Paws.b

A mindfulness curriculum for primary school children

Our Paws.b sessions for children are simply a great way to help children feel calmer, improve their concentration and get on better with others whilst having fun!

Equipping our children to deal with life is just as crucial as teaching them their ABC’s.

Mindfulness has great benefits for mental health, and is just as applicable to children as adults.

At direction, our trained practitioners offer Paws.b a specially-designed, classroom based mindfulness curriculum aimed at primary school children aged 7-12 year-olds.

It has been created by a team of classroom teachers and mindfulness experts, all working with the charity MiSP (Mindfulness in Schools Project). The Paws .b programme compliments other services for schools that you may already have in place such as Seasons for Growth and Resilience.

And naturally, the course has been created to appeal specifically to primary school children, and is taught using bold visuals, film clips and fun activities.

The curriculum has six themes, delivered in six weekly one-hour sessions designed to equip children with simple techniques to help them:

Feel calmer, happier and more fulfilled.
Get on better with others.
Improve their concentration, learning and self-esteem.
Cope better with day-to-day stresses and strains.

A full list of what is covered in the 6 lessons can be found here.

Following completion of the course, your dedicated trainer will deliver an additional follow-up session to help the children consolidate what they’ve learned – including the all-important presentation of certificates to all participants!

child holding up hands with colourful paint.

Angie Cameron – direction

Angie is an experienced mindfulness and compassion practitioner, trained by the Mindfulness Association and other Mindfulness organisations to strengthen her expertise of working with individuals and groups. She is also an accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist and has been working in this field for over 25 years. She is passionate about inspiring change in people and helping them to grow and excel.

Gillian – Our Principal Paws.b Teacher

Gillian is an experienced mindfulness and compassion teacher, trained by the Mindfulness in Schools Project to deliver the Paws.b programme. She is also accredited by the Mindfulness Association and by Connected Kids. Gillian takes great pleasure in passing on the benefits of mindfulness, and excels in providing coaching in a nurturing, creative and inspiring atmosphere

Not sure…? Get started with a 60-minute mindfulness taster session for you and your staff

Teaching mindfulness to children, in a way that is specifically tailored to their age group, equips them with tools they can use to help them deal with everyday stresses and maintain their mental health. Rather than worrying about what has happened or might happen, mindfulness trains us to respond skilfully to whatever is happening right now. It’s great for calming kids and keeping them focused!

Mindfulness is now recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and many GPs are referring adults to specific mindfulness courses to reduce stress and help prevent recurrent depression. It is increasingly being used with children and young people and in schools to enhance wellbeing and learning.

In this introductory session your facilitator will:

Explain the basic principles behind mindfulness and the evidence for its potential
benefits.
Describe ways to introduce the Paws. b mindfulness programme to your school.
Give you the chance to try out some of the practices for yourselves.

This session also gives you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like!

“I liked the mindful eating and colouring in.”

“I’ve learned some exercises to calm me down when I’m angry.”

“I think this will help me to concentrate better at school and focus when I’m doing my homework.”

Pupils (Age 8)

“I’ve seen a real difference in some of the pupils, especially those who usually find it difficult to focus. The mindful exercises were perfectly pitched for the age group and the whole class benefitted and enjoyed the course.”

Class Teacher

MISP, mindfulness association and paws b logos