5 Ways to Inspire Mindfulness in Children Through Reading
Mindfulness educator Olga Dombrovska shares gentle, everyday practices that not only boost literacy but help children slow down, feel calm, and develop emotional skills.
12 January, 2026 ● Written by Olga Dombrovska
Illustration: Victoria Kovalenko
When children read, they enter a world where time slows down. They listen to their own thoughts, imagine new possibilities, and notice how stories make them feel. This quiet attention is mindfulness in its gentlest form. By weaving together reading and moments of reflection, we help children develop a natural awareness of themselves and the world around them. These small practices invite presence, curiosity, and emotional understanding into everyday life.
1. Create a daily reading pause
Choose one gentle moment each day for reading together, even if it is only a few pages. Let this moment be unrushed and free from devices so the story becomes a small island of calm. Over time, children come to recognise this pause as a place where they can settle, breathe, and simply be present with a book.
2. Use stories to name feelings
When a character feels worried, excited, shy, or brave, take a moment to name it together. Children learn that emotions are part of the story and part of their own inner world too. This simple practice helps them recognise and accept their feelings without judgement, building emotional awareness through the safe distance of fiction.
3. Begin with three breaths
Before opening a book, invite children to take three slow breaths together. You might say, “Let’s take a moment to settle in before we begin.” This tiny ritual helps children transition from busyness to presence. The rhythm of breathing mirrors the rhythm of the story, and over time, reading becomes naturally linked with calm and focused attention.
Illustration: Victoria Kovalenko
4. Keep a “Family Story Notebook”
Invite children to draw or dictate their own small stories and feelings in a shared notebook. This builds emotional awareness and shows that their inner world is worth noticing and remembering. The notebook becomes a gentle record of what matters to them, a place where imagination and reflection meet on the page.
5. Explore mindfulness through cards
Mindfulness cards designed for children offer creative prompts that encourage presence and self-awareness. A card might invite them to imagine a favourite place, pay attention to their breath, or notice what they are feeling right now. These playful activities help children explore their inner world through imagination, building emotional understanding without pressure.
Mindfulness Cards for Kids
This beautifully illustrated deck of 40 cards helps children aged 4 and up build emotional awareness, focus, and inner calm. Each card invites children to pause through simple practices like breathing exercises, body awareness, or moments of gratitude and imagination. The cards can be used by one child, shared with a friend, or explored together as a family. They fit into daily life in gentle ways: during playtime, as part of a bedtime ritual, or whenever a child is navigating big feelings.
At STORYVOR, we love these cards for the apparent care that has been put into creating them. They’re simple, easy-to-use, and appealingly illustrated with images created by a professional artist using traditional methods. If you’re searching for ideas to help build mindfulness in an accessible way, these cards are a great place to start.
Editor’s note: No exchange of funds took place for the writing of this article or the inclusion of this product.
Olga Dombrovska
Contributor
Olga is a certified mindfulness teacher for children and adults, based in Geneva, and the creator of the Mindfulness Cards for Kids. With a deep commitment to nurturing emotional awareness in young people, she works with families and community groups to bring mindful practices into daily life. As a parent herself, she understands the challenges of raising children in a fast-paced world. She believes in the power of small, intentional moments to create lasting calm and connection.
