Practice Five-Finger Breathing and Mindfulness with This Easy Turkey Craft
Mindfulness meets holiday cheer with this fun family craft. Crafting a turkey out of your little one’s hand will allow them to explore many foundational skills and learn how to use their fingers as a breathing tool.
Five-finger breathing is a mindfulness technique that teaches children how to pause and use their fingers to take five deep breaths. Because it can be done anywhere and anytime, this activity is especially useful when children don’t have access to physical items that make up a mindfulness toolbox. It also allows children to process big emotions, connect to the present moment and feel grounded.
Have children practice this breathing exercise on their own fingers as well as on the turkey craft for a great mind/body connection.
The Technique
- Start by placing one hand in front of you or on the ground.
- Spread your fingers apart.
- Using the pointer finger of the opposite hand, begin to trace up the outside of the thumb as you inhale deeply.
- Trace down the inside of the thumb as you exhale.
- Repeat this for the remaining fingers making sure to inhale as you trace up the finger and exhale as you trace down.
- Pause afterward to reflect on feelings and repeat as needed.
Learning Goals
This activity will help your child:
- Count numbers 1-5
- Identify colors
- Refine fine motor hand skills
- Explore textures
- Use breathing techniques to quiet the mind and calm the body
- Make mind/body connections as they pertain to mindfulness
Materials
- Construction paper (brown, red and yellow)
- Feathers
- Googly craft eyes
- Popsicle stick
- Glue
- Scissors
- Pencil
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Trace the hand. Place the child's hand on the brown paper and spread their fingers. Use the pencil to trace an outline.
2. Cut the hand outline. Use scissors to cut the hand outline. This will be the turkey’s body.
3. Give your turkey an eye. Paste the googly eye on the thumb to form the turkey’s eye.
4. Feather fun! Glue feathers on the remaining four fingers. Gluing them on both sides of the paper will give a fuller appearance.
5. Little details. Using the yellow paper, cut a small triangle to form the turkey’s beak. Using the red paper, cut a small oval to form the turkey’s snood.
6. Puppet or feet. Glue the popsicle stick to the back of the turkey. You may use just one for support or make the turkey resemble a puppet or use two to form the turkey’s legs. It’s your craft, be creative!
Keep the Conversation Going
- Use your fingers to name things you are thankful for.
- Use your fingers to create “I AM” affirmation statements (i.e., “I am kind.”)
- Use breathing as a way to explore body parts and the different ways they function (i.e., nose, mouth, lungs).
- Use extra feathers to practice more deep breathing by inhaling through the nose and exhaling from the mouth. Have fun by using only the breath to move feathers across the floor or a table!
- Talk about feelings or write about them in a journal.
Book Suggestions
- “Breathe Like a Bear” written by Kira Willey and illustrated by Anni Bets
- “I Am Yoga” written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
