This week we did a mindfulness activity called mind in a jar, where each student talked about something that worries them while shaking some glitter into a glass jar. Then, we shook the jar up and talked about how sometimes we feel like that inside, with worries and bad thoughts swirling about our heads and bodies. We watched as the glitter drifted slowly to the bottom, practicing slow, deep, relaxing breaths as we watched. It was very calming and reminded us that just like our jar, we too will settle down with time and patience. The kids really loved it and I have had lots of requests for individual jars to travel to other classes or to be taken home. I am enclosing a link with a recipe that you can use, although if you are doing it at home I would suggest a plastic bottle. We just used fine glitter and a squirt of glitter glue – I think the soap would make it too bubbly. It settles rather quickly but suits our purpose just fine. Later in the year we will be making a similar bottle filled with oil, water and glitter to observe density but some can’t wait that long!

Here’s the link: http://mommaowlslab.blogspot.com/2012/02/science-thursday-glitter-jars.html