One easy strategy for mindfulness during distance learning is to use the resources that students have with them at home. Here’s an easy one: the sounds!

During a video session, ask students to listen carefully for one minute for any sounds that they hear in their home that they wouldn’t normally hear at school.

Mute students for one minute and allow them to listen.

At the end of the minute, ask students to raise their hand if they want to share any sounds they heard. They may hear the sounds of pets, siblings, birds, sirens, cars driving by, water from a sink, or any other sounds. You can conclude this activity by saying something like, “We heard a lot of sounds when we practiced mindful listening! We can hear lots of noises at our house that we don’t always hear at home when we aren’t paying attention! When we listen mindfully, we can pay attention to sounds we might not notice. This is called focused attention, and when we practice this, it helps us learn!”