Mindful Listening Activity

1.Sit with your back straight and your body relaxed, resting your hands gently on your knees, and close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. Notice what it feels like to breathe in and out right now.

2.Listen to the sounds in the room. Relax and listen-they’ll come to you. (Can list examples to help students get started).

3.Ill stop talking for a minute. Let’s listen together. There’s nothing you need to do at all. Sounds will come up all on their own, like little surprise.

4.Talking points: What did you hear? Did anything surprise you? Did the sounds stay the same or did they change? Did you feel more relaxed after hearing some of the sounds? Did you feel less relaxed when you heard other sounds?

TIPS:

  • Remind students that it’s natural for minds to wander, and it happens to everyone.
  • After the activity, you can ask the students to draw a picture of all the sounds they heard.
  • Because listening to sounds can be soothing, it’s a great strategy for self-care.