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Emotions like fear, anger and sadness can be painful, but they serve important functions for our survival. Anger can energize us to solve a problem, to stand up for ourselves and others, or to try to right an injustice. Worry and fear alert our brains and bodies about possible dangers. They also give us signals that maybe something isn't working and help us to see that we need to make a change in our behaviors or life situations. When worry and fear turn "on" they give our brains a signal or message to be aware of possible dangers or problems. Once...

Attention to the breath is a foundation of mindfulness meditation practice. Research has shown that mindfulness meditation reduces stress, increases the ability to self-calm, and decreases emotional reactivity, depression and anxiety. Many children (and adults!) have difficulty calming the mind and focusing on the breath, especially when they struggle with attention, concentration, and being still.  One of the ways to help children to prepare to engage in the practice of paying attention to the breath is to use fun activities to build breath and body awareness. The typical breath cycle has four parts: inhale, pause, exhale, pause. Here are some examples of activities that...

Children of all ages argue, fight, break things, yell, scream in frustration, take things from others, complain, and speak disrespectfully to others.  These behaviors often occur as a natural reaction to the struggle to fulfill their needs, express themselves, and to cope with difficult life situations. Not only do adults tend to focus on these challenging behaviors, but other children do as well, in the form of tattling. Research shows that humans are neurologically wired to have a negativity bias, which means that we more easily notice the negative things that happen, focus on them longer, and are more likely to talk about...

Welcome to the Little Lotus website. I have developed these products with love, and with the assistance of many exceptional children. I have used these songs and activities with children of all ages and abilities in private therapy, in research, and at home with my own children. I hope that they can help other parents, therapists and educators to support children to live more mindfully, engage in self love and self-kindness, and build resilience in these difficult times. These activities are a part of a comprehensive mindfulness-based social emotional learning curriculum, called OpenMind. This curriculum will be available in the Fall of...