The Mindfulness Magic Ball is a tool that can help individuals practice mindfulness and cultivate a sense of awareness in their daily lives. It is a physical object, resembling a crystal ball, that provides a focal point for meditation and reflection. The concept behind the Mindfulness Magic Ball is simple: by gazing into the ball and focusing on its presence, individuals can bring their attention to the present moment. This act of concentration allows for a break from the constant stream of thoughts and distractions that often occupy our minds. To use the Mindfulness Magic Ball, one must find a quiet and comfortable space. Placing the ball on a table or in their hands, individuals are encouraged to take a few deep breaths and relax their bodies.
Placing the ball on a table or in their hands, individuals are encouraged to take a few deep breaths and relax their bodies. As they begin to focus on the ball, they are encouraged to observe any thoughts, feelings, or sensations that may arise without judgment. The purpose of the Mindfulness Magic Ball is not to predict the future or provide any specific answers.
A Mindful Kids Practice: The Breath Ball
Kids can learn the basics of mindfulness — how to follow the breath — using a timeless toy: an expandable ball called a Hoberman sphere.
- By Christopher Willard and Andrew Jordan Nance
- May 25, 2018
- Daily Practices
When we teach kids mindfulness, whether it’s at school or at home, it helps to turn the lesson into a fun activity — through play, movement, visualization, and games.
One of our favorite toys for teaching basic breath awareness is the Hoberman sphere, a geodesic dome that can be folded and unfolded. We call this tool the breath ball because we can mimic the movements of breathing through the dome’s movements: as the dome folds inward, we imagine the out-breath contracting; as the dome expands, we imagine the lungs expanding on the in-breath.
The Hoberman sphere might be more remarkable than the fidget spinner. Some are pocket-sized, glow-in-the-dark — others are hundreds of pounds, hanging from museum ceilings. For our purposes, consider what’s most practical or interesting for you and your kids.
Introducing the breath ball to your child or group
Your script can go something like this:
- First, place your hand on your belly. Ask your children if they can guess what you are doing as you make a somewhat exaggerated and loud breath, perhaps in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
- Once they guess that you are breathing, congratulate them and let them know that you are going to teach them how to open up their breath so that their bodies and minds can open up and work their best.
- Then reveal the breath ball, giving it any name that feels right to you. You might settle on the breath ball, magic mindfulness sphere, or even the Breathing Orb, which has a nice sci-fi ring to it that might appeal to some kids.
Explore these five breathing ball activities with your children:
1. Basic Breath Ball Practice
- Using both hands, gently hold the breathing ball in front of your belly.
- Hold one square on opposite sides of the sphere’s surface.
- Take a deep breath in. As your belly expands, let the ball expand with it. (As an added option, make your breath audible so the kids catch on to the in-breath/out-breath pattern.)
- Breathe in fairly slowly, maybe holding momentarily at the top of the breath as you fully expand the ball.
- As you breath out, allow the sphere to contract to its smallest size.
- Repeat a few times and ask if the children are ready to take their turn. You might even count along in a rhythm (in for three, hold for four, out for five, or another ratio that’s easy to remember.)
Mindful Tip: This is a great small group activity. Invite the participants to sit in a circle and pass the breath ball slowly around the circle.
We recommend each student has the opportunity to breathe with the sphere three times and lead the rest of the group in synchronizing their breaths before passing it their neighbor. You can even have a conversation about how everyone’s breath is a little different – faster or slower, deeper or more shallow, more smooth or rough, just like a fingerprint.
You can even have a conversation about how everyone’s breath is a little different – faster or slower, deeper or more shallow, more smooth or rough, just like a fingerprint.
2. Breathing Buddies
Once your child or group has gotten the hang of breathing with the sphere, we can level up to breathing with a buddy.
- Divide the children into pairs. Each pair will share one breath ball.
- Invite each pair to grasp one of the squares on opposites sides of the breath ball. Each pair should be standing (or sitting) with the sphere between them.
- See if they can try to breathe in and breathe out together as they move the sphere together. They might even see if they can find that pause between the in-breath and the out-breath.
Synchronizing the breath bonds the kids and it’s a great way to promote connection, kindness, and community. They can certainly count together, out loud or, for an added challenge, in absolute silence.
3. Group Breathing
- Invite the children to form a circle.
