Apps
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a type of mental state in which one's focus is wholly dedicated to the present moment. The human mind has a tendency to wander — when it wanders, we may find ourselves daydreaming about the future or maybe regretting something we did in the past.
When we practice mindfulness, we practice keeping our attention in the "now," or on whatever is going on at that exact present moment.
The Benefits of Mindfulness
Over the years, mindfulness psychology has found that practicing mindfulness can have some incredible benefits for your health. News in Health mentions that focusing more on the present, rather than dwelling on the past or the future, can have important mental and physical health benefits.
A daily mindfulness practice can help lower your anxiety and depression. It can also reduce your blood pressure and improve your sleep. Discovering mindfulness activities, such as using mindfulness books or mindfulness worksheets, can be helpful ways to practice this essential habit for your health.
So, what are five mindfulness exercises? We’ve compiled a list of the top 29 activities to help you experience mindfulness benefits.
Creative Mindfulness Activities for Adults
1. Learn to Cook
What are examples of mindfulness activities? Think of things that involve focusing intently on a specific task or project — these kinds of activities keep you engaged and in the present moment.
Why not learn more about cooking for one of the best mindfulness activities? Join a cooking class near you — a skilled chef will guide you step-by-step through a recipe to help you feel more present in the moment.
Discover how to roll fresh sushi, create silky pasta noodles from scratch, bake the perfect cookies and more. Find fun cooking classes in Atlanta, cooking classes in New Orleans, cooking classes in San Diego or wherever you're located — you can even join online cooking classes from home.
2. Mold Clay
What are some mindfulness activities for adults and kids alike? Create a unique artwork with clay for a hands-on mindfulness activity. If you’re looking to explore some creative hobbies, joining a pottery class can be a great way to keep you grounded and connect with others.
A talented instructor will help you focus and create cool materials, such as mugs or vases. There are tons of pottery classes near you, including pottery classes in the Bay Area, pottery classes in Houston and pottery classes in Boston.
3. Paint and Sip
Relax with your favorite adult beverage in paint and sip to connect with your center. Arts and crafts for adults are some of the best activities for mindfulness.
An experienced artist will help you learn how to slow down and focus on your artwork, brushstroke by brushstroke. Discover exciting paint and sip in Chicago, paint and sip in Los Angeles and paint and sip in San Antonio. Wherever you’re located, you’re bound to find tons of fun paint and sip near you.
4. Monthly Mindfulness Box
Join a mindfulness club or sign up for a monthly mindfulness subscription box that delivers aromatherapy, crystals and other self-care tools to your doorstep that will guide you on your mindfulness journey.
Even when life gets busy and you forget to practice, a monthly box will serve as your reminder to take some time for yourself and get back into your mindfulness practice.
5. Puzzles
Relax with a puzzle for one of the most entertaining mindfulness activities perfect for any age. Whether you’re a puzzle fanatic or just looking for a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, you can find puzzles with various themes and skill levels.
Try jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles or even a Rubix cube. If you’re searching for perfect relaxation gifts for loved ones, a puzzle is a great way to help them slow down and practice mindfulness.
6. Gardening
What other common activities could you add a little mindfulness to? If you have a garden, practice feeling more present as you tend to your plants.
Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature to help you feel more centered in this everyday activity.
7. The Name Game
Playing the name game is one of the best quick mindfulness activities for adults. Look around your environment and engage your senses to feel more present. Quickly name three things you see, two things you hear and one way you feel.
Fun Mindfulness Activities for Kids and Teens
8. Art Classes
Engaging in creativity is one of the best mindfulness activities for any age. If you’re looking for fun art ideas for teens, there are plenty of activities to help them slow down and focus on the present.
Book an art class to help your teen find community and learn from a talented artist. From painting a masterpiece to learning pottery, help your teen feel mindful through fun arts and crafts.
There are tons of exciting art classes near you, including art classes in Portland, art classes in Dallas and art classes in NYC.
9. Mindful Affirmation Cards
Discover unique mindful affirmation cards for kids for some of the best mindfulness activities as a PDF. These cards will boost their confidence and help them feel more present in the moment.
Each card is written to encourage them to think positively and connect better with the world around them.
10. Music Appreciation
Encourage your teen to try a music appreciation exercise for one of the best mindfulness activities for teens. Have them select one song from their favorite genre of music.
Encourage them to sit in a quiet space, close their eyes and listen to the song. Ask them to ponder how the song makes them feel and to reflect on any new sounds they haven’t heard before.
11. Wiggle and Freeze
Play the wiggle and freeze game for fun mindfulness activities for kids. This activity will help them be more aware of their surroundings using movement.
Play music and encourage them to wiggle, dance, jump, shake or stomp. As soon as the music stops, instruct them to freeze. Ask them to pay attention to any sensations they feel in their body.
