Elemental Kids: Bucket List

 Hey friends, Laura here! I hope everyone is beginning to embrace a Mind Full of Love this summer!  Now, that we have a knowledge on mindfulness I thought we could discuss and create a special activity to help your families continue this path.  So, let us maintain a feeling of true connection with our families through creativity.

We're going to create a KID BUCKET LIST!!!

And you know what's great about this?? Mom, you get to take a load off! Parents spend so much time trying to entertain kiddos - you're expected to have all the answers and fun ideas., but sometimes you just dont have the energy or time. Thats where the bucket list comes in! So let's jump in! 

kid bucket list

Materials needed:

When creating an art activity children, love to have options.  Giving them a variety of materials will allow their imaginations to expand.

  • Pencils
  • Crayons
  • Markers
  • Watercolor Paint( Art trick-a cup of water and paper towels, giant paper or old sheet to cover the table to help with an easy clean-up)
  • Colored Pencils
  • Tape (Art Trick- tape your child’s paper to the table, so it doesn’t slide)
  • Space with a table to complete activity(Art Trick-  take the activity outside is another way to have an easy clean-up)

Side note- I understand it is difficult to allow your child to use “messy” materials to create a project, but your child will learn and grow their creativity skills and fine motor skills from exploring different writing and art material, so finding a designated area for this expansion is helpful!

How can we incorporate mindfulness when completeling this project?  

While your child is coloring or painting, continue to explore the tips given before, like, the five senses especially if your family decides to complete the activity outside.  What are you feeling, smelling, hearing, seeing, and tasting should not be included in this activity :) See if your family can discover this idea on their own, haha.

 

Bucket list prompts/ideas/suggestions:

 

Cooking with Kids
  • Before beginning this activity, discuss “What is a Bucket List.”  Remember to use language you know your child will understand and follow.  For example: You can break down the two words. What is a bucket? What is a list?  Why do we create lists? Then begin to bring it all together.
  • Continue using words your child can relate with, but introducing new words (only a few at a time depending on the age of the child) will help build their vocabulary.  
  • A bucket list is an account of your favorite activities you want to do or maybe you haven’t ever done and have always wanted to, a list of places you would like to go, a list of people you would like to see.  Think who, what, where.
  • Share ideas and locations, like cooking a specific treat, having breakfast together, capturing lightening bugs or visiting a local shop or attraction. 
  • Who would you like to go see (a family member,  a friend, a show with your favorite singer or TV show) Where are your favorite places to go or would like to go( http://www.mcwane.org/learn/kids-family/, https://www.birminghamzoo.com/education/kids-families/, http://birminghamparent.com/directory/article/birmingham-parents-2018-summer-camp-directory/ ), What are your favorite activities (swimming, riding your bike, going to your favorite ice cream or candy store, playing board games, going to your favorite playground in town)

Ideas to help you carry out the list & stay accountable:

After completing your bucket lists keep them in a place to “show them off” and where everyone will be sure to see it. I know when I need to stay accountable I make sure I can see the task or idea for a daily reminder.  My mind is a camera and it takes a picture of the idea or task I need to remember. Children love to see their work showing off and they will point it out and help to remind you(this happens in my classroom daily;I have thought about creating a classroom job for reminder helper :)

After you have completed the project, sit down as a family, take out your calendar, and schedule in one day a week or one every other week ( depending on your schedule) from your lists to do.  To help with mindful behavior you can create a sticker chart or good deed jar for your family to practice mindfulness and accountability. If they showed you mindfulness or accountability they receive a sticker or pom pom to put in the jar.  When they fill up the sticker chart or jar they get to pick one activity from their bucket list.

FYI:  These activities can meet any age. For a teenager they make think some of it is silly.  Just change it around some to challenge them. They could draw their own bucket and create their own list, you could do a money jar for each time they showed mindfulness or accountability, and when they reach a certain amount then they can use that money for one  of their items on their list. For a child who might struggle with writing then they could draw what they want on their list, or take a highlighter and have them trace the letters.

You can create your own or download this template to get started!

Leave us a comment below and let us know how this works in your family or send some pictures below of your families Bucket lists  :)

Yoga is for All Love is for All or  From my heart to yours,

Laura

 

Emilie MaynorComment