Bed Time Beads

This is a fun way to set some mindfulness around resting and closing the day.  This is geared for 8 and ups.

What you need:

5 wooden beads (3 for littles)

30 in cord

felt tip pens

water color paints(optional) 

How to make with your kiddos:

With the felt tip pen write the following list of words so that each bead represents each word.  Loved, Kind, Special, Belong, Grateful.

If you are making a set for a younger sibling or younger child( 3 beads with pictures work best).  A child’s face(representing them), a sun, a moon with stars.

Paint with watercolor paint - this will dry pretty fast.

String the beads tying a knot between each one.



How to use:

Each night when you are tucking in your children go through each bead with the questions:

When today did I feel “loved” or make someone feel “loved”?

Note:  make sure to do this alongside your children.  These don’t have to be major things.  It could just be how you were grateful for the sunset you watched or how you loved when your child gave you a hug goodnight.  

If your child doesn’t have an answer that is fine just go through all of them and share yourself.  The important place to focus is that you are reflecting on the day in way that makes things feel content and complete as a practice.  Soon your child might join in.  There is enough research on the impact of mirror neurons and how our role modeling as adults can directly imprint our children’s own neural connections.