12. Fives Senses Scavenger Hunt
Help kids engage in all of their senses with a scavenger hunt. Play this in a classroom for one of the best mindfulness activities for students.
Ask them to look around and name one thing they hear, one thing they see, one thing they smell and one thing they can touch. You can also provide snacks to include one thing they can taste.
13. Bubble Blowing
Assist your kids in letting go of negative thoughts with one of the most fun mindfulness activities. Instruct your child to blow a bubble and imagine putting a negative thought inside of it.
Help them learn that thoughts are like bubbles. They come up and drift away. Sometimes they even pop.
14. Dragon Breathing
In one of the most fun mindfulness activities for kids, help them practice dragon breathing to pay close attention to their breath. This exercise will help them learn how to slow down and become more aware of the present.
First, instruct them to take a deep breath in, filling their belly and chest. Then, tell them to breathe out with fire in a slow exhale.
15. The Sound Game
Play with sounds for one of the best mindfulness exercises. Encourage your child to close their eyes and listen to the world around them.
Ask them to list several noises they hear, including what’s around them or even noises their body is making.
Best Mindfulness Journals & Books
16. Wellness Journals
Wellness journals can be some of the best mindfulness activities for teens. Encouraging them to keep a mindfulness journal can help them reflect on the big and little moments in life — and maybe even see things from a different perspective.
You can even find art journal ideas if they’d like to express themselves a little more creatively.
17. Gratitude Journals
Practicing gratitude can be one of the best mindfulness exercises for any age. Gratitude journals make it easy to list out daily blessings through prompts and activities.
From measuring the big moments to the everyday nuances, engaging in these journal ideas is an excellent way to engage in mindfulness and find contentment.
18. Mindfulness Audiobooks
If you’re interested in mindfulness books, having a subscription to mindfulness audiobooks can be a great way to practice this habit on the go.
With audiobooks consisting of research studies and simple exercises, there’s no better way to feel mindful than while driving or cooking a meal.
19. Mindfulness for Dummies Handbook
Are you still trying to figure out this whole “mindfulness thing"? The Mindfulness for Dummies Handbook is an excellent crash course to learn helpful techniques.
From discovering simple meditation practices to learning all about cognitive therapy, this book can help you discover how to reduce your anxiety and increase your self-esteem.
20. Health and Wellness Podcasts
Listening to a podcast about mindfulness psychology can be an excellent tool to boost your health and wellness. With hundreds of podcasts available from professional therapists and psychologists, you can easily listen to them while performing simple tasks throughout your day.
21. Mindfulness Coloring Books
Mindfulness coloring books can be some of the best mindfulness activities for students to help them find their center. Help them slow down the day and engage in their creativity for a fun exercise.
If you’re looking for the best self-care gifts, these coloring books can be suited for any age and personality style.
Best Mindfulness Apps
22. Headspace
Engage in helpful apps on your phone for quick mindfulness activities for adults. Headspace pairs meditations with fun exercises to improve your sleep and mental health. Manage unhealthy feelings and learn basic skills to increase contentment.
23. Ten Percent Happier Meditation
Try Ten Percent Happier for one of the best mindfulness meditation apps. Build daily habits to lead to more gratitude and contentment.
From guided meditations to podcasts with professional mental health experts, this app is a great way to help you find your center.
24. Calm
From improving your self-care to finding better sleep at night, Calm is another mindfulness meditation app that can increase your quality of life.
Discover meditation techniques and tools to limit anxiety and depression.
25. BetterSleep
Experience mindfulness benefits with the app BetterSleep. With its sole focus on improving your sleep habits, you’ll discover more ways to sleep more soundly and boost your energy throughout each day. Find soothing meditations and peaceful sounds to lead to a full night’s rest.
26. Aura
Aura is a free mental health app for one of the best mindfulness activities. Whether you’re a beginner to meditation or you’re looking for tips to boost your self-esteem, there are tons of virtual courses to help you improve your health and wellness.
27. Unplug
Use Unplug for one of the best mindfulness activities to help clear your mind. With short meditations available from professional trainers, anyone can find the time to practice mindfulness with this app. You can also participate in live sessions to find community while learning mindfulness.
28. Simple Habit
Engage with the Simple Habit app for the best mindfulness activities. Be inspired with daily motivations and participate in guided meditations to start your day off right. Boost your mental and physical well-being with the simple habits built through this app.
29. Smiling Mind
Although Smiling Mind is suited for any age level, it’s also one of the best apps for kids to practice mindfulness. Discover guided meditations to start off your day and learn tools to alleviate the daily stresses of life.
Whether participating in a mindfulness exercise or downloading mindfulness activities as a PDF, there are tons of ways you can benefit from this psychological tool.
From engaging in meditations through an app to practicing being present in a cooking class, mindfulness activities are an excellent way to help you find your center and feel more at peace.
By creating a daily practice of being mindful, you can easily improve your mental health and well-being.
For even more fun relaxing activities, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
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