- Select a volunteer to stand in the center — maybe a kid who loves mindfulness, but sometimes kids who get a bit silly can rise to the occasion when we give them a job of leading, although no guarantees.
- The volunteer begins breathing with the breath ball.
- One by one, choose another focused child to join the one in the middle, until the group has all grasped a corner of the breath ball and joins breathing in and out together.
- See how many students can breathe together at once! This is another great opportunity to get a group or class to synchronize their minds and bodies all together.
4. A name game
If the group is needs to learn each other’s name (or you do) in a fast and fun way:
- Invite the children to sit in a circle.
- Find a student whose name you know and ask them, “Chris, can I roll the breathing ball to you?”
- Their response is, “Yes, Andrew, please role the ball to me.”
- You then roll them the ball over to them. They then have the opportunity to breathe three times, perhaps even imitating your unique breath before choosing another participant who they know.
5. No breath ball? No problem
If you don’t have one of these “magic” spheres, or left it at home, or your students are getting restless waiting for their turn, no worries! Simply touch all ten fingers and palms together and on the in-breath, expand your hands out while keeping your fingers touching, to create your very own expanding breathing ball. Then can even do this in pairs facing each other. But it can get even bigger than that! Kids can also stretch their arms way out wide like they are giving the whole world a hug on the inhale, then wrap their arms around their own shoulders giving themselves a hug on the out-breath for even bigger movements. These will help kids follow along even if your budget doesn’t include a line item of breath balls for every kid! You can also follow along with the animation below.
These are just a few ways we like to use the breath ball to give kids a lesson in mindful breathing. The breath ball works as a mindfulness tool, but also a toy that kids can play with when they need to de-stress. But where it gets really fun, like all things with kids, is when we let their creativity soar and they make up their own games and activities. Making big shadows of the ball with a flashlight or a classroom projector, using the ball as a talking stick in group discussions, or whatever ideas you brainstorm together.
Instead, it serves as a tool for self-reflection and self-awareness. By tuning into the present moment and observing our thoughts and feelings, we can gain a better understanding of ourselves and our experiences. The Mindfulness Magic Ball can be used in various ways, depending on an individual's preference. Some may choose to gaze into the ball for a few minutes each day as part of their meditation practice. Others may use it as a tool to ground themselves during moments of stress or anxiety. The benefits of practicing mindfulness with the Magic Ball are numerous. Research has shown that regular mindfulness practice can reduce stress, improve attention and focus, and increase overall well-being. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals can develop a greater sense of self-awareness and enhance their ability to respond to life's challenges with clarity and compassion. In conclusion, the Mindfulness Magic Ball is a useful tool for incorporating mindfulness into daily life. By providing a focal point for concentration and self-reflection, it helps individuals cultivate awareness and connect with the present moment. By incorporating the use of the Magic Ball into their routine, individuals can experience the many benefits that mindfulness has to offer..
Reviews for "The Magic Ball's Guide to Mindful Parenting: Nurturing Mindfulness in Children"
1. Jane - 1/5 - I was very disappointed with the Mindfulness Magic Ball. The answers it gave were generic and unhelpful. I expected more insightful and profound guidance. The ball also lacked a clear instruction manual, which made it difficult to use. Overall, I found it to be a waste of money and time. I would not recommend it to anyone seeking genuine mindfulness practices.
2. John - 2/5 - The Mindfulness Magic Ball is a novelty item that fails to live up to its promise. While the concept of using a magic ball for mindfulness sounds intriguing, the execution is lacking. The answers it provides are too simplistic and do not offer any deep insights. Additionally, the repetitive nature of the responses can quickly become tiresome. As someone who is genuinely interested in mindfulness, I would advise others to look for more effective tools and practices.
3. Sarah - 1/5 - I found the Mindfulness Magic Ball to be nothing more than a gimmick. The answers it gave were vague and did not provide any real guidance or clarity. It felt like a toy rather than a serious tool for mindfulness. I was hoping for something more profound and enlightening, but instead, I was left feeling disappointed and frustrated. I would not recommend wasting your money on this product.
4. Tom - 2/5 - Although the Mindfulness Magic Ball had the potential to be a helpful mindfulness aid, it fell short in practice. The answers it provided felt cliché and lacked the depth I was looking for. Furthermore, the ball itself was poorly made and did not hold up well over time. While it may be an entertaining novelty item for some, I do not believe it offers any substantial value to those genuinely seeking mindfulness practices.